Suppliers Marketplace
Heavy duty capabilities
Yale Materials Handling Corp. introduced its new hardworking, heavy duty MPE060-080VG end rider series. Engineered to withstand heavier duty cycles, the new MPE060-080VG series has a capacity range of 6,000 to 8,000 pounds. The MPE060-080VG series’ undercarriage has been enhanced with robust tie bars, frame sections, linkages, casters and bearings to provide greater strength and stability, the company says. That equates to steadier load handling, longer up time and greater durability, it adds. Reinforced with 25 percent more steel, the MPE060-080VG series’ forks are designed to provide superior pallet entry and exit, the company says. The fork tips are specifically designed for smooth pallet entry and increased fork-pallet interlocking pressure by 500 percent, which is designed to secure the pallet to the floor to allow for successful first-attempt pallet exit, it says. The increased exit roller size reduces a pallet’s tendency to drag on exit, the company says. The MPE’s new metal handle will save seconds of pick time and increase floor and low-level picking efficiency with the Smart Coast Control with Pick Assist option, it says. Once the operator has the handle in an optimum position for floor level order picking, the Smart Coast Control function can be activated by pressing the Pick Assist button on either side of the control handle. Pick Assist allows operators to advance the truck to the next picking location at a walking speed, keeping the handle at that position until Smart Coast Control is disengaged.
Yale Materials Handling Corp., 1400 Sullivan Drive,
Greenville, N.C. 27834; 252/931-5100; yale.com.
Order fulfillment system
Dematic launched The RapidPick System, a solution for high performance split case order fulfillment. The RapidPick System is engineered to deliver split case items to an operator in a configuration that allows pick rates of up to 1,000 line items per operator per hour, the company says. It allows high pick accuracy because only one SKU is presented to the operator at a time, in the desired sequence, the company adds. The RapidPick System is made of modular mechanized components: replenishment stations, pick stations, racking and the inventory staging buffer module. The software manages the SKU inventory, replenishment and directs the order fulfillment process including monitoring the staff. The RapidPick System is compact and typically uses a 30 to 65 percent smaller footprint than other systems, it says. The high-density cube utilization is achieved using an inventory staging buffer module. The Dematic Multishuttle is made of carriers that travel in a modular rack structure, typically with one carrier on each level, accessing the inventory on both sides, single or double deep. The RapidPick System offers operational flexibility, as it can accommodate a range of carton and tote sizes, the company says, omitting the need to put every load on a tray.
Dematic Corp., 3025 Highland Parkway, Downers Grove, Ill. 60515; 630/852-9200; dematic.com.
‘Trim’ size
Ball Corp. announced its newest can size: the 8-ounce “trim” can. The small, lightweight can is ideal for juices and other beverages for portion-conscious consumers, and is unbreakable, quick-chilling and 100 percent recyclable, the company says. Ball’s 8-ounce trim can is designed to run on existing filling lines and requires no line modifications by customers, it says. The trim 8-ounce package meets the newly recommended guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that specify 8 ounces as the maximum serving size for beverages sold in schools. Ball also will continue to make its 8.4-ounce size, the company says.
Ball Corp., 10 Longs Peak Drive, Broomfield, Colo. 80021; 303/469-3131; ball.com.
Quality control center
AutoMate Technologies introduced a newly redesigned in-line automatic quality control center. The quality control inspection center has been re-engineered to provide product quality assurance, accuracy and integrity, the company says. Innovations include a selection of more than 14 diagnostic parameters that can be tested: missing caps, missing or skewed labels, missing neck bands, bar code verification, color correctness, missing foil seals, conveyor speed monitoring, crooked loose caps, date or lot verification, cotton placement and more. A color touch screen with USB/Ethernet connections and recipe storage allows for easy set-up, programming and data retrieval in a compact 24-inch footprint, it says. Quality control is accomplished through user friendly, non-contact, non-destructive testing and the reject system allows defects to be automatically removed from the line, the company says. Quick changeovers are accomplished by knob adjustments with calibrated scales for accuracy. The AM-QC is able to be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the company says.
AutoMate, 34 Hinda Blvd., Riverhead, N.Y. 11901; 631/727-8886; automatetech.com.
