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.
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.
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.
Since the start of the pandemic, online shopping has seen tremendous growth very quickly. According to the Census Bureau, e-commerce sales increased by 43% in 2020, and again by 14% in 2021. Some sources are projecting over 70% revenue growth from 2019-2023.
While this is welcomed news for e-commerce brands, the surge in shopping created by the pandemic has made a mess of the global supply chain.Nearly 4 out of every 10 small businesses have experienced supply chain disruptions or delays in the United States. These disruptions are frustrating for customers, and anxiety-inducing for business owners who worry about losing their frustrated customers.
On top of that, as competition within the industry increases, customers have come to expect shorter delivery times. And marketing shorter delivery times only intensifies the pressure that shipping and handling departments are feeling.
The material handling industry has been completely upended by this sudden high demand. Shipping delays have affected most major players on the world stage, like the US, China, Russia, and Ukraine, and the effects trickle upward from raw material suppliers all the way to the end users.
In order for packaging facilities to process packages at a high rate, they must be able to depend on 3 things: proper equipment, staffing, and up-to-date technology.
These 3 components are crucial for packaging facilities to successfully navigate shipping delays. This post will highlight the main problems that a packaging facility faces related to shipping delays, how to plan ahead, and mitigate shipping delays.
Equipment and Parts
No packaging facility is cookie-cutter. Different products and packages require different approaches, different equipment, and carries its own unique set of challenges and requirements. If outfitted with the wrong (or outdated) parts and equipment, it can add an extra load of stress, especially during those peak seasons. Without every piece of the puzzle working together seamlessly, delays are inevitable.
Outfitting your facility with up-to-date equipment is the best way to avoid pesky delays and costly downtime. Staying up-to-date requires an intimate knowledge of your own system and consistent dialogue with your installation partners and engineers.
Here are a few tips to keep your parts and equipment up-to-date:
Perform regularly scheduled checkups of your parts and equipment to ensure that you head off concerns before they become problems.
Some parts wear quicker than others. Stay in front of these issues by keeping replacements for these parts handy. This is the simplest way to prevent downtime or delays.
Stay in touch with your installation partners, who can help you keep up with industry trends and ensure you know your systems inside and out.
Staff Shortage
The spike in consumer demands created its own issues for companies that sell products online. But on top of that, global worker shortages have made it extremely difficult for packaging facilities to process orders as quickly as they’re coming in. With fewer workers to carry out manual tasks, shipping delays are becoming inevitable.
Although some are returning back to the workforce, staffing continues to be an issue for many companies. As a result, many packaging facilities are now looking to robotics and automation to speed up processes or fill in gaping holes. In fact, as many companies turn toward robotics and automation, we believe it’s becoming the way of the future.
As staff shortages continue to plague many companies across various industries, there are a handful of ways to combat these shortages and reduce shipping delays.
Improve company benefits and perks.
Get help with recruitment.
Encourage opportunities for growth in the company.
Automate where you can.
Technology
Over the last 20 years, technology has been one of the most mercurial facets of material handling. The ever-changing technological front can make it difficult for facilities to stay up to date, which leads to inaccurate information and slower processing — which is ultimately what leads to delays.
But technology plays an increasingly important role in driving down costs and increasing speed and predictability within packaging facilities.
Practically speaking, there are a number of clear-cut ways you can leverage technology to reduce shipping delays:
Keep your current systems versions up to date.
Note parts and equipment that haven’t been replaced in awhile. Look for equipment that has improved dramatically over the years, and if replacement of this equipment makes sense for your business.
Monitor your parts and equipment a few months before peak season, so you aren’t caught off guard when the rush comes.
Maintain communication with your system engineers for them to analyze, review, and update your systems.
With the state of our global supply chains, it may not be possible to entirely eradicate shipping delays, but there are ways to stay proactive and mitigate those possibilities. While most shipping delays are caused by circumstances outside of your control, it’s never been more crucial to eliminate causes that ARE within your control.
And, the most significant way to stay on top of your game is to keep a body of support around your systems.
Hiring a material handling partner can help you:
properly analyze your systems
inspect your equipment
inform you of the potential improvements your facility
and most of all, help you to improve your processing systems on a consistent basis.
If you don’t have a team of material handling experts on your side to help you streamline your systems, we would love to help you. Call us today at (844) 845-7580.
The term “turn-key” is tossed around quite often and has become a buzzword in our industry. But what does it really mean? And do most companies actually deliver turn-key services?
