Investing in an industrial automation system for the first time or upgrading an existing system is a large undertaking.

Industrial automation is an innovative field with new advances every year combining hardware and software, often within an existing system to have production and control systems operate at their maximum efficiency. This is where a system integration partner comes in.

They are companies not tied to any company specifically, who partner with you to help achieve top results in your facility while managing schedules. Whether that be storage, conveyance, Robots, etc.

A system integrator will manage all components like engineering, and materials, as well as installation and implementation of control systems.

The right system integrator can bring great benefits to your company such as:

• Having the capability to be able to quote more than one solution for comparable numbers.
• Long-standing relationships with the right partners to be able to provide the solution desired either in an area or nationwide.
• Experience with more than one product line that could tie into the system that you already have in place or to help you rebuild that line.

In this blog, we will discuss finding the correct integrator and the due diligence that it takes to make sure that your experience is nothing but successful.

Determine Your Needs

Are you looking for short-term solutions, or do you need a long-term ROI? Once you have established what your company will need, the search for the correct system integration partner begins.

Ask for sites to visit or references.

Speak with people who have worked with the integrator in the past. Listen to what solutions they represent and do those solutions fit your needs.

Select the Necessary Credentials

Even though cost is a huge factor when you are looking for efficient solutions, do not let this be the entire reason you go with a system integrator. As we mentioned earlier, ask colleagues you worked with in the past. Surprisingly enough, the integrator world is a lot smaller than we think so there is a high chance your peers have been through the process before and will probably have insights and recommendations.

Reviewing Their Work

This is the most telling aspect. While all systems are unique, and require different solutions, at the higher level there is something you can learn from the installation and implementation of the integrator. Learn as much about the problems they encountered and what they did to tackle those hurdles. Ask what they felt was a success of that project. If there is an area that just seems odd then ask them why they designed it this way, more often than not there is a story to tell of how they came to the final solution.

Do They Have Connections to Get the Job Done?

We would argue that one of the most important, yet underrated facets of being a successful integration partner is networking. Working with trusted companies can be a huge advantage when it comes to choosing an integrator because they will be able to generate a quicker less stressful completion date due to already having the connections they need.

Searching for subcontractors with availability is minimized because many work exclusively with the integrator. Something that Lafayette Engineering takes a lot of pride in as a system integrator that has been built over time.

We value our long-standing relationships with vendors and subcontractors, as well as our ability to do almost every aspect in-house. Though we can work with a great majority of companies there are some situations Lafayette is not the correct integrator to work with and it could be for many different reasons.

At the end of the day, we want each and every customer or potential customer to be happy so if we are not able to help with your system, we have the network to help you find the right fit for the job.

Give us a call today to see if we are the right system integrator for you or let us help you connect with the right one. Call us today at (844) 845-7580.

1-Does Lafayette Engineering manufacture conveyors?

No. We are an integrator.

We do, however, partner with Hytrol, and other manufacturers to allow us the flexibility to offer each customer custom solutions for their price point and functionality.

Learn more about what we and our partners do here.

2-What type of support does Lafayette Engineering provide?

All of our projects come with a support agreement for one year after installation. We encourage all of our customers to sign a support agreement with us after that year is up to maintain seamless system support.

LEI offers two unique support contracts.

Advanced, which is 24/7 on call, and standard, which is 8:00 am to 5:00 pm EST.

If you do not have a support contract with us, you can easily sign up with us. You simply sign a non-support agreement, meaning that you pay hourly (minimum of two hours) for support calls.

We have a team of dedicated engineering professionals who handle support 24/7. The process is easy. When you call in for system support, a call center will take your information and relay that to our team. Once we have all the necessary information, one of our support engineers will contact you.

3-How many locations does Lafayette Engineering have?

We have FOUR locations currently.

Our headquarters are located in Danville Kentucky.

We have additional office locations in Ontario-California, South Plainfield-New Jersey, and Atlanta-Georgia. With multiple locations we are able to cover coast to coast and everywhere in between, to give our customers fast access to our team, no matter where they are.

