There are almost 800 deaths per year on average caused by industrial equipment. Your heavy lifting equipment represents a significant investment in life and property. To keep it functioning, you need to conduct regular preventive maintenance.

Having a main preventive program keeps a machine operating at its full capacity for the entire duration of its long lifetime.

What constitutes a successful preventive maintenance program for industrial equipment?

Start With a Preventive Maintenance Checklist

A preventive maintenance checklist allows you to be sure that all your ducks are in a row. There are many templates available online for maintenance logs. Choose one that fits your needs and the needs of your business.

Keeping a log is essential. It allows you to know what maintenance and repairs your machinery has received. It also shows when the next scheduled maintenance interval is to take place.

These are essential documents for your business to have on hand in the event of an accident or lawsuit. If you can’t prove that you serviced your machine at appropriate intervals, you may be liable.

Develop and Use Your Preventive Maintenance Plan

You first need to come up with a plan. You can use the following steps to create a simple one or custom-tailor it to your machinery. 

The first step is for you to assess your machinery’s maintenance needs. This involves looking at the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance. It also involves taking an assessment of the condition of individual machines.

For this first step, you will need an industrial machinery inspection. Only after the review can you decide which machine needs what service.

Focus on which machines are to receive maintenance first. Start with the equipment most in need. Prioritize any mission-critical machinery or machinery that can cause catastrophic losses in the event of a failure.

Record all completed or scheduled maintenance in your logbook. Without a log, your maintenance might as well have never happened in the eyes of the law.

Talk to your technicians or a professional maintenance company to determine what additional preventive maintenance steps can be carried out. Then, once you have established your maintenance routine, stick to it at regular intervals.

The regularity of maintenance intervals is essential to keep your industrial machinery operating consistently. Every service should include an inspection of the machine in its entirety to avoid missing anything important.

Prevent Catastrophic Losses

A preventive maintenance program saves lives and helps your business save money. Operating industrial machinery without one is an unsafe risk. Make sure that all your bases are covered with a proper preventive maintenance plan.

That way, you can keep your business operating for years to come.

If you’re looking for high-quality industrial equipment, then you’re in the right place. Take a look at our site; we have everything from industrial brakes and clutches to cranes and hoists. 

Regardless of the type of industrial equipment you have on-site, you can perform some necessary standard tests to ensure that every piece of equipment is safe and working to its maximum capacity. Simply follow this guide next time you’re doing the rounds.

What Should Your Equipment Inspection Cover?

You should concentrate your inspection on all aspects of the machine that can impact the operator’s safety and the individual parts that degrade due to wear and tear. The equipment may need some testing as part of the investigation, and in some cases, you might need to do some dismantling.

For the majority of industrial equipment, there are three standard methods used to conduct an inspection. These include:

• Functional and visual examinations
• Measuring wear and tear
• Non-destructive and load testing

It’s helpful for you to record when each inspection is conducted to know when the next one is due. 

How Frequently Should Your Equipment Get Inspected?

A quick inspection should take place every time you’re about to use the equipment. You should check the electrical cables, the safety buttons or switches are working, and the lighting is operating appropriately.

More extensive investigations should occur at the end of the working week and involve looking at specific areas of the machine. You should check all of the protective guards connected to the equipment that will keep employees safe and that all of the functioning parts that deteriorate are working correctly and don’t need replacing.

Thorough exams require you to perform extensive testing to ensure that your machine can handle the jobs it needs to perform. This should happen every three months at a minimum. However, the older the equipment gets, the more frequently you may need to check it to ensure that it’s still up to the task.

Who Should Carry Out the Inspection?

The responsibility of carrying out equipment investigations requires someone with sufficient knowledge and experience of the machines they’re inspecting and, depending on the equipment, may need to be certified. They’ll need to know what to look for and how to identify a problem with the product. Ideally, they should also know what needs to be done when there is an issue.

When Should You Refer to the Machine’s Product Guide?

Upon one of your inspections, you’re bound to find a problem that requires reviewing the product guide to resolve the issue. It might be to check a warranty, or it could relate to a part that needs replacing.

We provide new and refurbished parts for a range of industrial machinery. Don’t wait until it’s broken; contact us today to find out how we can keep your equipment up and running. 

Throughout the United States, there are more than 30 million small businesses. If you’re a part of one of them, you may be familiar with a common issue: high manufacturing costs.

No matter the product your company makes, you have to deal with the costs of creating your product. And many times these costs are higher than you’d like them to be.

That’s why we’ve created this article outlining three helpful tips to streamline your manufacturing costs, so they’re less of a burden on your bottom line. Keep reading for more information.

