Modern Materials Handling articles from February 2006

Modern Materials Handling archives from February 2006

Linde looking for a buyer.(BREAKING NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW)(Linde Group purchased BOC natural gas provider )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... FROM ALL INDICATIONS, the world's second largest lift truck supplier, The Linde Group, is looking to divest that business. And the reason, according to Mark Rossler, general product manager for Linde Material Handling North America...

Dematic opens its doors.(Dematic Corp)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Dematic Corp., a supplier of automated materials handling systems and solutions, has recently opened for business. Dematic (www.dematic.com) is the successor company of the former Distribution and Industry Group of Siemens Logistics and...

Experts for hire.(AIM Global announced the AIM authority speakers bureau as its latest industy service)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... AIM Global, a trade association recognized as an authority on automatic identification and mobility, has announced the AIM Authority Speakers Bureau as its latest industry service. The bureau is comprised of experts on a variety of...

New crane certification.(BREAKING NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW)
February 1, 2006... A new certification program for operators of overhead cranes has been announced by the Certification of Crane Operators (CCO) and the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The test will certify...

Fast fact.(BREAKING NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW)
February 1, 2006... IN New NYSE ticker symbol for Intermec Inc., which was previously known as Unova

Do you want to be competitive or cheap?(MY VIEW)
February 1, 2006... For some time now, I (along with a whole lot of other people) thought the two were almost interchangeable. After all, Wal-Mart (and plenty of other retailers, automakers and sellers of just about anything these days) has promoted the idea that...

CVS rolls out the Fusion: here's how the nation's largest pharmacy chain unveiled Gillette's newest shaving creation to every CVS store in a single day.(DISTRIBUTION)
February 1, 2006... There's nothing subtle about the Super Bowl. And that's just what Gillette was banking on when it launched the marketing campaign during the game for its new Fusion razor earlier this month. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But a marketing...

Crown's Dicke appointed to Export Council.(James F. Dicke appointed as a public sector member on export council in washington)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... James F. Dicke II was appointed by President George W. Bush to sit as a public sector member on the Export Council in Washington, D.C. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As a member of the council, Dicke, chairman and chief executive officer of...

NA 2006 fast approaching.( Material Handling Industry of America extensive conference in materials handling)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Exhibit space sales are up and attendee interest is high for NA 2006, March 27-30 in Cleveland. In fact, officials for this year's largest materials handling show (www.na2006.com) anticipate exhibit space will be sold out. The event,...

Manufacturing quality: key to success.(TRENDS)
February 1, 2006... Although quality has a strong impact on costs and customer satisfaction, many companies continue to struggle with basics such as data collection, disparate systems maintenance and the enforcement of standard operating procedures (SOPs). ...

Calling all containers.(The Automotive Industry Action Group effort to create a bar code RFID for containers)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Citing huge costs and even bigger waste concerns, the auto industry is taking steps to reduce the cost of lost reusable containers. According to research conducted by AMR (www.amrresearch.com), the auto industry spends more than $750 million...

Data sharing drives 21st century manufacturing.(enterprise architecture driving data proliferation)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... It's no secret that information sharing is a top priority for many manufacturing operations. And for those companies looking to leverage their capabilities in the near future, an enterprise architecture driving data proliferation throughout the...

Part-to-man picking solution debuts.(SYSTEMS)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Taking full advantage of part-to-man picking, Kiva Systems (www.kivasystems.com) has developed a picking and replenishment system that transports the product to and from the operator at a fixed location. The picking solution features a...

Mercedes update.(SUPPLIER INCLUSION)
February 1, 2006... In the January issue of Modern, a supplier was omitted from the supplier box in "Fast lane for slow movers." Schaefer Systems International, Inc., 704-944-4500, www.ssischaefer.us, supplied the racks and mezzanines in the installation.

People to know.(new appoinments)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Royal Smith joins Intelligrated as vice president, field operations... Dorner Mfg. Corp. announces the appointment of Richard Ryan to chief operating officer... William J. (Willy) Geary has been elected president of the Society of...

