Month: May 2023
Six Industries Expected to Thrive Thanks to Robotics
Over the next five years, robotics and automation are expected to account for 25% of all capital spending in industries around the globe, according to results from the 2022 McKinsey Global Industrial Robotics Survey. The reason? Executives in various industrial sectors understand the financial benefits and competitive edge to be gained by automating processes with […]
4 Automation Trends Food Packagers Should Consider for 2023
As the food and beverage consumption rate continues to grow – with total revenues in the food and beverage industry expected to grow from $1.95 billion in 2022 to $3.69 billion by 2027 in the U.S. – the food packaging industry will have to hustle to keep up with rising demand. But amidst labor shortages […]
5 Misconceptions About Oil-Free Air Compressors
Oil-free air compressors are growing in popularity. In industries such as pharmaceutical, food, medical device, and electronics manufacturing, they have become a staple. Other industries employ them in an effort to avoid oil vapors that can damage sensitive production equipment or because oil-free compressors are reputed to reduce maintenance needs. While they do offer the […]
5 Benefits of an Automation Audit
In today’s highly competitive market and amidst budget cuts and staff shortages, manufacturers must ensure that their processes are running as effectively and efficiently as possible if they want to succeed. Although many of today’s industrial processes feature automated systems, which are considerably more efficient than those that are manual, automation doesn’t guarantee that the […]
Robot Demonstrations Help During the Selection Process
As industrial facilities struggle to meet throughput demand due to labor shortages and tight budgets that make it nearly impossible to invest in large expansion projects, it is fortunate that robotic automation is becoming more affordable and accessible because robots can help alleviate these challenges. For instance, robots can help increase capacity without expanding lines […]
Section 179 Provides Significant Tax Breaks on Equipment Purchases
Industrial facilities that are considering the purchase of automation, robotic or compressed air equipment should be aware of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Section 179 Tax Deduction as it encourages businesses to invest in themselves by permitting an immediate and significant tax break on qualifying purchases for the 2023 tax year. Section 179 is […]
Maintaining a Melt Flow Indexer for Accurate Results
Melt Flow Index testers, also known as extrusion plastometers or Melt Flow Indexers, are used by plastic processors to determine the melt mass flow rate (MFR) and melt volume flow rate (MVR) of a plastic melted mass. The test measures the melt flow properties of virgin, compounded and post-process thermoplastics at a particular shear stress. […]
Proof-of-Concept Testing Eases Robotic Automation Project Risks
Many industrial organizations are interested in improving efficiency, safety and productivity through the use of robotic automation but waffle on taking the first step. Understandably, the decision to invest in technology can be intimidating, especially when robots are new or unfamiliar to the facility and the project carries a significant capital investment. Before making any […]
Clean Transducers and Mounting Holes Ensure Quality Extrusions
To meet quality specifications for finished plastic products, dimensional stability during the extrusion process must be maintained by keeping the output rate and the melt condition constant. To do so, extruders usually monitor the melt temperature and melt pressure via temperature sensors and pressure transducers. However, it’s not uncommon for these sensitive measurement devices to […]