When your equipment breaks down or needs repairs, you don’t have time to wait around for shoddy workmanship and multiple services visits. You need it done thoroughly, promptly, and correctly, the first time.

You have a lot of options to choose from when you’re looking for equipment repair services, but how do they all stack up? Do they have the expertise to get you back up and running in a timely manner? Can they meet all of your needs?

We know you take your business seriously, so we do too. This is what you can expect when you use our technicians and repair services.

Factory Trained Experts

Our service techs are trained to factory standards, and have years of experience in their respective fields. They know how to find what’s wrong, repair it, and get it running again good as new.

They can spot potential problems, meet factory and safety specs, and ensure your machines are running in optimal shape. They offer you professional, thorough repairs and solid piece of mind.

Repairs, Rebuilds, and Custom Solutions

In the time it takes to get a new part for your equipment, such as an EMG Thruster, we can do a complete tear-down and rebuild of the part for you.

We strip it completely down, clean it thoroughly, and do an inspection and testing of all parts. We then replace everything with factory parts, re-apply the factory paint job, do extended testing, and certify that the part is safe, working, and good as new.

We’ve also got your electrical needs under control. We repair VFD Drives, control panels, limit switches, and motors. Don’t worry if your VFD Drive is older or obsolete, we support a wide range of brands and models.

If we can’t find the solution you need, we’ll make you one! We can custom-make parts to your specifications through a variety of techniques including laser-cutting, riveting, and water-jetting, to name a few.

We Handle Hard-To-Find Parts

We pride ourselves on being a distributor and OEM for several industries, and we love the challenge of providing the parts that you need. If you need something that’s obscure or obsolete, that’s no problem at all. Bring all of your unusual needs to us, and we’ll get you taken care of.

Our ability to source these parts for you also helps us ensure that the repairs and rebuilds we do are done right, will last, and be safe. We make sure that we give you the best equipment repair services possible.

We Warranty Our Repairs

We stand behind our work. All of our repairs, rebuilds, and custom solutions are backed by a 1-year full warranty. If something goes wrong or breaks in that time, we’ll do everything we can to make it right and get it back up and running.

We Can Modernize Older Equipment

Not only can we get your equipment running smoothly again, we can also make stronger, safer, and more secure. We offer structural enhancements, brake upgrades, and electrical control solutions, just to name a few.

Let Us Handle Your Equipment Repair Services

We care about your business and your equipment. Contact us today and we’ll work together to get you running in top shape!

Not only can changing out rope drums be time-consuming, but it can also be difficult to tell when the right time is to have your rope drum serviced.

Not to worry. Below are the five telltale signs your rope drum needs maintenance.

1. Wearing Down of the Grooves

A study conducted in connection with the steel industry showed that the number one reason for changing out rope drums was that the grooves were worn.

Having worn grooves can be dangerous, which is why it is important to keep maintenance a top priority. There is a risk that it could pinch or damage the rope. It could even potentially cut the wire rope.

The best way to avoid these issues is to pay attention to both the material of your rope drums and the heat treatment.

2. Rope Looks Worn or Damaged

Another major sign that your rope drum needs maintenance is that the rope itself is worn or frayed.

Small particles can be abrasive to the rope, causing wear and tear that weakens the rope. If anything gets caught in the rope, that can cause damage too.

A weak rope means a weak rope drum. Ensuring that the rope is in good condition will greatly prolong the life of your rope drum. This is an important step in every rope drum maintenance effort.

Cleaning your rope from time to time can help combat this wearing down of the rope. Taking preventative measures like these is an important part of extending the life of your rope drum.

3. Rope Is Loose

It may be time to do some maintenance on your rope drum if the rope has come loose at all. If the rope is loose or out of place on the rope drum, the rope drum will not function properly and will need to replaced much more quickly.

Ensuring that the rope is properly in place on your rope drum will help it continue to function properly. If this is not the case, it is time to do some maintenance on your rope drum.

4. Groove Surface Is Crushed

Another issue that may come about with your rope drum is that the drum surface becomes crushed, leaving it flat and smooth. There should be grooves holding the rope in place on your rope drum. If these become worn down or even crushed, your rope drum will not work properly.

Check the groove surface regularly to ensure that your rope drum is still in good working condition. If it’s not, chances are it’s high time for maintenance.

5. You Don’t Have A Rope Drum From A Kor-Pak Supplier

Kor-Pak offers a full range of rope drum material and heat treatments. Our TSP-carburized rope drums virtually eliminate the need for maintenance. They also significantly improve the performance of your wire rope.