Company news.(Symbol Technologies, Inc partnerships)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... White Systems, Inc. a supplier of carousel technology, announces its management and Management Capital, LLC have completed the successful buyout of its Kenilworth manufacturing division from FKI Logistex Manufacturing Systems... The logistics...

Slotting made easy: maintain your slotting strategy by re-slotting as the inventory mix changes.(slotting strategy )
February 1, 2006... Several years ago (May 2002) I reported a number of thoughts on choosing methods for slotting products in the pick face. They are all still valid. However, on some recent projects, we have discovered that getting the slotting strategy right is...

Focused solutions for your supply chain.(Material Handling & Logistics Show and Conference )
February 1, 2006... March 27-30, 2006 * I-X Center * Cleveland, OH The 2006 Material Handling & Logistics Show and Conference (NA 2006) is your one-stop destination for manufacturing, warehousing and distribution solutions. With a comprehensive showcase of...

ADS gets up and running: at its new Gaffney, S.C., facility, Automated Distribution Systems had to integrate the one missing piece--a warehouse management system.(Automated Distribution Systems)
February 1, 2006... Last year, Automated Distribution Systems confronted an enviable problem: Business was good. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A third-party logistics (3PL) provider specializing in retail store replenishment, ADS had outgrown nearly 770,000...

Upgrading value-added services: as a supplier's product line catches on with major retailers, several upgrades are required for value-added services to keep pace.(value-added service)
February 1, 2006... There's nothing easy about performing value-added services in a DC. Rather than just picking items and sending them on to packaging prior to final shipment, something additional has to be done to the picked items. However, those steps take...

The Courier-Journal hits the street--faster: to get its numerous editions into the hands of readers as quickly as possible, The Courier-Journal significantly upgraded its handling and sortation systems.(the media giant Gannett Company's growth)
February 1, 2006... For years, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Ky.) had relied on the same printing presses and internal handling system to get papers to the shipping docks. That was fine to a point. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Today, the newspaper, owned by...

Bridging the gap at loading docks: ease of installation and operation, while improving safety, is a winning combination for dock bridges at a tile supplier.(marketing of home improvement boom)
February 1, 2006... The home improvement boom has resulted in strong sales growth for International Wholesale Tile. However, the national retail distributor of stone and tile for floors, patios, walkways and countertops wasn't ready for such growth and needed to...

Simple answer to improved dock safety: J & J Snack Foods eliminated unexpected departures from docks by over-the-road trucks with an interlocking device that keeps trailers in place.(interlocking device usage)
February 1, 2006... After a few near misses, J & J Snack Foods Corp. knew it needed to find a better way to protect its employees from accidents caused by unscheduled over-the-road truck departures from its shipping docks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "We...

Select Comfort Corp: energy loss has been cut by 85% at the docks of mattress manufacturer Select Comfort Corp.(select comfort corp.,manufacturer of adjustable firmness mattresses)
February 1, 2006... Select Comfort Corp., manufacturer of adjustable firmness mattresses, couldn't keep its workers comfortable. The company, which operates a manufacturing and distribution facility in Irmo, S.C., was experiencing "white space" at its dock...

Automation gets rev'd up: the past two years have seen an upsurge in automation as users look for ways to lower costs and increase throughput.(special report of material handling industry)
February 1, 2006... With each new year, it's time to re-evaluate. And from where Dick Ward, executive vice president of professional development for the Material Handling Industry of America, (704-676-1190, www.mhia.org), sits, automated materials handling is in...

Carried away: excess steel shavings that were once a problem at Main Manufacturing are now easily handled with four-wheeled carts.(productivity solution)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Without question, Main Manufacturing of Grand Blanc, Mich., had a weak link in its materials handling. The problem wasn't delivering stainless steel to machining centers or even taking away finished hydraulic flanges. Instead, the problem was...

Performance driven: in the hyper-competitive automotive industry, materials handling is emerging as an indispensable tool for driving down supply chain costs.(characteristics of the automotive supply chain)
February 1, 2006... AGILE, FLEXIBLE AND EFFICIENT. Those may be the three most important characteristics of the automotive supply chain today. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Automakers and suppliers can no longer mass produce the cars they want to build with...

