Indramat motion control is very good — we meet a lot of servos which have been in service for 30 years before they have a problem. But we also see cases in which Indramat components fail — or seem to fail — repeatedly. Often the problem is “dirty” power. We’ve heard of cases in which… Read more »
Prosthetic limbs are a manufacturing challenge. Some parts must be custom-fitted, and even then they may cause discomfort for the wearer. They have to be able to fit closely enough to avoid blisters or chafing, and yet adapt to the natural changes in the size of body parts over the course of a day or… Read more »
Wireless technology. Chances are you’ve grown accustomed to hearing this term on a regular basis, especially when discussing smart phones, tablets, and computers. But it doesn’t stop there. Wireless technology has become integral in other fields, too, like pervasive sensing. Pervasive sensing is the use of self-powered wireless sensors to track processes and notify you… Read more »
You know the weather affects the people in your plant. Humans may move slower when it’s hot, are grumpier when it rains, or not come in at all when the snow is on the ground. The weather can also affect the computers in the plant, which is why the temperature is usually controlled better in… Read more »
We specialize in legacy Indramat servo motors, drives, and controls, many of which are still going strong in printing and packaging plants after decades of service. Our typical customer doesn’t remember when Indramat existed as a company, and many weren’t even born when the Indramat components in their plants were installed. This makes us keenly… Read more »
The Chicago International Manufacturing Technology Show last month had more than 114,000 visitors, not to mention the first car built with 3D printed parts, lots of buzz about the Industrial Internet of Things, and a focus on security in the robotics area. But the biggest theme at the show was this: “Manufacturing is the place… Read more »
Lean manufacturing is focused on reducing waste. The standard approach looks at seven kinds of waste: 1. Overproduction Quite simply, overproduction refers to making more product than is needed. Raw materials are tied up in products that may not be sold, space is used to store extra product, and of course energy and resources are… Read more »
We’re not convinced that automation leads to job loss. Or not to the loss of jobs people actually want. Dale Hansen made this point in a new way in a recent column: Are there people clamoring for a return to using oxen to till the fields because it would create jobs? Think of all of… Read more »
The Main Post, a German newspaper, wrote recently about the 25th anniversary of the Indramat plant in Lohr am Main, a town in Bavaria. The former prime minister of Bavaria, Franz Josef Strauss, flew in by helicopter and shared his reminiscences. Turns out the 1965 Indramat plant was housed in an old laundry and employed… Read more »