Though we can’t speak for other companies, here’s what the term “turn-key” means for Lafayette Engineering: we can handle any project internally from start to finish — from concept to implementation.
Essentially, turn-key services means we are a one stop shop.
It is the complete design, build, and installation of material handling equipment.
So what does our turn-key service process look like for clients? Let’s take a look.
Concepting
The first step in a material handling project is the ideation or concepting phase. Every material handling project is unique because each client’s needs and facility specifications are unique.
Right after initial contact, we begin to draft plans and work closely with the client’s team to design a system concept that is built specifically to suit their facility. At this point in the journey, we provide comprehensive design consulting for our customers and truly become an extension of their project planning team.
Concepting is not only applicable to new systems projects. In fact, any system can be customized, upgraded, or retrofitted for optimum performance — with a keen eye for integration, of course.
The whole point of concepting is to generate new ideas — to redefine the possibilities of facility production output.
Once an idea is born, it is ready to be made.
Mechanical Engineering
The next phase in our turn-key service is mechanical engineering — where ideas are brought to life. Concept drawings must be done quickly to speed the iteration process, so when we reach this phase, our engineers refine the concept drawing by designing it to meet your facilities specifications.
From storage/picking, waves, packing, order matching, and sortation, our engineers work with the client’s team to ensure the best possible design to fit the needs of the facility.
Seamless Collaboration
Bridging the gap between mechanical engineering and control engineering is where true turn-key services are a massive advantage. With both engineering teams available working together in-house, communication is smoother, fewer mistakes are made, and ultimately, the next phase is scheduled faster.
The Control Engineering phase is one in which many material handling service providers rely on subcontracting to accomplish — and thus, this phase is where many projects stall. But seamless collaboration between our mechanical and control engineering teams is a huge advantage for our clients.
Control Engineering
Undoubtedly, the most important aspect of any conveyor system is the control system. Control Engineering is a hallmark of Lafayette Engineering. Once the mechanical engineering phase is completed, our Warehouse Control System (WCS) software application, Conveyor Works, seamlessly takes over.
Essentially, Conveyor Works acts in place of a controls team for Lafayette Engineering.
Conveyor Works uniquely combines extensive electrical engineering capabilities with the latest in technology and control devices to improve equipment utilization, increase system efficiency, reduce operational costs, and provide flexibility with your material handling systems.
What truly sets Lafayette Engineering apart in regards to turn-key material handling services, however, is that we have a fully UL listed panel design and fabrication center located within our main office.
This allows us to have ownership over the quality of every panel required for any given project — and we don’t have to rely on an outside source. From small push button enclosures to large motor control panels, each panel is rigorously tested by our in-house electrical engineering team prior to shipping, to ensure craftsmanship and operational perfection. An in house fabrication center also affords us the flexibility to work directly with customers on timelines and adjustments to specifications.
Installation
When it comes to installation, repair, and maintenance of conveyors, a turn-key material handling project should provide engineering, mechanical, electrical, and construction services.
The installation process can be tedious, so it’s best to work with a team that has ample experience in installing, moving, and liquidating rack, tear-outs, and conveyors and has plenty of experience with many types of equipment.
When it comes to wiring the conveyor systems within a warehouse or other facilities, Lafayette represents the superior choice in field-wiring material handling systems. We provide our customers with well-trained, experienced electricians, capable of performing the most complicated projects under tight time constraints. Having oversight from one place, ensures we are able to communicate effectively and timely during all stages of a job.
PLC Installation & Testing
When the system is wired and ready for PLC installation and testing, our engineers arrive on site — the same team that worked together on the initial design of the project. They will first test to ensure that we are receiving inputs and that the outputs function correctly. They arrive with a base code ready to be deployed into the PLC, but every job has to be refined and tested to ensure that each product is moving as it should through the system.
WCS Implementation
During testing, the WCS team works closely to make sure each of your systems has the correct information prior to implementation into the system. After it is finalized and implemented our team will work closely with the controls engineer and the facility’s WCS to ensure that each team is sending and receiving the correct message and to ensure that every product delivers to the correct location.
Go Live & Beyond
It’s time.
After months of work to get a project to this stage, it is finally here. Our team will be on site to ensure that everything works as intended. Even though we have tested it as hard as we can, we can never simulate true working volume and real life situations.
This is the final mile. A strong material handling partner is with you every step of the way until the final mile is completed. To ensure the system hand off is seamless, our team will be there to train and properly hand off the system to yours. Even after our team does leave your facility, we are still with you every step of the way with our “1 year 24 hour remote support.”
