IEN - March 2009 - (Page 16) IEN / MARCH ’09 PAgE 16 Problem Solvers In 2008, a 135 mph tornado tore through Atlanta’s commercial center. At the CNN Center, water poured through the damaged roof, windows were shattered, and parts of the ceiling collapsed. Beta Max’s Leo Glass Master System was called in to help in the repair. With a maximum lifting capacity of 2,000 lb and travel range to 200 ft high, the hoist was well suited for a job carrying heavy panes of glass up and down 9 floors of step roof elevation. Moreover, the hoist’s VF controllers helped provide soft start and stop capabilities. “Any hoist that comes to an abrupt stop or takes off too rapidly could fracture the glass,” says David Freise, construction manager. Beta Max, Inc.: 800-233-5112 www.ieninfo.com/11224-154 or circle 154 on card . . . read the full stories and other case histories in their entirety at www.ien.com/problem-solvers. Email submissions to editorial@ien.com. CNN Center Gets a Lift A Cut Above the Rest www.ieninfo.com/11224-151 or circle 151 on card Smith & Wesson recently switched to engraved roll marking dies from Columbia Marking Systems because stamp tools made by the EDM process were not as durable and their marks were inconsistent in readability. Operating at 20,000 to 50,000 spindle rprm, CMT’s engraving machines produce stamps and hand stamps with sharp and smooth cutting edges. Engraving cutters are sharpened every sixth engraving and each engraving involves 2 or 3 passes for rough, semifinish, or microfinishing results. In addition, ACC Auto Clean proprietary coating exhibits the lubricity of Teflon and prevents dirt from compacting into stamp characters, providing significant improvement over black oxide or chrome coatings. Columbia Marking Tools, Inc.: 800-469-6275 www.ieninfo.com/11224-157 or circle 157 on card Partners in Growth www.ieninfo.com/11224-152 or circle 152 on card To help manage its growth over the past 1-1/2 yr, Miller Welding and Machine Co has come to rely on Bernard Centerfire consumables and Q-Gun MIG guns. The products have helped reduce operator downtime and allowed the company to standardize all of its welding guns, regardless of brand, on one set of consumables. “At one of our facilities we have about 80 arcs running two 10 hr shifts plus an 8 hr shift on Saturdays,” reports Production Manager Dave Moore. “They weld material anywhere from 1/4 in. to 2 in. and they put down over 30,000 lb of wire a month. For all that, they usually go through about 200 contact tips per month, so we’re very satisfied with the performance and durability of the Centerfire tips.” Bernard: 800-946-2281 www.ieninfo.com/11224-155 or circle 155 on card Mezzanines for Music Gear The world’s largest direct marketer of music gear, Musician’s Friend installed a 64,800 sq ft Wildeck mezzanine in the middle of its 700,000 sq ft distribution center to help utilize the vertical space and manage its 36,000 products. Since the facility is located on marsh-quality soil unable to support the new mezzanine structure, helical piers had to be drilled at each interior mezzanine column and at the perimeter mezzanine columns. Footings were then poured over the top. The stable soil depth ended up at 22 to 24 ft for approximately 150 piers. Typically, column footings are only 3 ft. “The mezzanine was successful in supporting our immediate growth,” states Maintenance Manager Jim Maxey. Wildeck, Inc.: 800-325-6939 www.ieninfo.com/11224-158 or circle 158 on card Essex Machine Tool Services rebuilds and remanufactures conventional vertical turret lathes to CNC. The OTT-Jakob power drawbar supplied by Advanced Machine & Engineering makes it possible for the VTL to be modified for use with virtually any tool clamping system. In fact, the advanced drawbar actually brings the machine tool to a higher level of performance than when it was new. An intensifier mechanism amplifies the pull force to 3-1/2x greater than the spring stack, allowing the drawbar’s use in a considerably smaller space. Given the massive size of the ram and the weight of the tooling involved, this feature provides a performance advantage, according to Essex Chief Engineer Paul Vitols. Advanced Machine & Engineering Co.: 815-316-5277. Tech Contact: Kris Drennen www.ieninfo.com/11224-156 or circle 156 on card www.ieninfo.com/11224-1184 or circle 1184 on card Drawbar Makes a Difference Making a Push for Safety A pet food manufacturing facility in South Dakota is using a modified Extra Duty Power Pusher to push, pull, and maneuver wheeled and semiwheeled loads of up to 15,000 lb. Remote control features allow workers to operate the equipment while remaining a safe distance from hot, confined spaces. During production, packaged cans of pet food are loaded into metal baskets that, when full, are placed into a cooking vessel. Workers use the Power Pusher to safely remove baskets from the cylinder-shaped retorts when the food is cooked, “Our Power Pushers take quite a bit of abuse,” says a company representative. “It’s a rough environment, but they hold up pretty well.” PowerPusher (Nu-Star, Inc.): 800-800-9274 www.ieninfo.com/11224-159 or circle 159 on card http://www.ien.com/problem-solvers http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-157 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-154 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-151 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-151 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-151 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-157 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-154 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-158 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-155 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-152 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-152 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-152 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-155 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-158 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-156 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-159 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-1184 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-156 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-159 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-1184 http://www.ieninfo.com/11224-1184
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