We encourage our readers to reach out with any additional questions or suggestions for future FAQ articles. We are committed to continually enhancing our content and fostering a community of engaged readers. Together, we can build a knowledge-sharing platform that serves as a reliable resource for everyone.

If you don’t have a team of experts on your side to help you streamline your business, we would love to help you. Call us today at (844) 845-7580.

Where is our industry going in 2023?

With a recession looming overhead for more than a year now, many facility operators find that outsourcing tasks proves to be more efficient and less risky than upgrading “in-house.” Traditionally, 3PLs (third-party logistics) have been used to get a system up and running. In the past year, though, we have seen 3PLs used more frequently for a variety of tasks. Let’s look at a few ways that facility operators are using 3PLs to maximize their throughput in the shadow of a recession.

Robot Usage

In the past year, we have seen a heightened usage of robots in our partner facilities. There could be many reasons for this, but the most common, and most intriguing reason is the low daily attendance percentage. With a large percentage of the workforce not being as reliable as they have been in years past a lot of companies are finding themselves understaffed. Many facilities would rather pay the higher cost upfront for a more reliable workforce as opposed to dealing with being understaffed. Alternatively, some robots are used on a monthly or “by the pick”  rental basis. Still, the flexibility and guaranteed output make robot usage an attractive option for many during uncertain times.

Control Devices

Though the supply chain is far from “back to normal”, the chaos of getting controls devices seems to have greatly improved. The majority of integrators have remedied this problem in two ways: ordered a very large stock that they can replenish from, or find workarounds. While ordering large stocks may be a temporary solution, many of the creative workarounds will be around long after the supply chain corrects itself. 

We’re also seeing a “race to the bottom” when it comes to these devices. Producers are competing on price, often beating the “normal price” before the normal materials increase and they have stock ready to ship.

Reduce Dollar Amount

Like most businesses in just about every industry, the recession has forced distribution facilities to reduce their spending. Before upgrading their facilities, many facility operators are retrofitting their current systems, squeezing every dollar they can from what they already own. Retrofitting can typically be done over long weekends, and there is a lot of risk to it. But partnering with the right team can mitigate that risk and deliver extreme paybacks.

Here’s an example. If your slat sorter is wearing out, you will need a new sorter in the next year or two. However, you can prolong your sorter’s life a bit more by implementing new chains and sprockets. While the maintenance team is conducting their Audit, examine the diverters to see if they are showing wear and determine which parts can be replaced. If you find that a large amount of switches need to be replaced, you will need to get on order early as most of the supplies that have been listed still have a longer than average lead time.

Ready to upgrade? If at any time you would like to upgrade your system, this could be an opportunity to explore the Lafayette Magnetic Sortation switch (LMS). The LMS switch can be used in a new system or, with minor adjustments, can be a drop-in unit to your current Hytrol sortation system. Learn more about the LMS switch here or give us a call at (844) 845-7580.

Here’s a Look At The Numbers In 2022

In April 2022, we launched the Lafayette Magnetic Sortation Switch (LMS) – a conveyor system to help shipping facilities decrease noise, reduce wear & tear, and move more parcels more efficiently. Since the launch of LMS, our partners have posted some of the most dazzling peak shipping season numbers we’ve seen at Lafayette.

We installed five new sorters across four facilities, and 107 LMS switches have been manufactured and installed since the launch of Lafayette Magnetic Sortation Switch.

The average peak season is approximately 5 weeks, with Black Friday being the unofficial “kickoff.” This year started a bit earlier than usual, as shipping and online sales picked up around mid-November. 

One location with two sorters shipped 599,000 parcels over a 6 day period in November, at an average clip of 49,900 parcels per sorter per day.

Another facility with one sorter shipped 477,000 parcels over that 6 day stretch in November, at an average rate of 79,500 parcels per day by this one sorter.

These extraordinary numbers aren’t unusual for systems that have implemented magnetic technology. As is the case with many new product launches, though, there were slight adjustments to be made after we launched LMS. In roughly ten months since the public introduction of LMS, our team has adapted, learned in real time how to manage problematic situations, and reconfigured certain aspects to gain a more controlled version of every switch that leaves our shop.

