News

What Is Lean Manufacturing?

Lean manufacturing originated from Japan, and therefore the idea was based on eliminating ‘muda’ (futility, uselessness, wastefulness) from your business.

This essentially means that the worth of your products is increased thanks to it being made strictly for the customers’ requirements, while you’re business is also better placed to make savings and operate more efficiently.

Those who practice lean manufacturing will look to reduce waste from their business by examining the 7 sorts of ‘mudas’: 

1. Transport 

Moving products costs money and adds no real value. 

2. Inventory 

Products take up space, got to be moved and may become damaged. 

3. Motion 

Getting to work or moving equipment around wastes time. 

4. Waiting 

Waiting for repairs or expecting a delivery of product or material is not ideal.

5. Overproduction 

Making an excessive amount of product. 

6. Over-processing 

Using a machine or methods that takes longer and doesn’t add more value. 

7. Defects 

Products that are replaced, repaired or, worse, recalled. 

For you to realise and reap the rewards of lean manufacturing, the thought is that you simply view your production from the purpose of view of the buyer. Think about what’s necessary! 

News

BENEfits Of Compressed Air Dryers

Contractors use compressed air dryers for them to improve blasting efficiency. Its name indicates that no moisture is required. Hence if it is at all present, it is likely to cause destruction. There are several types of compressed air dryers, each with its unique features. They are as follows: the membrane air dryer, the refrigerated air dryer, and lastly, the desiccant air dryer. Buyers purchase them depending on the performance as well as reliability. The points down below show the few benefits of compressed air dryers.

They Suspend Moisture To Water Vapour.

Scientifically, when the heat is generated, it causes moisture to turn into vapour. Likewise, in these compressors, water is suspended as vapour in the air that is compressed. As this air travels through the machine via the hoses, it cools, and then it goes back to its initial state. Some problems occur after that process and cause blockage from the wet abrasive. In return, a lot of time is wasted as professionals try to undo the clogging in the lines.

They Help In Controlling The Abrasive.

The dry air eases the flow of the abrasive because it cannot be controlled when the air is wet. You must try to hinder any clogging issues whatsoever. This can be done by boosting the machine with an AirPrep system. The dryer the air, the lesser the amount of abrasive to be put in use. That is undoubtedly a bonus to the owner because they will not use a lot of abrasive. Hence it will last for a longer duration, and they will also clean up less.

They Eliminate Routine Problems.

When the air is dry, it stops any problems brought about by water droplets on a surface that has been painted recently or a steel surface that has been blasted not so long ago. It also hinders black moisture shadow, which causes flash corrosion on the surface.

The above points show the advantages of any compressed air dryer. It is necessary for people who plan to own them or have them to have these benefits at the palm of their hands. This is because they can come handy at any time. It does not hurt to be empowered with knowledge. These dryers should also be operated on by specialists who have a hang on what they are doing. Failure to that a lot of losses will be incurred. Clean compressed air should be used because it improves blasting efficiency as well as earns the firm credit. Also, remember to try to prevent clogging.

News

Will a laser cutting machine improve your factory processes?

The question in many people’s mind is, will a laser cutting machine improve your factory processes? It’s one of those questions that can’t easily be answered, as it depends on your current processes and the amount of profit you currently make from cutting through materials. But let’s consider a few things. The basic question should be, what does design for manufacturing consider most? Cost of production and the quality of the product are the basic considerations. Manufacturers embrace any development that touches on the ease, efficiency, time reduction, simplicity and cost reduction. Laser cutting machine answers all these concerns. The following reasons will make laser cutting improve your factory processes.

Easily Customised
Unlike most cutters, lasers are easily customised to cut all materials of all thickness and to any specification. Your factory, therefore, needs only a laser cutter for all materials. However, proper training of the personnel is vital.

Easily Adjustable
Laser cutting machines are easy and quick to adjust. This means that you only need laser cutters for all your factory processes. Changing from material to another is quick and easy.

Fast and Accurate
A revolution in the factory processes is now ripe. The advantage of laser cutters is its ability to cut fast and accurately. So, it’s the most accurate and the fastest.

Clean Cutting Process
Among all the cutters, laser cutting is the cleanest. Your factory process will now have reduced cleaning. Very little secondary cleaning is required when using laser cutting. This saves your time and resources hence reducing the production costs and time.

Inspires Creativity
Laser cutting machines are known to cut any shape and any form. This is because the cutter doesn’t touch the part being cut. Your factory processes are meant to highly improve. You can now bring more creativity into the work by making many designs and shapes.

Increases Choices
With the ability to cut any shape, any material and any thickness, you no longer need to buy material based on availability and cost. It’s now a matter of the best material for the work ahead. Knowing that you can cut any material, you will now go for only the best.

