The lessons learned from the recent recession will likely last long after the recovery arrives – manufacturers must maintain lower operating budgets while increasing efficiency, and they need to optimize their operations to stay on the path to sustainable success. One way to address operational challenges is investing in a comprehensive asset-management strategy. By executing a well-planned, comprehensive approach, manufacturers can actually transform maintenance from an expense into a strategic, competitive asset. 

One of the biggest annoyances for maintenance technicians is conveyor belt tracking. In this video, Superior Industry’s Josh Boardman explains how to solve this frustrating conveyor service issue.

Duke Energy lighting rebate overview.[/caption] Lighting plays an important role in creating a work environment that’s both pleasant and productive – and it’s a big part of your electric bill. That’s why it pays to install high-efficiency lighting systems. You’ll lower your operating costs while maintaining adequate lighting levels. New, energy-efficient lighting technologies provide direct or indirect lighting. Best of all, they use up to 30 percent less energy than standard fluorescent lighting equipment.

 Last week, Baldor introduced the Baldor Dodge Raptor coupling, with patented WingLock Technology. Featuring a finite-element optimized winged elastomeric element design, the Raptor provides longer driven equipment life and improved reliability. Raptor’s patented WingLock technology increases surface area at the most critical regions of the element, resulting in higher bond strength, improved fatigue resistance, and longer life than competitive urethane designs. A non-lubricated natural rubber element results in lower stiffness, improved vibration damping, and industry-leading misalignment capabilities.

Converged Plantwide Ethernet (CPwE) is the underlying architecture that provides standard network services to the applications, devices, and equipment found in modern Industrial Automation and Control System (IACS) applications. The CPwE architecture provides design and implementation guidance to achieve the real-time communication, reliability, and resiliency requirements of the IACS. CPwE Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) for plant floor machine Wi-Fi communications is brought to market through a joint partnership of Cisco Systems and Rockwell Automation, providing manufacturers the necessary guidance to meet the challenges of a fully integrated IACS. 

According to the Department of Energy (DOE), manufacturing operations in the US spend $30 billion annually on electricity powering motor-driven systems, leading industrial experts to consider energy-efficient synchronous drive units as an alternative to v-belt drive systems. 

A Software Inventory Evaluation from Rockwell Automation and CBT provides a thorough analysis of your software, hardware, and servers. This gives you a clear picture of which Information Technology (IT) assets must be upgraded, which will work concurrently, how you can avoid migration risk and where costs can be reduced.

In today’s progressive manufacturing and distribution environments, designing conveyor systems can be a difficult challenge. Itoh Denki’s power moller provides a safe and energy-efficient alternative to conveyors traditionally powered by large electric motors. It reduces noise levels in facilities and only operates when needed (run-on-demand), reducing your facility’s energy costs by eliminating empty conveyors that are running continuously.