We never suggest replacing your staff entirely with robots, because humans play an integral role in a production facility. Robots cannot lead, develop innovative ideas, or solve problems. We will always need the human element in warehouse operations — with robots assisting our endeavors.
Want to learn more about robotics? Give us a call at (844) 845-7580 and see how we’re working to help customers like you save time, money, and growth.
Five ways that robotics and automation can propel your business into the future.
As the economy begins to open back up, many assumed that everything would fall back into place as it were, and our economy would continue to charge full steam ahead.
But that’s simply not what is happening. Labor shortages, strained and chaotic supply chains, and many other issues continue to plague economic progress in the wake of the global pandemic. Unemployment rates in the U.S are still being heavily impacted as a result.
As the workforce has been slow to return to work, many in the field have been forced to wear multiple hats, taking on tasks that were previously not required of them. As you might be able to imagine, this has devastating effects on productivity. Fortunately, the future has arrived, and new technology has afforded us the ability to automate more tasks, and keep production moving with fewer workers. The answer? Robotics. As the labor shortage continues, many companies will be forced to explore the implementation of robotics and automation within their warehouses, in order to keep up with production demands and maintain the happiness and health of their employees
In this article, we’re going to discuss 5 ways that robotics and automation can help your warehouse keep up with production demands and propel their operations into the future.
Save time. Robots can easily handle the workload of multiple humans while committing fewer errors. Front-end investment in robotics will help your facility get more done in less time, while simultaneously reducing your overhead costs. While we cannot (and should not) totally remove the human element from our facilities, robotics can serve as a wonderful compliment to human effort within materials handling, and will increase your output without increasing your payroll.
Better Access to Data. Through connected automated systems, logistics experts and facility managers have access to many types of data – at a much faster rate — than ever before. This setup affords us the ability to call upon data from a central location, issue new commands to automated guided vehicles, and make adjustments to other connected machines, all in an instant.
Greater Flexibility. A crucial competitive advantage for production facilities and warehouses is flexibility — especially in today’s volatile supply chain climate. Automated material handling equipment gives factories and distribution centers this advantage. With robots performing tasks continuously at high speeds, factories are able to adapt more easily to curveballs such as changing customer demands, peak season, and volume volatility.
Cost-effective growth. As robotics becomes more common, they are becoming smarter, faster, and cheaper. An initial investment in robotics and automation capabilities will allow small to mid-sized companies to grow without increasing labor costs. The operational cost of a robot is around $2-$3, and by automating the mundane, repetitive tasks, warehouses are able to shift human effort to more complex and valuable responsibilities.
Improved Workplace Safety. Automating dangerous tasks is not a new idea. Facilities have used pallet jacks and lift trucks for decades to reduce the risk of injury to their employees. In the same way, robotics are being used to handle hazardous processes or materials, which benefits employees and companies, both.
In order to remain competitive, warehouses must begin to rely more on robotics and automation. We never suggest replacing your staff entirely with robots, because humans play an integral role in a production facility. Robots cannot lead, develop innovative ideas, or solve problems. We will always need the human element in warehouse operations — with robots assisting our endeavors.
Want to learn more about robotics? Give us a call at (844) 845-7580 and see how we’re working to help customers like you save time, money, and growth.
In the materials handling industry, we see a lot of products. From large boxes to small bagged items, we generally have figured out efficient methods to get most materials from Point A to Point B. But, as you’re likely aware, some items don’t play nicely with your standard conveyor system. These items, categorized as “non-conveyables”, are processed separately and often sorted manually.
Here’s how FedEx defines a non-conveyable:
“A shipment is classed as non-conveyable if it cannot be sorted on our automated machinery. Items can be deemed as non-conveyable due to their weight, size, packaging, contents or the potential to cause damage.”
These items can be too small for photo eyes to detect, too heavy to move across conveyors, or just too irregularly shaped to fit into a conveyor. The conundrum is that we simply can’t standardize everything. We create conveyor systems to handle the vast majority of products, but we simply cannot accommodate every size or shape at this point. Because of this, there really is no blueprint for how to manage non-conveyables, and they can create a logistical nightmare.
And, since non-conveyable items must be sorted manually, they can really slow down an otherwise fast-flowing operation. Manual sorting decreases productivity, requires dedicated labor, reduces the level of traceability, and often poses a higher risk for error.
So how should you manage non-conveyables?
Automation
First, it’s important to consider if automation is a possibility in some capacity.
Can you simply move the parcel to another location in your facility that can accomodate? Perhaps a wider conveyor would solve the problem? Unfortunately, the more irregular a parcel is, the less likely it is that you will be able to use an automated system to move it.