FMC Technologies delivers for the auto industry.(sales and earnings of FMC Technologies)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Systems that perform as promised and meet financial targets. That's what the automotive industry demands. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FMC Technologies has earned its spot as the automotive industry's top supplier of automated guided...

LXE Inc.(industrial wireless hand-held device)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... LXE Inc. manufactures industrial wireless hand-held, wearable, vehicle-mounted, voice & RFID enabled computers and wireless networking products that have helped thousands of companies worldwide improve their supply-chain performance. ...

LINPAC customized container solutions for the automotive industry.(global automotive manufacturers and suppliers meet the demands of supply chains)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... LINPAC's new customized solutions and services help global automotive manufacturers and suppliers meet the demands of unique and ever-changing supply chains. In addition to high-quality ROPAK[TM] reusable container and tote systems, the...

ORBIS Corporation drives supply chain optimization in the automotive industry.(ORBIS designs and implements a packaging program )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... ORBIS helps world-class automotive companies move parts and components faster, better, safer and more cost-effectively, with plastic reusable hand-held containers, pallets, top caps, dunnage, divider sheets, bulk containers and storage...

Custom shipping solutions.(custom design and manufacture of shipping solutions)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Steel King Industries is noted for our superior engineering and expertise in the custom design and manufacture of shipping solutions for various automotive products. Over the years, Steel King has manufactured custom solutions for windows,...

Transfer vehicles sort quickly.(High-speed sorting transfer vehicles information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... High-speed sorting transfer vehicles (STVs) move material accurately, accelerate at one foot per second to speeds up to 656 feet per minute and transport up to 750 loads per hour per loop. STVs are designed to help eliminate the sorting and...

Right-angle sortation conveyor.(conveyor for small to medium size products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The ViperSort is a right-angle sortation conveyor for small to medium size products. Its patented design enables the sorting of cylindrical products and extremely thin items such as blister packs and vinyl envelopes. The conveyor, which is...

Bi-directionally sort 30 tires a minute.(TireSort accurately sorts and transports tires )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The TireSort accurately sorts and transports tires without scarring or scuffing the sidewalls. It can bi-directionally sort passenger and light truck tires at rates up to 30 tires per minute. The modular design features a 36-inch effective...

Vertical sortation system saves floor space.(high-speed LogiSort handles information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The small-footprint LogiSort vertical unit sorts up to 30 items per minute and takes advantage of unused vertical space by enabling item diverges and merges to and from vertically stacked conveyors. The high-speed LogiSort handles items of...

Sliding shoe sorter sorts up to 150 cartons per minute.(material handling industries product information)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The AutoSort 13 sortation conveyor is designed to accurately track and gently sort all types of carton sizes and configurations at designated points along the transportation line. The conveyor sorts up to 150 cartons per minute at speeds up to...

Software optimizes conveying and sorting.(warehouse control system software provides strategic routing and sorting of cartons )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... SortDirector version 5.0 warehouse control system (WCS) software provides strategic routing and sorting of cartons and containers. The modular software optimizes container movement through order-selection zones, provides real-time control of...

Versatile sliding shoe.(FOCUSON Sortation)
February 1, 2006... The IntelliSort 700 provides flexible sortation for a wide variety of products. The system incorporates sliding shoe technology, which can be provided with a tube or flat slat design. This high-speed sorter features heavy-duty construction and...

Narrow-belt sorter.(FOCUSON Sortation)
February 1, 2006... The NBS 90 sorter utilizes a series of narrow belts, each with its own take-up, to redirect cartons, packages and other items. High-friction rollers rise between the belts to grip and gently divert product at a 90-degree angle in either...

Tilt tray sorter offers sorting flexibility.(FOCUSON Sortation)
February 1, 2006... A high-speed tilt tray sorter handles products that vary in size, shape and packaging method. The accurate system is available in multiple configurations, based on product handling requirements. Faster delivery and better tracking of orders and...

Sort with versatility.(FOCUSON Sortation)
February 1, 2006... The 3D tilt tray sorter with linear motor drive is a high capacity system for sorting various kinds of goods. Small parcels, packages, delicate products such as glassware and grocery items, as well as heavy freight, boxes and baggage are safely...

