Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation articles from August 2001

Industrial Maintenance & Plant Operation archives from August 2001

Is There an ISO in Your Future?
August 1, 2001... In this business, "ISO" is gaining acceptance as a code for quality and improvement. The ISO 9000 quality standards are in wide use; interest in the newer ISO 14001 environmental standards, described in this month's cover story, is growing. ...

Labor Dept. promises ergonomics ruling by next month.
August 1, 2001... The U.S. Department of Labor announced last month plans to hold public forums to gather information on the issue of ergonomics in the workplace. Three forums were scheduled for July dates in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and California. In making...

Union pressing Firestone not to close Decatur facility.
August 1, 2001... Bridgestone/Firestone's late June announcement that the Japan-based tiremaker would close its Decatur, IL, tire plant is being challenged by one of the unions that represents workers at the plant. The United Steelworkers of said the shutdown...

Chrysler will close plants in Mexico, South America.
August 1, 2001... The Chrysler subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler announced in late June it will close three plants in Mexico and cut its workforce in the country by 2,600. The cuts are part of a worldwide restructuring effort that will take place over the next two...

Nashville steel plant to reopen.
August 1, 2001... In a happy reversal of current trends, a steel-cutting plant in Nashville, TN, will reopen less than one year after it was closed. According to an article in The Tennessean, Hascall Steel Co., Grandville, MI, bought the former Steel Coils,...

Air Liquide fined $4.5 million for release of CFCs.
August 1, 2001... Air Liquide America Corp., Houston, TX, has agreed to a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency that calls for the maker of industrial and medical gases to clean up its ozone-depleting refrigeration systems and pay a $4.5 million...

Scientists say automakers should focus on fuel efficiency.
August 1, 2001... A report released by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Center for Auto Safety in June suggests automakers could be doing much more to reduce the nation's dependence on oil. In "Drilling in Detroit: Tapping Automaker Ingenuity to Build...

Johnson Controls: $1 billion for diverse-supplier purchases.
August 1, 2001... By 2003, Johnson Controls said it plans to purchase $1 billion in goods and services from diverse suppliers, including companies owned by minorities and women. The Milwaukee, WI-based maker of auto interiors and facility control systems...

Consumer, Producer Price Indices, 1990 - 2000.
August 1, 2001... Consumer, Producer Price Indices, 1990 - 2000 (Annual percent change) 1990 1995 1998 1999 2000 Consumer price index (1982-84=100) All items 5.4 2.8 1.6 2.2...

Siemens AG, the Germany-based electronics and engineering company, has acquired Mannesmann Dematic and its subsidiary Rapistan Systems, and formed a new company called Siemens Dematic.
August 1, 2001... Siemens AG, the Germany-based electronics and engineering company, has acquired Mannesmann Dematic and its subsidiary Rapistan Systems, and formed a new company called Siemens Dematic. Annual sales of $4.2 billion are expected. Peter Metros,...

ASMMA, the former American Supply & Machinery Manufacturers Association, has changed its name to ISMA, the industrial Supply Manufacturers Association.
August 1, 2001... ASMMA, the former American Supply & Machinery Manufacturers Association, has changed its name to ISMA, the industrial Supply Manufacturers Association. The change was approved by the Cleveland, OH-based association's 500 members in June. The...

Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America.
August 1, 2001... Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America has begun construction on a $220 million V8 engine plant in Huntsville, AL. The plant will employ 350 people and produce 120,000 engines a year for the Tundra pick-up truck beginning in 2003. It will be...

JLG Industries, Inc.
August 1, 2001... As part of a company-wide cost-reduction plan, JLG Industries, Inc., will close one of its two manufacturing facilities in Bedford, PA, during the first quarter of fiscal 2002. The McConnellsburg, PA-based manufacturer of mobile aerial work...

NSK Americas.
August 1, 2001... NSK Americas, the U.S.-based subsidiary of Japan-based NSK Corp., has begun construction of a 115,000-sq.-ft. headquarters and technology center in Ann Arbor, MI. The bearings and automotive-parts manufacturer currently operates in three...

ISO 14001: A Plan For Environmental Excellence.
August 1, 2001... Use of this environmental-management standard has spread dramatically around the world since its introduction in 1996. Now it's catching on in U.S. At one time, companies implemented environmental management systems largely to reduce their...

Kaeser Compressors, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The Omega Comp-paK Plus, with small footprint, features a rotary tri-lobe blower in a sound-dampening enclosure. The automatic belt-tensioning device and filter elements are accessible through the canopy.