With each installation, we continue to learn, analyze, and improve our product. Ultimately, our goal in 2023 is to lead the market in quality and performance when it comes to magnetic sortation systems. 

We’re just getting started – these incredible numbers are a sign of things to come in the future for Lafayette Magnetic Sortation.

If you don’t have a team of experts on your side to help you streamline your business, we would love to help you. Call us today at (844) 845-7580.

Lasting Effects of the Pandemic

Pre-pandemic times were much simpler. 

Two years ago, acquiring components and supplies was a simple process. If you needed supplies, you knew where to get them and for the most part, how long it would take to get them.

Supply Acquisition

But things are different in the post-pandemic world. It’s no secret that parts acquisition has become a challenging, and often maddening process.

For example, at LEI we can get about 90% of the material needed for assembling a panel through our typical, tried and true avenues. However, the remaining 10% of panel materials must now be searched for and acquired through non-traditional means.

Lead Time Variability

The supply chain issues brought on by the pandemic have also led to unthinkable lead times.In the post pandemic world, buying online is difficult with unprecedented lead times. This has become our new normal. Suppliers such as Allen Bradley are listing 30-35 weeks wait time for orders on their website, while some individual components are looking upward of 78 weeks. That’s unheard of! 

Inventory & Supplier Relationships

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in an ‘out of stock’ situation. 

To counteract the long and fluctuating lead times from suppliers, companies began to ‘stock-up’ on inventory as a way to prevent out-of-stock situations from happening during shortages. 

It’s crucial to maintain a steady relationship with suppliers and manufacturers during these times. When supply is in high demand, a supplier may allow a certain percentage of its inventory to key customers. This means that other customers may only get a small percentage of what they need for a specific component, resulting in disruptions to their production and a trickle-down effect that extends all the way to consumers.

Opportunity in Unlikely Places

 So, what do we do when that isn’t enough? We get creative.

At Lafayette, we’ve turned to “outside the box” methods to keep our operations moving fluidly. Where we were once able to easily find certain parts and supplies, we now have to scour the depths of the internet for! 

We’ve learned to get creative; making use of websites like eBay to fill in the gaps when suppliers fall short. 

Leveraging Your Inventory

This approach makes spare parts sitting on shelves much more valuable than ever before. Parts that are in your inventory may no longer be required if you’ve upgraded your system, but to others who have not upgraded, those parts are like gold — and they will pay good money for them. 

A shortage of inventory naturally adds a significant increase in price. As the old saying goes, “when supply is down, demand goes up.”  

A component like the safety input card 1734-IB8S is a perfect example. We normally buy a 1734-IB8S from our supplier for $393.58 (list cost being $648.72). However, these are currently selling new on Ebay from anywhere from $1,500 to over $2,000 each. Due to job demands, we have been forced to buy several of these in order to keep things moving as scheduled. 

That’s a 200-300% increase in cost.

And users like us are flocking to buy them because it is the only way to keep our systems functioning within an appropriate timeline. If you have accrued a surplus of parts and supplies for your systems that you no longer need, there is a massive opportunity to turn that surplus into profit.

The same can be said for end-of-life equipment. If there are parts needed for your system that are no longer being manufactured, your best bet is to find an online source who has an excess of those items to sell. 

3 Ways Around the Supply Chain Dilemma

Since 2020, LEI has spent over $500k on large surplus orders in an attempt to get ahead of the lead time madness.

That’s one way to do it. But here are a few other ways to get around the supply chain dilemma:

• Substitute the part with a compatible part either from the same manufacturer or a different manufacturer.  
• Buy material online from nontraditional sources like Ebay. Although you may have to purchase at a premium cost, it beats not having the part you need.  
• Last resort, re-engineer the job. Although not ideal, if you cannot find the backlogged part online or expedite it from your vendor, you may have no other choice.  

It’s safe to say that any excess components are an advantageous commodity right now. Many manufacturers and even integrators have begun to list their surplus inventories and are making profits hand over fist. This may be a beneficial route for you as our industry continues to recover from pandemic-driven supply-demand issues.

If you don’t have a team of experts on your side to help you streamline your business, we would love to help you. Call us today at (844) 845-7580.