1. Utilize Build-to-Order and Mass-Customized Inventory

One fundamental way to reduce your manufacturing costs is to produce two types of products. The first is built-to-order. The second is a mass-customized inventory.

This way, you can fulfill the demand for both regular and custom orders while still reducing manufacturing costs. In both approaches, once you get an order, you’ll be able to fulfill it right away.

Using this approach can help you eliminate carrying costs, ranging from up to 25 percent of your inventory value on hand. You can also reduce your procurement costs using these methods, which can significantly help your profit margin.

2. Focus on the Most Profitable Products

Next, let’s talk about another one of the most helpful tips for streamlining manufacturing your costs: focusing on your most profitable products. This is a great way to reduce manufacturing costs, but also can help with:

• simplifying operations
• improving productivity
• increasing profit
• expanding cash flow

And what business owner wouldn’t like those benefits?

Here’s how it works. Look at your product lineup, and eliminate your lowest-profit products. Also, look for products for which you could outsource production. And then look at your highest-profit products, and make a plan to focus on these.

Commonly, 60 percent of a product line contributes less than 10 percent of the total margin. That’s why going through the product line rationalization efforts can have a significant effect on your bottom line.

3. Evaluate the Cost vs. Benefit of Quality

As any manufacturer knows, quality cost reduction is a crucial part of managing costs. This is the process of assessing and adjusting the manufacturing process. 

The idea here is that you can use cheaper materials to create the same product quality, instantly improving your bottom line. But the risk is that more inexpensive materials have the potential to decrease the quality of your finished product.

It’s important to consider past quality issues as you’re going through this process. This will help you avoid problems that you’ve encountered before.

Helpful Tips for Streamlining Manufacturing Costs

There you have it: three of our top helpful tips for reducing manufacturing costs for your business. Now that you’ve read through these ideas, it’s time to make a specific plan for your company based on your unique situation.

Have additional questions or want to learn more? Contact our team today with any other inquiries.

Sustainable and eco-friendly ideals have now reached every industry around for multiple good reasons. For one, “green” practices protect the planet we all share. They also boost your reputation among your clientele who are passionate about conservation.

Of course, it’s easier to make sustainable choices in some industries and situations than others. Still, you can take steps to make your industrial equipment more environmentally-friendly. Namely, you can choose more sustainable hardware. Luckily, Kor-Pak offers several eco-friendly products for various applications.

Gatke Phenolics and Laminates

Phenolics and laminates are useful for a wide range of friction applications. Did you know they make your processes more sustainable too? These products are self-lubricating, giving them a longer life with slower wear compared to competitors. That means you’ll need fewer replacements, saving the environment from excess manufacturing.

Gatke is specifically known for its long-lasting products. Now that Gatke is a Scan-Pac brand, Kor-Pak is proud to provide Gatke products as a Scan-Pac distributor. 

Energy-Efficient AC/DC Drives

Energy efficiency is a critical part of your sustainability. This is especially true when it comes to something with heavy power usage like a crane. Cut down on that power usage with high-quality AC or DC drives depending on your crane’s needs.

While we offer a variety of both AC and DC drives, we only distribute high-quality products which, among other advantages, are designed for energy efficiency.  

Brakes for Wind Energy Resources

One of the most extensive ways to protect the planet is by using cleaner energy sources like wind, water, and solar power. The wind energy industry is expected to grow from 113 gigawatts (GW) in 2020 to 404 GW by 2050. Kor-Pak is proud to contribute to these efforts by serving the wind energy industry.

We offer a wide range of yaw brakes and calipers for wind turbines and other types of wind energy equipment. You can take advantage of this for your business by installing your own wind energy equipment to generate clean energy. If you do, we’re your source for any yaw brakes you need.

Full Selection of Energy-Efficient Products

Some certain products and brands place a special emphasis on energy efficiency for environmental protection. However, overall, part of your energy efficiency depends on using high-quality industrial hardware items that work well together. The smoother your operation is, the less energy it will require.

That’s our specialty at Kor-Pak. We provide the highest quality of industrial brakes and other industrial hardware. It’s all designed to give you an optimal performance so you can make the most of every joule. Not only will this give you the benefit of a more sustainable operation, but it lowers your energy costs too. 

How to Find Sustainable Hardware for Your Industrial Equipment

Every industrial setup is unique. To truly make your operation as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible, you need the help of a dedicated professional. Contact our industrial brake and hardware specialists today to find out the best ways to optimize and upgrade your equipment.