Kor-Pak carries rope drums that are carburized and hardened to 60-65 Rockwell C. They virtually eliminate the crushing and corrugation of the rope groove surface, which greatly helps to extend the life of your wire rope and your rope drum overall.

Contact us today if you have additional questions about rope drums.

Stainless Steel Fabrication: How Is It Made?

Stainless steel is well known for its ubiquitous practical uses — making appearances in a range of commercial and industrial applications.

Since stainless steel contains chromium, it’s highly resistant to rust and corrosion.

Its ability to withstand high temperatures, high pressure and still be ductile and malleable makes it ideal for a wide range of oxidation resistant applications.

Stainless steels, by nature, are alloys of iron with a chromium content of at least 10.5 percent.

Other alloying elements in stainless steel include copper, titanium, nickel, molybdenum, nitrogen, and carbon. These elements are added to enhance its properties such as toughness and formability.

Due to its versatility, there is a wide range of stainless steel fabrication techniques.

The Importance of Chromium in Stainless Steel Fabrication

Chromium is a hard, corrosion resistant element that gives stainless steel its corrosion resistant properties. It’s an essential element in the manufacture of stainless steel and has no viable alternative.

In the presence of oxidizing agents, the stainless steel forms a passive film (chromium oxide) invisible to the naked eye on the surface.

As the film adheres strongly to the surface of the steel, it protects it from interacting with the environment, stopping the electrochemical reactions that cause corrosion.

How Stainless Steel is Made

The Manufacture of Stainless Steel Involves a Series of Processes.

1. Melting and Casting

The alloy materials are melted in an electric furnace for around 8 to 12 hours until the metals become molten.

The molten mixture is then decarburized in an Argon-Oxygen Decabuliser (AOD) to remove excess carbon. This involves blowing argon, oxygen, and nitrogen into the molten steel.

At this stage, other alloying elements such as nickel and molybdenum can be added enhance the properties of the stainless steel.

2. Tuning and Forming

Tuning involves stirring the steel slowly to remove unwanted elements and maintain the right chemical composition.

After tuning is complete, the molten steel is cast into forms. This is done by passing the refined stainless steel through a casting machine to form slabs, billets (round or square shapes), blooms (rectangular shapes) and tubes.

3. Hot Rolling

Hot rolling involves heat treatment of the final products after the forming process. It involves heating the slabs to between 1,100 to 1300 degrees Celsius, depending on the type of steel.

Through the heating, billets and blooms are further formed into bar and wire while slabs are formed into strips, sheets, and plates.

The plate thickness can range from 3mm to 60mm.

4. Cold Rolling

Cold rolling involves subjecting the rolls to a relatively low temperature. The process not only reduces the thickness of the rolls but also produces smooth, shiny finished, and cold rolled stainless steel.

5. Annealing and Pickling

Annealing is the process used to soften the stainless steel and improve its ductility. The annealing process results in a scale build up on the steel, which is often cleaned through a process called pickling.

Pickling involves bathing the steel in nitric hydrofluoric acid. Alternatively, the scale can be removed through electrocleaning — a process that involves the use of electric current to get rid of the scale.

6. Cutting

Cutting operations are necessary to give the final product the desired shape or size.

Mechanical cutting involves the use of guillotine knives for straight shearing, circular knives for circle shearing, or steel blades. Other methods of cutting include nibbling and blanking.

7. Finishing

In applications where the appearance of the stainless steel is important, applying a surface finish can give the steel an attractive look.

Some surface finishes also make the stainless steel easier to clean, which is important for kitchen appliances.

Surface finishes are in most cases the product of the stainless steel fabrication process. For example, annealing, hot scaling, and descaling result in a dull finish.

A combination of annealing and cold rolling in controlled temperatures produces a reflective finish. Abrasive belts and grinding wheels can also be used to polish steel.

To Sum Up

Currently, there are over 60 grades of stainless steel, all categorized by the alloy elements of their microstructure. Within these grades are the three most popular types of stainless steel, namely, austenitic, ferritic, and duplex.

Each type of stainless steel differs depending on the percentage of chromium and the proportion of other elements.

Contact us today for all your iron and steel supplies. We’ve been a successful supplier to the iron and steel industry for over 30 years, and have successfully designed hundreds of overhead crane industrial braking systems for the steel industry.

Stainless steel is well known for its ubiquitous practical uses — making appearances in a range of commercial and industrial applications.

Since stainless steel contains chromium, it’s highly resistant to rust and corrosion.

Its ability to withstand high temperatures, high pressure and still be ductile and malleable makes it ideal for a wide range of oxidation resistant applications.