White Systems, Inc.
August 1, 2001... New software offers inventory control of systems with up to four pods of carousels. It automates horizontal and vertical carousels and lightdirected carton flow racks. It integrates shelving and directs an off-carousel bulk zone.

U-Nova Industries, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The U-Lok 2439 duct resists temperatures as high as 1000 degrees F. The single-ply hose is suitable for dieselexhaust systems, fumerecovery, and iron and steel manufacturing.

Unions: Long-Term Relationships Desired.
August 1, 2001... More companies are finding that partnering with their unions improves operations and reduces worker tensions. Since 1930, union membership in the U.S. has taken a roller-coaster ride. In terms of payroll percentage, it went from 12% that...

TKF, Inc.
August 1, 2001... These zone-accumulation conveyors provide non-contact accumulation of heavy, bulky loads. A single assembly consists of a roll-to-roll chain-driven live roller conveyor divided into individually powered zones. A single power unit drives the...

ARCON Welding, LLC.
August 1, 2001... The Ironhorse 300S 700V DC is a portable DC inverter welding machine. It can run off of DC power of the third rail or overhead catenary systems. It is suited for tunnels where AC power is not available, and provides subway and commuter systems...

Entrelec, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The DCSA Series is a loop powered (no supply voltage is required), linear output current transformer that provides an output that is directly proportional to the RMS AC current passing through the external LCSC10T12 toroidal sensor. It is...

Iconotech.
August 1, 2001... The ICON-224 is an inline bar code printer for corrugated shipping containers. It prints both bar codes and readable text directly on filled cases. Designed specifically for bar coding applications, it can be mounted on either side of a...

Baldor Electric Co.
August 1, 2001... A new line of digital soft-start motor controls features adapt able soft-starting techniques. The operator can enter parameters and the autocontrol software sets to the application. The auto setup function is available for pumps, fans,...

Stafford Manufacturing Corp.
August 1, 2001... Neoprene end stops and PTFE thrust bearings provide a cushioned surface to reduce noise and excessive wear. The end stops match their shaft collars to reduce noise and wear caused by metal-to-metal contact in linear stroke limiting...

Thompson Industries, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The Equalizer uses a gearing system in which planet gears adjust their radial position. through a pivoting link. The loads are distributed through three planet gears. The unit is offered in four frame sizes with three face-mounting options.

AST Bearings.
August 1, 2001... Timing Pulley Idler Assemblies are designed to apply pre-tension to timing belts in positioning systems. The assemblies include two flanged miniature stainless steel bearings, re-loaded with a wave spring, a stainless steel shaft, and an...

WEG Electric Motors Corp.
August 1, 2001... The redesigned 56 frame ODP motor is lighter and more corrosion-resistant than its predecessor. Some features of the new open design include an opposite-drive end-shield, new autophoretic coating and cast-aluminum terminal boxes. The units are...

Industrial Devices Corp.
August 1, 2001... The new BN Series of brush less servomotors feature pure NEMA mounting dimensions and are available in 23 and 34 frames sizes. They provide smooth operation, low cogging, continuous-stall torque, and feature jacketed cables.

Eriez Magnetics.
August 1, 2001... The AC-operated electromagnetic drive systems are powered by alternately opposing and attracting magnetic forces. The AC drive has no moving or rotating parts and features linear variable speed control. Installation requires an existing 110V...

Pumpex, Inc.
August 1, 2001... This one-piece cartridge replaces worn submersible pump seals. It contains the seal faces, springs, O-rings and snap rings in a factory sealed unit. Installation requires tightening of set screws and reattachment of the impeller.

Magnatex Pumps.
August 1, 2001... MPH pumps are for low-flow, high-head, high-temperature applications. They are driven by rare earth Samarium Cobalt magnets and feature a finned frame adapter. These close-coupled, sealless pumps require no cooling water.

All-Flo Pump Co., Inc.
August 1, 2001... The new line of plastic pumps with a flanged manifold are available in polypropylene and PVDF. The air system is entirely plastic, which is corrosion and freeze resistant. High-wear valve seats are also available.

Lincoln Industrial.
August 1, 2001... These metric versions of the Centro-Matic Ram Pumps provide a single-line, automated lubrication system. Installation and maintenance require only metric tools and no adapters.

