Components & Connections Archives | Production Systems

Focusing On Energy-Efficiency – A Goal For Finishing Systems Companies In 2024

In 2024, one of the main goals of companies in the industrial coating industry, when looking towards the future, is enhancing energy-efficiency in their processes. Technological advancements developed and incorporated in pursuit of these goals include energy-saving systems, usage of fewer resources, and software that helps promote the saving of resources. One finishing systems manufacturer is introducing an exhaust air treatment system that breaks down pollutants, such as solvents, in contaminated exhaust air through biological oxidation. Current systems for cleaning exhausted air use thermal afterburners; Thermal afterburners use a heat treatment process powered by gas to destroy industrial contaminants such as volatile organic compounds. This new treatment system works differently, eliminating the need for gas. Industrial finishing companies have in the past focused on building new facilities from the ground up, when needed. Today, many companies are deciding to modernize existing plants rather than build new ones. This shift in thinking – from greenfield to brownfield projects saves money while also incorporating efforts to optimize energy efficiency, and reduce emissions, and save materials. A new trend in finishing systems [...]

Production Systems Incorporates Slot and Tab Features Into Our Frame Designs For Easy Installation

Steel structures used in industrial environments are being designed to incorporate features that innately guide components into their correct positions during assembly. Known as ‘self-fixturing,’ this slot and tab design simplifies assembly and minimizes the need for adjustment. It basically makes assembly much quicker and easier, with minimal tools. And the structure stays the way it’s supposed to. Today’s machining technology has made it possible to design and produce components with slots and tabs. A few decades ago, when steel was cut using a shear press, this was not possible. New machines, such as the CNC and laser tables, have made this an option. In addition, only a few years ago, Solidworks introduced a “tab and slot” feature in their design software. This upgrade made the process of adding these assembly features quick and easy for designers. Self-fixtured steel designs assure that components when assembled align properly to each other. However, every tab or slot carries multiple stress concentrations, and when added to a steel component, there is a risk of disrupting the stress flow and creating high stress areas. [...]