Laser cutting machines are a big boost to all factory processes. It is now easier, quicker, less costly, simple and efficient, whilst these machines have come down in price considerably. So yes we would recommend you at least look at the different models available, because you may find a machine that’s within your budget and can help you automate some tedious manual tasks. Of course, there is going to be an element of training needed, especially if your staff have never experienced laser cutting before, so this will also need to be factored in. But the more homework you do now the better. There are plenty of laser cutting machines, all of different levels, so it’s important you look at the specification closely, ensure you understand the different features and also take note of the measurements, so you can work out how it will function efficiently in your workplace, delivering the level of performance you need.

Engraving Technology, Technology

The top types of doors for factories and warehouses

There are millions of factories and warehouses in the UK and all of them require a door that is strong, secure and dependable. That said, there are so many different types of designs to choose from, so we’ve decided it makes perfect sense to run through some of these in more detail, so you can better understand what the advantages are for each.

There are so many types of doors available in the market for factories in the UK but here are the few top types of doors that work best in our eyes:

  • Roller shutter door – If you are low on space but need the highest amount of security and strength in your door then a roller shutter door will be perfect for you. These doors roll up when opening, and roll down when closing, hence providing security by using very little space. As highly popular industrial doors, these are very common for large and small warehouses in the UK, but thy do require some maintenance and servicing to ensure they stay safe, strong and reliable
  • Sectional door – These doors are getting popular day by day because of their efficiency and affordability. These are one of the most commonly used doors for factories and warehouses in the UK. They close and open in separated panels and can be controlled either manually or electronically with great control.
  • Fast action door – These are perfect for high traffic areas because they open quickly providing you with a smooth traffic management. Moreover, these doors are cheap and low on maintenance cost as well. The curtain on this door can also be made to reseal if hit by traffic, so replacements or repairs aren’t too costly.

These are just some of the best types of doors that can be used in a factory or warehouse as per the type of the requirements of the owner. A good warehouse door is a very important part of that place, as it makes sure that your business is secure and keeps your workflow running smoothly throughout. So take your time before making a decision, because we cannot emphasise just how important it is. It’s also important to look at the budget that you have available before weighing up your options. Of course, this kind o door is more than away of granting access to employees, it’s an investment in your security. Without a strong and secure industrial door for your warehouse, you could find your stock missing when you show up at 9am in the morning! As important as budget is, always be sure to get a door that’s fit for purpose, and will not need replacing in a short period of time. If you have to spend a little more to get a top quality door for your factory, so be it. you team will thank you for it, as will your products and your customers!

 

 

Manufacture

How do electric hoists improve productivity in warehouses?

The main focus of any plant operation is surely increasing productivity and profits? Present day warehouses have evolved over time and they can now extract each pound of significant worth from each square foot of their factory floor zone and with the focus now on expanding automation; the requirement for higher output cannot be underestimated.

Naturally, warehouses involve full on activities such as lifting heavy loads from one point to another. If your workers were to do this kind of thing manually, they will probably end up with strained muscles and fatigue, which will impair their level of productivity. However, with industrial electric hoists doing the lifting, your workers are saved from such injuries and can therefore focus on more important tasks to ensure maximum throughput.

These machines are designed to work effortlessly and quickly lifting various loads, enabling you to move them easily and securely. With less downtime and injuries, labourers will probably work all the more adequately, increasing your factory or warehouse efficiency levels. Time is of the essence in production. Rather than your workers spending time dragging loads and equipment from one position to another, the hoist will take care of that so that you can deal with producing more yields. Electric lifts are more productive as they use wired cables to lift objects quickly and easily. This, in turn, saves you time since you can operate them remotely or by use of buttons and switches to lift your load. This is obviously superior to a manual lift, which depends on your strength and mobility for lifting. What’s more, the ease of movement it offers allows you to increase yield and reduce the time it takes to complete a single project.

They also have a higher load capacity, which makes them lift as much load as possible all at once. They, as a general rule, have a high-consolidated crane and trolley combination, enabling you to peacefully lift an extensive variety of load types. This means your workers will be able to carry out these activities without unnecessarily stressing themselves out. This enhances productivity and furthermore increases your profits making your warehouse step closer to achieving its goals.

Needless to say, a quiet environment increases concentration in the process. Electronic hoists produce close to zero noise, which means less distraction, which is ideal in a busy environment. So as you can see there are plenty of advantages for choosing an electric hoist for your business, and the cost of these machines have come down considerably, yet there will of course need to be outgoings for repairs or maintenance work, which is required to keep the system in perfect working order.

Many small businesses can now afford these machines and it can help maximise return on investment because of the productivity you get back. They also hold their value and if well maintained, you can usually sell your hoists and upgrade to a new one without breaking the bank. We recommend you move with the times and upgrade your hoists every few years, ensuring your work levels are always improving.