Jaeco Fluid Systems, Inc.
August 1, 2001... JaecoFram 1 hydraulically actuated diaphragm metering pumps feature separate chambers for hydraulic fluid and gear lubricant. A built-in hydraulic relief valve protects the pump. JaecoFram 1 pumps are supplied on base plate with or without...

Goodwin Pumps of America, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The Dri-Prime CD300M portable trash pump is suitable for dewatering. The pump has a double seal with silicon carbide faces.

Enerpac.
August 1, 2001... The Torque Wrench Power Pump line, featuring a glycerin-filled pressure gauge with dual scale reading, includes portable electric and air-driven models. The two-speed electric pumps are available with heat exchanger. The air-driven models with...

Vanton Pump & Equipment Corp.
August 1, 2001... The design of the ANSI end-suction, magnetically driven pumps feature an independent fresh water flushing arrangement. This design cools the inner magnet, lubricates the stationary and rotating sleeve bearings, and prevents the settling of...

Hypro Corp.
August 1, 2001... The CleanGear low-speed pump is designed for teardown and gear changes. Its stainless steel components are corrosion-resistant in solvents or chemicals.

Hydra-Cell Industrial Pumps, Wanner Engineering, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The Dl0 pumps caustic, abrasive and acidic solutions. The Dl0 series pumps are available with pump/motor adapter flanges.

The Importance of Measuring ROI.
August 1, 2001... Most capital-intensive projects start out with an anticipated return on investment (ROI). Usually, it is not enough that anticipated benefits of a project exceed its costs. The difference must be high enough to justify the commitment of...

Dover Flexo Electronics, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The 60 Series dual-disk brake works in high-and low-speed unwind applications. The brake was designed for low-tension unwinds in converting, printing, composite, wire and filament processes. The 60 Series brake delivers the torque range needed...

Perceptual Robotics, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The TrueLook Enterprise software for telerobotic web cameras monitors operations in real time. The software zooms in, pans out, and e-mails a snapshot of project status information. The program enables simultaneous control.

Eagle MHC.
August 1, 2001... The LIFESTOR Master Trak overhead track polymer storage system features high-density storage with corrosion-free, sanitary shelving conditions. Injection-molded, high-strength polymer post caps and triangular adjustable feet are standard.

IFH Group, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The IFH Storage and Dispensing system is a centralized system that includes six to nine modular containers, pumps, sight gauges for inventory management and an optional spill-control feature.

Alvey Systems, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The 940 Series palletizer, designed for high-capacity packaging lines, features a touch-screen operator interface to access diagnostics and pallet pattern information. Pusherless layer advancement and rollerless conveyor configurable options...

Iconotech.
August 1, 2001... The ICON-224 is a new in-line bar code printer for corrugated shipping containers. It prints both bar codes and human-readable text directly on filled cases. Designed specifically for bar coding applications, it can be mounted on either side of...

High-Pressure Air Handler Enables Caterpillar to Meet Clean-Rooms Specs.
August 1, 2001... The Caterpillar Lafayette, IN, plant manufactures large diesel engines that power trucks, ships and boats, construction and mining machines. The testing of these engines is done on high-precision equipment in contaminant-free environments. ...

Tough Light Fixtures Meet the Challenge of DieCasting Plant's Harsh Environment.
August 1, 2001... Die-casting is a century-old process of injecting molten metal into a steel die under high pressure. The metal -- aluminum, zinc, magnesium or copper -- is held under pressure until it solidifies into a net-shape metal part. Die casters produce...

Stafford Manufacturing Corp.
August 1, 2001... A new line of neoprene end stops and PTFE thrust bearings provide a cushioned surface to reduce noise and wear caused by metal-to-metal contact in linear stroke limiting applications. The end stops match the ID/OD dimensions of their shaft...

Lochinvar Corp.
August 1, 2001... The Intelli-Station software, designed for use with Intelli-Fin water heaters and boilers, monitor and administer locally or remotely through a phone line. The software can function as a diagnostic tool in display format. The program contains a...

Wieland Electric, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The WKC series of tans insulation displacement contact (IDC) Terminal Blocks are DIN rail mount terminal blocks. UL approved for Class 1, zone 1 applications, these interconnect devices are suitable for hazardous locations such as petrochemical...

OMEGA Engineering, Inc.
August 1, 2001... The SignalPro Series signal conditioning and channel expansion systems provide the transducer with excitation when required, then performs the conditioning of the electrical output signal from the transducer prior to measurement by an...