Pallet truck for corrosive environments.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... The W50Z series truck is ideal for the food and beverage industry. With a capacity of 5,000 pounds, this lift truck is designed to withstand highly corrosive environments. Features include the auto deceleration system, which extends traction...

RFID label printer for Gen 2.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... A medium-duty RFID label printer features RFID Gen 2 capabilities. The product, called the AP 5.4 RFID printer, enables companies to meet stringent RFID labeling requirements in the apparel, footwear, retail, packaging, distribution and a broad...

Collapsible containers.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... Two specially designed ROPAK containers feature internal storage space for dunnage or trays during return shipments. The 40423 measures 40 x 48 inches and is 42.3 inches tall when open. When collapsed, it offers three inches of internal storage...

Fork attachment handles slip sheets, pallets.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... An easy-to-install fork attachment allows a standard lift truck to handle slip sheets and pallets. The UniverAll fork attachment provides a cost-effective, low-maintenance alternative to hydraulic slip sheet equipment. Creative Storage Systems,...

Convey magnetized parts.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... Standard frame conveyors are modular, simplifying assembly. The line includes a variety of horizontal, incline and vertical magnetic conveyors that transport, feed, accumulate, elevate, orient and sequence ferrous and partially ferrous items....

Lift truck built to reduce operator fatigue.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... The 3,000 to 6,000 pound "W" lift truck series offers a choice of operator compartments configured to reduce operator fatigue. They are equipped with a number of standard onboard programmable and diagnostic features right at the operator...

Print and apply RFID labels automatically.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... Model 5200rfid smart label printer-applicator is a system that prints, encodes, verifies and applies pressure-sensitive radio frequency identification (RFID) labels. In addition, if the operability of any RFID smart label is unable to be...

Vertical lift module holds 240 drawers.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)
February 1, 2006... A vertical lift module (VLM) combines the organizational benefits of modular drawer storage, the space savings of an automated storage and retrieval system and the power and convenience of a Windows XP-based controller. The vertical storage...

Prevent excessive load lifts.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The NPK NRE-1000 hoist features an automatic load limiter that prevents lifting of a weight exceeding the hoist's load rating. The load limiter constantly monitors the air pressure supplied to the air motor during lifting and automatically...

Checkweigh 60 items a minute.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... An intermediate package checkweigher provides quick and accurate measurements to provide quality control in production facilities over a variety of industries. The 4693i features conveyor speeds in excess of 250 feet per minute and offers...

Shrink bundle 30 items a minute.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The SB-2000 shrink bundling system features a programmable logic controller, ConvectAir shrink tunnel and a wrapping module on a unitized frame less than 12 feet long. The unit shrink wraps up to 30 transport packs per minute with low energy...

Mini-workstations mange tools.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Nexus stationary stands and mobile trolleys are mini-workstations that hold and/or transport parts, tools, test equipment and other items. Frames are constructed of heavy gauge steel and are available either rear- or center-justified. With the...

High-speed door keeps the cold in.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The Barrier Glider is a thermal air sealing, impactable high-speed cold storage door for refrigerated warehouses, food manufacturing/processing plants and grocery DCs. The patented thermal air sealing system inflates six-inch-diameter,...

Cart tows 4,000 pounds.(PRODUCTSHOWCASE)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... SmartCart automatic guided cart (AGC) seamlessly integrates a manufacturing facility while improving the overall production process. With a 4,000-pound towing capacity, the cart is a battery powered, magnetic tape guided cart. The SmartCart...

Versatile portable counting scale.(displays average piece weight)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... The EC series digital counting scale features a sealed keypad and three-window backlit LCD that displays weight, average piece weight (APW) and count. Providing pre-set tare and dedicated tare as well as sample keys for common operations, this...

60 seconds with ... Dixie Brock on how to put together effective safety and ergonomics programs for the DC.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2006... Despite what some people may think, safety and ergonomics are not separate issues. Ergonomics is all about the interaction of people and on-the-job activities. Safety is a matter of taking that relationship between people and activities and...