Stainless steels, by nature, are alloys of iron with a chromium content of at least 10.5 percent.

Other alloying elements in stainless steel include copper, titanium, nickel, molybdenum, nitrogen, and carbon. These elements are added to enhance its properties such as toughness and formability.

Due to its versatility, there is a wide range of stainless steel fabrication techniques.

The Importance of Chromium in Stainless Steel Fabrication

Chromium is a hard, corrosion resistant element that gives stainless steel its corrosion resistant properties. It’s an essential element in the manufacture of stainless steel and has no viable alternative.

In the presence of oxidizing agents, the stainless steel forms a passive film (chromium oxide) invisible to the naked eye on the surface.

As the film adheres strongly to the surface of the steel, it protects it from interacting with the environment, stopping the electrochemical reactions that cause corrosion.

How Stainless Steel is Made

The Manufacture of Stainless Steel Involves a Series of Processes.

1. Melting and Casting

The alloy materials are melted in an electric furnace for around 8 to 12 hours until the metals become molten.

The molten mixture is then decarburized in an Argon-Oxygen Decabuliser (AOD) to remove excess carbon. This involves blowing argon, oxygen, and nitrogen into the molten steel.

At this stage, other alloying elements such as nickel and molybdenum can be added enhance the properties of the stainless steel.

2. Tuning and Forming

Tuning involves stirring the steel slowly to remove unwanted elements and maintain the right chemical composition.

After tuning is complete, the molten steel is cast into forms. This is done by passing the refined stainless steel through a casting machine to form slabs, billets (round or square shapes), blooms (rectangular shapes) and tubes.

3. Hot Rolling

Hot rolling involves heat treatment of the final products after the forming process. It involves heating the slabs to between 1,100 to 1300 degrees Celsius, depending on the type of steel.

Through the heating, billets and blooms are further formed into bar and wire while slabs are formed into strips, sheets, and plates.

The plate thickness can range from 3mm to 60mm.

4. Cold Rolling

Cold rolling involves subjecting the rolls to a relatively low temperature. The process not only reduces the thickness of the rolls but also produces smooth, shiny finished, and cold rolled stainless steel.

5. Annealing and Pickling

Annealing is the process used to soften the stainless steel and improve its ductility. The annealing process results in a scale build up on the steel, which is often cleaned through a process called pickling.

Pickling involves bathing the steel in nitric hydrofluoric acid. Alternatively, the scale can be removed through electrocleaning — a process that involves the use of electric current to get rid of the scale.

6. Cutting

Cutting operations are necessary to give the final product the desired shape or size.

Mechanical cutting involves the use of guillotine knives for straight shearing, circular knives for circle shearing, or steel blades. Other methods of cutting include nibbling and blanking.

7. Finishing

In applications where the appearance of the stainless steel is important, applying a surface finish can give the steel an attractive look.

Some surface finishes also make the stainless steel easier to clean, which is important for kitchen appliances.

Surface finishes are in most cases the product of the stainless steel fabrication process. For example, annealing, hot scaling, and descaling result in a dull finish.

A combination of annealing and cold rolling in controlled temperatures produces a reflective finish. Abrasive belts and grinding wheels can also be used to polish steel.

To Sum Up

Currently, there are over 60 grades of stainless steel, all categorized by the alloy elements of their microstructure. Within these grades are the three most popular types of stainless steel, namely, austenitic, ferritic, and duplex.

Each type of stainless steel differs depending on the percentage of chromium and the proportion of other elements.

Contact us today for all your iron and steel supplies. We’ve been a successful supplier to the iron and steel industry for over 30 years, and have successfully designed hundreds of overhead crane industrial braking systems for the steel industry.

Let’s not mince words: underground mining can be very dangerous. Remember the Gleision Colliery disaster and the Soma Mine Explosion? These accidents remind us that we should all work harder at keeping our miners safe.

We can at least thank some factors for reducing mining deaths and injuries in recent years. The MSHA credits advances in technology, mine safety laws, and training for this.

That’s not to say a few mining accidents are acceptable. Rather, it’s a work in progress.

Everyone in the mining industry should keep miner safety a priority. This covers everything from equipment used to accident programs and laws enforced. That said, here are some tips to keep in mind when working with underground mining equipment.

Ensure Proper Illumination

Paths, walkways, etc. should be sufficiently illuminated. Make sure lamp sockets are weatherproof.

You should also immediately replace faulty taillights and headlights on mobile equipment. Otherwise, the mine operator should keep a record of future inspections.