You’re on the job site, and your crane operator just blew a gearbox. You have a deadline you have to meet, but you can’t fly three truckloads of material 100 feet up. You need a part, fast. What do you do?

Fortunately, your mechanic tells you it’s a SEW Eurodrive Gearbox, and there’s hope. Here’s why.

What Makes SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes So Appealing?

SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes use a modular system. This modular system allows them to combine as few components to produce the widest range of capabilities. Because the gearboxes’ applications are so extensive, this modular system lets you select the part you need based on your application.

Categories of SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes

There are five overarching categories for these gearboxes. Standard gearboxes feature a wide range of design, ideal graduation of sizes, and heavy-duty construction to achieve up to 50,000 Nm torque.

Servo gearboxes deliver precision, power, and speed. You can combine these gearboxes with a variety of motors. The result is always an exact drive response for your application.

Variable speed gearboxes are designed to accept varying drive speeds seamlessly. These are perfect solutions for adapting speeds to different processing sequences.

Chemical applications and clean environments make use of the stainless-steel gearbox by SEW Eurodrive. Built from acid-resistant material and designed without a fan make cleaning easy, and the fan-less design prevents dirt and debris from clogging up the gears.

Many of the above gearboxes can be constructed to be explosion-proof and comply with all local, state, and federal regulations. You get all the power for safe operation in explosive environments.

What Information Do I Need to Order a New Gearbox?

If you are building a unique machine in the development process, you can contact us for help in identifying what gearbox is right for your application. We’ll review with you your needs and help you select the proper unit.

If you’re reordering a specific gearbox, you’ll need the serial number on the nameplate. This is usually everything you need to reorder because that serial number will have all the other details stamped onto the nameplate.

Details like the voltage, frequency, designation type, power factor, maximum torque, number of phases, and unit speed are stamped on the nameplate to help engineers in the field understand what they are working with so that any changes elsewhere in the system can be calibrated.

Other details like oil type, fill volume, service factor, mounting position, and thermal class help field mechanics maintain the gearbox. Choosing the wrong specifications will fail, and failure can result in serious injury to people and property. Make sure a qualified mechanic does your repairs and replacements.

Ordering Your New Gearbox

Contact us today for all your SEW Eurodrive gearbox needs. At Kor-Pak, we specialize in delivering the highest quality parts with excellent customer service. Our associates will answer any questions you have and get the right parts out to you ASAP. We also provide installation and repair services.

The global friction product market is expected to reach $24.7 billion by 2023. They’re used in all forms of transportation, from bicycles to 18-wheelers, making them essential types of manufacturing equipment.

Truck blocks are one of the most important types of friction materials. They regulate a truck’s speed and keep it running as best as they can.

The high demand for friction products lead to a surge in truck block manufacturers, but they differ in the types and quality of products they provide. Choosing the best one is one of the best things you can do for your business.

Read our guide to learn how truck blocks work and how to choose a manufacturer to get them from.

How Does a Truck Block Work?

A truck block is a type of friction material. These are used in systems that require direct pressure between parts to control speed. This makes them essential for a variety of industries, especially transportation and manufacturing.

Like all friction equipment, a truck block works using the scientific principles of friction. It refers to the resistance of motion between two moving objects. Static friction occurs between two objects that aren’t moving relative to each other, and kinetic friction occurs between objects moving in relation to one another.

Truck block equipment creates friction that can slow down a vehicle at the right time. That’s what makes it so essential as a part of your manufacturing equipment lineup.

How Do I Choose a Truck Block Manufacturer?

Several companies offer truck blocks and other types of friction materials as they increase in demand and profitability, but choosing the right one is an essential decision.

Scan-Pac offers asbestos-free friction materials for your forklift, crane, mill, truck, and other essential equipment. They’ve been ISO 9001-certified for more than 16 years, so you know you can trust them.

Scan-Pac provides several other benefits that place it above its competitors. It’s been in business for 44 years, so it has the experience you need. Its entire diverse product line is produced efficiently in America. It serves a wide range of industries and has distributors all over the world. Its website even includes a material recommendations tool.

While it’s clear that Scan-Pac is a great option, they have over 40 suppliers to choose from. When deciding between them, there are several factors to keep in mind. Consider the range of products they provide, their relationship with Scan-Pac, and the customer service they provide. Be sure that they can help you meet your business goals.

Where Can I Get Scan-Pac Products?

Truck blocks are an important part of the rapidly growing friction product industry. They keep trucks on the road running at the proper speed to using the principles of friction.

If you need a truck block, consider getting one from Scan-Pac. They’re an established provider you can trust with American-made products they can ship to you no matter where you are.