Next generation lift trucks
Hyster Co. unveiled its next generation of tough, durable and reliable electric lift trucks. The new Hyster E30-40XN series delivers lifting capacities of 3,000 to 4,000 pounds and offers significant performance and versatility for a wide variety of material handling applications, the company says. The series features the following: newly designed industry-leading operator compartments; 16 percent more floor space; relocated multifunction displays that ensure enhanced visibility and precise pallet control; improved brake pedal layout; Auto Deceleration System, which reduces operator fatigue; and a steel hood that provides for maximum battery service access, the company says. By using AC motors and transistor controller technology for both the traction and hydraulic systems, Hyster has reduced the frequency and cost of maintenance, it says. The Hyster-designed thermal management system continuously monitors the E30-40XN series’ controller and motor temperature and, upon identifying irregularity, the system protects the component by automatically adjusting truck performance. According to the VDI Energy Cycle Standardized Test, the E30-40XN series consumes the lowest amount of energy when compared to similar lift trucks.
• Hyster Co., 1400 Sullivan Drive, Greenville, N.C. 27834; 800/497-8371; hyster.com.
Wrapping process
Lantech developed its new metered film delivery, which is a new way to dispense stretch film as it’s applied to the load during the wrapping process. The company says the metered film delivery excels at delivering and managing containment force, which is the pressure applied to the load by the layers of stretch film. The new metered film delivery stretch wrappers also are able to cope with harder-to-wrap loads, it says. Metered film delivery overcomes a host of technical problems that plague conventional stretch wrapping technology, the company says.
• Lantech, 11000 Bluegrass Parkway, Louisville, Ky. 40299; 800/866-0322; lantech.com.
Line complement
Polypack has built a new Wrap Around Corrugate Sleeve Packer to complement its existing line of shrink wrap equipment. The corrugate wrap-around sleeve replaces traditional RSC cases and trays while providing a tighter packed bundle with superior support for distribution and retail, the company says. It features multi-layer packaging capability, servo-controlled Gantry Product loading system, a color touch screen interface, combines with shrink wrap to create distribution and retail-ready packs and is capable of automatic changeover adjustments. The Wrap Around Sleeve Packer is able to eliminate 50 percent of cardboard and complete up to 15 bundles a minute, the company says.
• Polypack Inc., 3301 Gateway Centre Blvd., Pinellas Park, Fla. 33782; 727/578-5000; polypack.com.
Caster series
Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co. introduced a caster series. The Enhanced Heavy Service (EHS) Caster Series is Hamilton’s latest version of a towable caster that is built for speed and 24/7 operation, the company says. It is suited for use on in-plant trailers, towline carts and AGV systems. The series combines Hamilton’s HPI Swivel Technology with its polyurethane tread wheels. The EHS Series covers 6-inch-by-2-inch and 8-inch-by-2-inch wheel sizes. All wheels in the series are equipped with double-sealed precision ball bearings or tapered roller bearings, which can sustain high speeds, the company says.
• Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co., 1637 Dixie Hwy., Hamilton, Ohio 45011; 800/733-7655; hamiltoncaster.com.
High-speed equipment
A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp. released its partition opener/inserter for high volume packaging lines that feeds partitions into two cases simultaneously through servo-powered handling devices. The servos drive the partition indexing/opening and inserting, blending the two independent steps into one action that ensures gentle handling for smooth opening, precise placement and efficient case picking, the company says. Lateral stabilizers square each partition after opening to “lock” the partition’s interlocking panels and ensure smooth insertion into the waiting case or tray. No tool changeover is a standard feature and effectively reduces changeover time up to 70 percent for a full range of partitions, it says. All product parameters are stored for immediate recall at the control console, and position indicators are designed to eliminate guesswork in adjusting to established settings. Future flexibility is ensured as it is easy to add specifications to run new partitions, the company says. The operator also can input the parameters at the touch screen display that then stores the data for future recall.
• A-B-C Packaging Machine Corp., 811 Live Oak St., Tarpon Springs, Fla. 34689; 800/237-5975; abcpackaging.com.