Wear Protective Gear

Miners should wear face shields or goggles when doing any type of work that could hurt their eyes. This includes digging with a pick, riding in railcars, and breaking material with a hammer.

For handling electric equipment or testing power circuits, miners should always wear gloves. Other protective gears include hard hats, reflectorized clothing, and high-visibility coveralls.

Check Machinery and Equipment

Equipment defects can compromise the safety of miners. These include worn tires and faulty hydraulic controls, to mention a few. To avoid incurring violations, operators must immediately remove and replace unsafe equipment.

Every mining company must perform routine checks and maintenance programs. This will ensure all vehicles and equipment are safe to operate.

Maintain Efficient Ventilation

Diesel fumes, aerosols, and particulates are contaminants that are harmful to underground workers. Air quality sensors and alarms can help detect hazardous substances in the atmosphere.

You should also note that some gases have the potential to explode. A well-maintained ventilation can reduce this risk.

Make Sure Signaling Devices Are Working

Hazard signs should always be visible. Telephones and other communication devices should work at all times. These devices can be critical for an injured worker to get emergency medical help on time.

Prepare for Emergencies

Do office workers take part in disaster evacuation drills? What about other simulated emergency procedures? All the more should high-risk workers know emergency plans by heart.

Miners should know how to evacuate in case of an earthquake or another disaster. There should be emergency gear ready. This includes HAZMAT suits and rescue breathing apparatus.

Last Words on Underground Mining Safety

Underground mining safety is not just a miner’s problem. Safe underground working conditions are the responsibility of everyone in the mining industry.

Safety awareness is just one component of this. To effectively reduce mining accidents, consistency in following safety policies is key.

Contact us today if you need mining-safe products and services. We look forward to helping you in every way possible. Feel free to also browse our blog for the latest news in mining, oil, steel, rail, and energy industry.

All it takes is one wrong move for a factory to shut down entirely. And that’s before getting into the money workman’s comp claims or lawsuits can cost your business.

From a dangling wire to a slippery surface, there’s so much that can go wrong. Your employees work hard for you, so return the favor by giving them a safe work environment.

Safety keeps employees happier, healthier, and even more productive. Read on for some easy ways to improve factory safety.

5 Ways to Immediately Improve Factory Safety

1. Invest in Training and Ongoing Training Programs

One of the easiest ways you can keep employees safe is by maintaining a regular training regimen. It isn’t enough to just send your employees onto the factory floor after watching a few videos.

Your employees deserve to really get the ins-and-outs of the factory lifestyle. After all, they’re surrounded by thousands of pounds of heavy machinery.

Invest in training for your employees and you’ll have a stronger, safer workplace.

2. Maintain Equipment

From cranes to presses to vehicles of all shapes and sizes, there’s a lot to keep up with in a factory. Rubber wears down, chains rust, and brakes need to be replaced. And if you’ve ever seen a mechanical malfunction, you know how debilitating it can be.

Keep track of your equipment and maintain it on a regular basis. There could be obsolete pieces in some of your machinery.

Make sure you have an updated log of when machines and equipment were last maintained or repaired. You may be shocked to discover just how overdue your equipment is for basic maintenance.

3. Evaluate Your Workplace Environment

Just as equipment needs regular maintenance, factory safety involves regular cleanings and changes. Take some time to evaluate your work environment and determine whether or not safety changes need to be made.

If you need some help, there are plenty of helpful checklists online to let you know what to look for. Think about some of the following as you walk the aisles of your workplace:

• Codes of conduct between workers
• Material management and placement
• How or if procedures are followed
• Employee compliances with safety procedures
• Cleanliness
• Easy exits in case of an emergency
• Access to safety materials such as fire extinguishers

4. Allow For Frequent Breaks

One of the leading causes of workplace accidents isn’t due to mechanics — it’s due to employees. Keep workers happy and refreshed by allowing for frequent breaks.

Recently, Tyson Foods found themselves at the center of a horrible controversy. Tyson violated several codes by not allowing for frequent restroom breaks.

Avoid these costly mistakes. Factory safety will improve and your workers will be happier and more productive.

5. Make Sure Employees Have Access to Proper Equipment

Our final step is perhaps the simplest. The easiest way to improve factory safety is just by giving workers access to safety tools.

Be it hard hats, goggles, hair nets, or even ear plugs, access to these simple tools keeps workers safe.

With these 5 steps, you can keep workers happier and healthier. And if you’re in the market for new machinery, be sure to contact us. From easy repairs to full-on replacements, we can keep your factory safe for less.