You’ll also need to go through one of Scan-Pac’s many distributors to get the products you’ll need. We have a range of friction products to satisfy any needs. Learn more about our relationship with Scan-Pac and contact us today for more information.

When you operate in the industrial field, one of your chief goals is to operate in the most energy-efficient manner possible. And that’s where a frequency inverter comes into play.

The question is, what is a frequency inverter exactly? And how can you use it to maintain a high level of productivity in your operations?

If you’re not sure what a frequency inverter is used for, here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about these devices — and why you need them this fall.

Let’s jump in!

What Exactly Is a Frequency Inverter?

A frequency inverter is a device used in several industrial applications and sectors to control an alternating-current (AC) motor’s speed.

You will use a frequency inverter if a production process or application requires an AC voltage that is adjustable. In other words, your process or application requires a controllable speed. 

In this situation, a frequency inverter can produce a voltage that is variable in terms of both frequency and amplitude (the level of your output voltage). It does this by transforming a fixed-frequency AC current into the abovementioned variable voltage.

The chief benefit of frequency inverters is that you can use them to change motors’ speeds from zero to the speed you need in a relatively seamless way. Plus, you can access a huge speed range. 

In addition, frequency inverters enable you to switch a rotation’s direction easily. With a single control, you can change your phase sequence. This will cause your machine’s downstream AC motor to turn in the opposite direction as needed immediately.

Frequency Inverter Applications

A frequency inverter can be used for powering an air conditioner, pump, or three-phase motor. In the latter, you can control the AC motor’s torque and speed by varying your frequency. This won’t restrict your motor’s performance but rather will make it more efficient.

Frequency inverters can also be used in drives for fans, conveyor belts, assembly lines, and processing machines. Also, you’ll find them in cranes and material handling systems.

With frequency inverters, you can optimize your production processes due to producing variable speeds. Also, because inverters enable speed control, you can save energy in your operations.

How We Can Help

We are a leading manufacturer of industrial technology. Thus, we take pride in offering frequency inverter technology, as well as other first-rate industrial solutions.

Our frequency inverters are indispensable for controlling the drive trains found in systems and machines. Our other popular products include industrial clutches and brakes. We also offer crane wheels and even industrial couplings.

We also provide expert services such as crane upgrades and modernizations, equipment repair services, and overhead crane inspections.

Contact us to learn more about how we can help you to keep your industrial equipment in tip-top shape so that you can get the job done with ease every time. 

Which friction material is best? Well, that depends on what you need it for.

There are so many different applications for friction materials that no single material is best in all situations. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages compared to the others.

So, to help you discover which is best for your needs, we’ve written you this guide. Below, we’ve listed the three main types of friction materials, along with the pros and cons of each. Look through this list to determine which is the best fit for your needs.

1. Semi-Metallic Friction Materials

Semi-metallic friction materials are made of a combination of sintered metals and synthetic materials. They’re the longest-lasting friction material on our list.

They also have very high-heat tolerance and amazing stopping power. If you need a certain heavy machinery component to stop quickly, semi-metallic materials are your best choice.

However, since they’re made so resilient and powerful, they’re somewhat harsh to the machinery they’re installed into. That is, they tend to wear out your rotors/related components more quickly than other friction materials.

2. Ceramic Friction Materials

Ceramic friction materials are made of porcelain/clay combined with sintered metals, usually copper. Unlike semi-metallic friction materials, ceramic materials are best suited for more gentle stopping needs.

Their biggest advantage is their quiet, clean operation. They produce very little noise or dust during use.

But, as we said, they’re not as durable or heat-tolerant as semi-metallic friction materials. Thus, they will wear out faster than your semi-metallic options.

Even worse, if you use them too harshly, they can overheat. This could cause warping and other damage to the components they’re applied to. On the other hand, if you use them gently, as intended, they’re less damaging to your equipment than semi-metallic materials.

3. Hybrid Friction Materials

As their name implies, hybrid friction materials are essentially a hybrid of both ceramic and semi-metallic friction materials. And, as you’d expect, their performance is the exact middle-ground between those two options as well.

In other words, they’re more durable and heat-resistant than ceramic materials. And they’re cleaner and quieter than semi-metallic friction materials.

However, being in-between doesn’t necessarily make them the “best of both worlds.” As stated, the other materials are specifically designed to be the best in certain situations. It’s only if your needs lie somewhere in-between that hybrid friction materials are your best option.

For example, maybe you need your machine component to stop quickly, but only sometimes. Choosing semi-metallic materials would be overkill. Most of the time, during general use, the semi-metallic materials would be unnecessarily loud and hard on your machinery.