That being said, one of the most effective ways to handle non conveyable items is with specialized equipment. Specialized equipment is very helpful because it provides pre engineered take-away options that standard automation doesn’t provide. This equipment can significantly reduce manual effort, keep productivity consistent, and give you a bang for your buck.
Specialized equipment is extremely useful for facilities who handle a large number of non-conveyable items. If your facility deals with this often, investing in specialized equipment is a great way to speed up your processes and the investment pays off immensely in the long run.
There is also room for partial automation in using a system to detect the weight and volume of the parcel.
Human Intervention
Next, you’ll need to determine how much human intervention is needed. Expecting an automated system to handle every irregular item on its own is unrealistic for many facilities.
Many items require some form of human assistance in order to flow smoothly through a warehouse, whether that’s physically moving the parcel to another side of the facility, workers packaging by hand, or an engineer manually controlling processes.
The reality is, most automated systems just simply are not designed to handle irregular items, and we have to fill in those holes, somehow. Human intervention can be used to fill in the gaps that conveyors and other forms of automation simply cannot. When you cannot rely on your automated systems, the most important question to ask is, “how can we make it work as efficiently as possible?”
Transport
Here’s where managing non-conveyables gets a little tricky: transport logistics. Transporting non-conveyables will require much more coordination and deliberation than regular parcels.
For example, smaller non-conveyable items, though irregular, may still end up packaged and on the way to a distribution facility. In contrast, larger items like appliances would be better suited to transport directly in trucks. Depending on how many non-conveyables flow through your facility, it can become quite the juggling act to balance average system intervals along with the extra assistance an irregular item can incur. If you’re not careful, transport logistics for your non-conveyable items can really drive up costs.
Because shipment of non-conveyables requires a more hands-on approach, we recommend that you implement any necessary steps that will make manual processes more efficient. This can be special handling labels, ‘This Way Up’ arrows on the box, ‘Do Not Machine’ labels, or some other way to help speed the process.
Recap & Final Thoughts
Non conveyable items are similar to the end pieces on a loaf of bread; useful, and even necessary, but often we’re just not quite sure what to do with them. But there’s no doubt about it, “winging it” is not a great strategy for handling non-conveyables. Once you have a solid grasp on what’s necessary to handle your irregular items, you can put processes in place and your team will operate much more efficiently.
First, always determine where automation is possible – in any capacity. Specialized equipment may help you automate handling in ways that your conveyors cannot.
Second, determine where human interaction is simply unavoidable. Many irregular items require some sort of human assistance to move efficiently through the warehouse.
Last, consider the transport logistics of your non-conveyables.
Many high volume E-commerce facilities can attest to: there is an art to handling and managing your irregular parcels, but there’s also a “method to the madness.” If you give these items some thought and attention, you can create efficient processes just like the rest of your “regular” items.
Any smooth-flowing system or workflow needs a “director”. The lack of a director, or control system, can lead to utter chaos. Here’s a real-world example.
Taking kids to school or going through downtown traffic can turn into complete anarchy. If there is no cop orchestrating the traffic or no traffic lights directing cars to stop and go, things can get messy very quickly. But when someone or something manages the traffic, far fewer accidents happen.
The same idea applies to your warehouse control system. In order to get peak performance, efficiency, and reliability, someone or something must be the “traffic cop” of your warehouse.
A warehouse control system (WCS) is a software application that directs real-time activities within warehouses and distribution centers. And just like a real traffic cop, a WCS ensures that each of your conveyors, sorters and other pieces of equipment run smoothly, perform with precision, and maximize efficiency to avoid delays.
A reliable WCS will ensure that you and your team are better prepared for planning and delivering, and it should also simplify your warehouse, lining everything up under a single point of communication.
Take a look at the image below to see how WCS benefits your warehouse, your team, and your products.
Conveyor Works Services
There are many warehouse control systems out there, but not all of them are made equal. At Lafayette Engineering, we leverage the expertise of top engineers in the country to offer Conveyor Works, a software application designed to integrate and connect all of the moving parts in your warehouse or distribution center.
From a 30,000 ft view, Conveyor Works and any other WCS can help you organize your operations and keep things flowing smoothly. But here are 8 specific ways that Conveyor Works will sync up your warehouse and save you time.
The reporting feature allows you to view historical information on operations, increase your visibility to plant floor operations, and reduce your labor requirements and associated costs.
