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Plant Production & Software

Preventative maintenance: Avoiding downtime in your shop

Preventative maintenance is one of the smartest business decisions you can make.  No matter the brand, the amount of moving parts in operation and the number of pieces being produced daily takes a toll on even the toughest machine.As opposed to corrective maintenance,  which is carried out the machine breaks down, preventative maintenance refers to the care and servicing to keep the equipment in good operating condition through a systematic inspection, detection and correction of incipient failures.

Plant Production & Software

Choosing a stretch wrapper: 5 tips

Here are five things to consider when purchasing a semi-automatic turntable stretch wrapper.1 Does the turntable stop if the film breaks?A safe pallet wrapper will automatically stop the wrap cycle as soon as it detects a film break, so the operator won’t be tempted to reattach film to a rotating load.2 Are the wires and motors enclosed?Exposed wires and motors create trip hazards or could cause severe burns or scrapes. Look for a stretch wrapper that has enclosed components to protect not only the operators, but the machine as well.

Plant Production & Software

Sizing up wood waste reduction systems

While application requirements will determine the best size reduction option for your job, here are some basic questions to address: How much volume, processed over what time period; how dense or bulky is the material; what are the finished product specs; what is the handling environment; and what preventive maintenance costs do you expect.

Plant Production & Software

Integrating CNC software for a small shop

If you’re the owner of a small shop, you may think that CNC machinery and the software are only for the big shops. But making the leap to CNC can be just as beneficial for your size shop.In addition to CNC software helping to expand a company’s resources and allow it to attract more and larger jobs, small shop owners also find it helps save time in the office. And in most cases, there is a fast return on investment.The benefits of integration

Components, Hardware & Assembly

10 Tips for designing a walk-in closet

Being able to easily see and access all of your clothing and accessories is one of the best time saving, life-organizing tools ever.  Yet, if it's not designed well, you can actually end up wasting space. And wasting space in one of the most high demand spaces in the home is a costly mistake that impacts life on a daily basis.Be particularly attentive to the “short” walls in the closet, as
it is likely these will be “hard” measurements, with the design going wall-to-wall (versus having a “bridge” shelf that allows for the top piece to be cut-to-fit on site.

Components, Hardware & Assembly

Tips for building an outdoor kitchen for clients

Outdoor kitchens have been growing in popularity over the years. The benefit of learning how to build an outdoor kitchen is that the profit margins are traditionally higher than standard indoor kitchen remodels given that the select group of contractors with the skill of installing them is small and their services are in demand.

Components, Hardware & Assembly

Innovative hardware trends for 2016

When it comes to the design and innovation on display at KBIS — what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. The trends that you see there set the tone nationwide for the rest of the year. Even if you aren’t in the kitchen and bath industry, you have to pay attention to KBIS because eventually these trends end up in every room in the house.Flip-up door hardware