The bottom line is that hybrid friction materials have excellent stopping power and are also well-suited for general use.

Which Friction Material Is Best For Your Needs?

Based on this list, you should be able to determine which friction material is best suited for your industrial machinery. However, if you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Contact us here if you need more information or you want to request a quote for a specific part or service.

There’s one thing that’s clear about the market game — every day is pretty unpredictable. There are constant ups and downs in every industry, including the iron and steel market. That being said, sometimes one is able to find out what’s going to happen to these markets by looking ahead – and the future of iron and steel seems pretty bright.

Judging by the factors given by experts, it seems that the current steel market, as well as the iron industry, is going to see some serious growth.

Keep reading to find out what you need to know so you can take advantage of this vast opportunity.

What You Need to Know About the Iron and Steel Market

Iron and steel have been part of the backbone of America since the days of the Industrial revolution. They have overall been able to keep a pretty steady repertoire because of this. However, the recent recession stole the glory from the industries and plunged them into darker times.

Some experts believe that now is the time for iron and steel’s tremendous comeback. Currently, the global market is set at 1,539,580 million US dollars, but it’s expected to reach 1,883,880 million by the end of 2026, growing at a considerable rate of 2.9 percent.

This, of course, is merely looking at things from a global perspective; in the United States, the changes are expected to be even more drastic. Steel company stocks are expected to have a robust full-year increase, with the averages being around 20 to 50 percent.

Such substantial percentages show that iron and steel are making a powerful comeback despite the heavy hit that all industries took in the first part of 2020.

We’re Ready When You Are

Now that you know what to expect from the iron industry and the steel market, you’re likely going to want to find out how you can get involved with the markets and get your own share of the growth.

At Kor-Pak Corporation, we make it our duty to help our clients reach their full potential no matter the industry. Our products include industrial brakes and clutches, crane wheels, oil rig equipment, industrial couplings, torque limiters, and more. Our industrial reach covers the iron and steel industries, the agriculture and farm industries, the oil and petroleum industries, and others.

Reach out to us whenever you’re ready to order your products. We look forward to the chance to help your business succeed!

Do you own or manage a business? If so, then you understand the importance of having the right tools for the job.

One of the essential tools for many industries is the forklift. This piece of heavy equipment has been around for decades and is necessary for loading and unloading freight and moving inventory around. 

As technology has improved over the years, forklift manufacturing has taken advantage of these advances to make forklifts easier to use and to be capable of more complex operations. 

This article takes a look at new forklift technology. Keep reading for details on the latest developments.

Digital Communication Technology

Regardless of what industry you work in, a few aspects of the business are as important as effective communication. This is especially true when it comes to handling large volumes of inventory.

Fortunately, the geniuses in Silicon Valley continue to provide improved communication tech for forklifts. This includes methods of using digital technology that enables drives to speak directly to internet-based systems, allowing them to interact with other devices within the warehouse.

High tech communication systems also help reduce potential workplace accidents, making your warehouse environment a safer place to work.

Automation

Almost everything is becoming more automated, including forklifts.

As more and more self-driving cars fill city streets, the number of self-driving forklifts is also on the rise. This kind of technology offers several benefits, including the fact that it frees up operators to perform other tasks, few errors during the “pick” process, as well as the potential for fewer employees on the payroll.

Improved Braking

When it comes to managing a forklift safely in a warehouse environment, nothing is more important than the ability to stop quickly.

Keep in mind that forklifts are not only complicated pieces of equipment; they are also heavy. This is why advances in technology have introduced improved braking systems so that the forklift can be controlled more effectively.

Improved braking means you can minimize accidents, thus reducing the number of injuries in your workplace, while also limiting the amount of wear and tear on your equipment.

Green Technology

It’s no secret that an increasing number of companies are looking for ways to make their operations more environmentally friendly. That’s why the forklift industry has taken enormous steps to produce fuel cells that run longer and cleaner. This technology enables your equipment to get more work done using less energy.

Remote Control Technology

Some forklifts are now able to be controlled from digital operation panels. These control systems provide easy to understand interfaces, enables operators to remain a safe distance away while performing the dangerous task of moving heavy freight from one place to another.

A Guide to the Latest Technology Used in Forklift Manufacturing

It’s difficult to overstate the value of forklift and in warehouses and other workplaces. They can perform difficult tasks that would otherwise be impossible. Fortunately, forklift manufacturing continues to offer incredible advances in technology that make these difficult tasks safer and easier than ever before.

Contact us today to request a quote.