Cap sorter
Fowler Products Co., a division of Pro Mach,
introduced a compact waterfall style cap sorter for production lines running between 100 and 300 bottles a minute. The sorter offers a host of features for mid-range production applications. Additional benefits for lines where frequent changes in cap sizes are made include a low ceiling for the capping area and dust is kept to a minimum, the company says. The WSI 300 waterfall sorter has an 8-cubic-foot cap bin, which sits flush to the capping machine. The sorter’s height was kept to a minimum for greater application in low-ceiling environments, the company says. The belt width was reduced when compared to high-speed sorters to contribute to space saving, it adds. With the WSI 300, operators have an easier time loading and monitoring filling intervals than they typically do with top plate mounted rotary sorters, which require operators to climb a ladder to load the cap bin or need the use of a secondary bulk cap feeder, the company says. Loading a bin at floor level also keeps dust from corrugated shipping cases below the level of the capping operation and helps to maintain a cleaner environment where the closure meets the bottle, jar or jug, it says. The WSI 300 can handle a wide range of cap diameters and styles on a single set of cleats so that few, if any change parts, are required when switching between different sized closures, the company says.
• Fowler Products Co., 150 Collins Industrial Blvd., Athens Ga. 30601; 706/549-3300; fowlerproducts.com.
Mini-clamps
J.W. Winco Inc. announced it now offers series GN 473 Aluminum Two-Way Base Connector Clamps in metric sizes. These RoHS compliant connector mini-clamps are available with a ground matte finish or a black anodized finish. In the standard version, the force of the clamp onto the tube is achieved through socket cap screws. Cap screws are DIN 912, stainless steel and European Standard No. 1.4301 (American Standard Series 304). Kits are available that replace the cap screws with adjustable levers and include lever, spacer bushing and hex nut. They are designed for GN 480.1 tubing.
• J.W. Winco Inc., 2815 S. Calhoun Road, New Berlin, Wis. 53151; 800/877-8351;
jwwinco.com.
Industrial plugs
Cooper Wiring Devices released its QuickGrip line of industrial plugs and connectors. QuickGrip is a new offering from the Arrow Hart brand that provides superior performance, durability, and quick and easy installation, the company says. QuickGrip uses a single-piece hinged body, reducing the number of assembly screws used. It also has a terminal configuration that places screws in only two directions and a large wiring chamber that can reduce installation time and labor costs and increase efficiency, the company says. QuickGrip features a clear terminal cover and funneled wire entry. The clear terminal cover allows installers to visually verify secure termination, the company says. QuickGrip offers extra grip with an exterior scalloped design that molds to the hand.
• Cooper Wiring Devices, 203 Cooper Circle, Peachtree City, Ga. 30269; 770/631-2100; cooperwiringdevices.com.
Leak testers
W. Amsler Equipment Inc. has extended its line of leak testers with an innovative flying head design that provides high output, flexibility and tool-free changeovers. The new five-head unit, which runs up to 250 bottles a minute, is for plastic containers up to 2 liters. The five heads travel with the bottles along the conveyor in the enclosed system. It features servo motors instead of an indexing conveyor or stationary heads to control the traveling heads, the company says, to enable the heads to move more quickly, speeding up overall operation. No change parts are required and tool-free changeovers are fast and simple, it says. The leak tester uses low-pressure air to detect holes as small as 0.006-inches in diameter. It also detects fallen bottles, choked necks and blocked necks, it says. Extra heads can be added to the unit to increase speed and productivity.
• W. Amsler Equipment Inc., 1245 Reid St. Unit 1, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada L4B 1G4; 905/707-6704; amslerequipment.net.
Sorter control
Intelligrated unveiled its new sorter control functionality for the company’s InControlWare Warehouse Control System (WCS). The InControlWare WCS now fully integrates control for IntelliSort tilt-tray and cross-belt sorters to ensure optimized material flow, efficient order fulfillment, streamlined communication and complete facility control and visibility, the company says. The system extends the traditional capability of tilt-tray and cross-belt sortation software to coordinate inbound and outbound material flow as well as induction, chute and pack-out operations, it says. Through enhanced coordination of material flow processes, order fulfillment activities, workload balancing and routing directives provided by the InControlWare WCS, tilt-tray and cross-belt sortation systems can achieve greater system use and productivity, the company says. Through the InControlWare WCS, operations also can take advantage of available Order Manager and Route Manager software packages. These packages allow simultaneous coordination of people, processes and product flow for increased productivity, order accuracy and on-time shipments.
• Intelligrated, 7901 Innovation Way, Mason, Ohio 45040; 866/963-7300; intelligrated.com.