System Alerts:
Monitor real-time status, warnings, and alarms
The Conveyor Works Difference
Many of the integrated material handling systems out there require multiple business systems and dissimilar pieces of equipment to act as “nodes” on a network; communicating and collaborating with each other. However, the exchange of information between these “nodes” can be extremely problematic because many pieces of equipment operate independently, by design. What’s more, some “nodes” don’t even have the decision-making capabilities to respond in the time needed for item-to-item decisions.
Our Conveyor Works warehouse control system is the “middleman”, allowing easier communication between your systems and enabling you to make better real-time decisions. We realize that unique situations create unique problems, and we want to ensure that our solutions actually help you do your job better. If Conveyor Works sounds like a solution that will greatly increase the productivity of your warehouse, give us a call today and speak with a handling solutions expert.
No doubt, by now, you’ve seen the big push that many major businesses (like McDonald’s) are making to reach lofty sustainability goals. This can create a lot of pressure for those in the supply chain to keep up.
But rather than seeing environmental sustainability as a nuisance, it could be an opportunity to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and modernize your business — all while leaving the planet in better shape for the next generation.
Here’s the thing about your carbon footprint, though:
Carbon emissions are only part of manufacturing sustainability. Extraction and production of metals to make new manufacturing parts account for a large portion of each product’s carbon footprint.
According to sustainability site Treehugger, much of the carbon emission of electronics can be traced to the manufacturing of storage devices, semiconductor, and PCB components, which can be found in many pieces of electrical and electronic industrial equipment.
In the infographic below, we’ll discuss a few simple ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint and help your facility become more “green.”
To read their full article of “Going Green with Obsolete Equipment for Manufacturers” check out Control Engineering here.
When your brain is functioning slower than normal, your body follows suit. When your brain isn’t firing on all cylinders, it’s nearly impossible to function at a high level.
Think of your PLC system as the brain of your facility.
Your PLC system continuously monitors the state of input devices and makes decisions to control the state of output devices. Your PLC system also gives you the ability to change and replicate the operation or process while collecting and communicating vital information.
So, what should you do when your PLC system becomes obsolete? It’s such an important part of your facility, but knowing when to replace it can be difficult to spot. Then, as with any old hardware and controllers, determining a good time to replace or update your PLC system can be tricky.
Should you wait until your PLC is on its last legs before addressing it? Probably not. Since many components are still backlogged by the manufacturers, buying replacement parts on the internet can be very unreliable.
The decision to migrate to a new system doesn’t have to be a surprise emergency situation, you should be looking for signs of the times well in advance. Here are a few signs to keep an eye on that will give you a good indication of when it’s time to replace your PLC system.
The first thing to check is if your system is using Microsoft Windows 7 or older. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows 7 on January 14, 2020, so if you are still using that software, you haven’t gotten any updates in quite some time now. And running on out-of-date software can really slow down your production.
Since many PLCs are computer-based, using outdated software can hurt you more than simply slowing you down — it can make you vulnerable to cybersecurity issues. If you are still implementing software older than Windows 10, we’d recommend that it’s definitely time to upgrade your user interface, or HMI system, along with your PLC system.
The second thing to consider is, is your installation older than 10 years? Technology has advanced rapidly in the last decade, and if your systems are more than 10 years old, you are missing out on technologies that could significantly increase energy efficiency.
There are newer applications that can save you loads of time in the energy department. For example, the majority of PLC systems now rely on ethernet for communication instead of outdated serial communication. If you’re still using outdated methods and equipment, now may be the time to invest. Today’s cloud-based technologies give you more flexibility for remote access and a clearer, more concise way of communicating across networks.
Third, consider components that are at their end of life, or discontinued. It’s not uncommon that manufacturers will, at times, discontinue certain products that we rely heavily on. Such was the case with Allen Bradley PLC-5.
Many facilities used this technology in their systems and when Allen Bradley began to phase out and eventually discontinue the PLC-5, we were left with two options: 1) Upgrade your system to be compatible with newer technologies, or 2) Continue to use the PLC-5 and hope for the best.
Many discontinued components can only be found in obscure places online. Couple that with the fact that eventually, supplies will run out, it may be time to consider a total system migration. A decision not to upgrade may eventually hinder your ability to expand in the future.
Of course, there are many other reasons that could lead you to upgrade your system. Don’t lose precious time playing catch-up, though, start thinking ahead. Because being proactive about your systems is being proactive about your future. Proper planning now as part of your maintenance strategy will make the migration process easier, make expansion easier, and save you money in the long run!
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognizing you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful using analytics.
Preferences Cookie
This cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.
If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.
