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Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor

Articles

Material Handling February 1, 2009

Hoisting innovation for safety, productivity and ergonomics

In this age where manufacturers constantly search for ways to cut costs while increasing production, initiatives such as Lean manufacturing, ergonomics and safety influence their needs. They demand tools that can accommodate multitasking, that are designed to handle product swiftly and securely without damaging it and protect workers from repetitive motion injuries, but also are built with oper...

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Sustainability July 15, 2008

HVLS = Cool efficiency

Now that summer’s here, increased temperatures and humidity have an increased impact on the climate within the plant. Between keeping energy consumption down and the workforce comfortable while on the floor, plant managers can find themselves in a conundrum. Do they keep the plant floor air conditioned and the workers content?

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Material Handling May 15, 2008

Products, sustainability and market conditions drive NA 2008 attendees

Over its first two days, the NA 2008 Material Handling and Logistics Show, held April 21-24 at Cleveland’s I-X Center, enjoyed good size crowds in the morning that seemed to dwindle slightly in the afternoon.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Material Handling April 25, 2008

Products, sustainability, and market conditions drive NA 2008

The show on material handling and logistics featured some new product introductions and a focus on a topic that is rapidly gaining interest throughout industry: sustainability

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Asset Management February 15, 2008

The road to sustainability

When the residents of Munchkinland told Dorothy to follow the Yellow Brick Road to the Emerald City, they weren’t concerned about how much energy the Wizard of Oz was using to power his lights and pyrotechnics show from behind the curtain. And they certainly weren’t concerned about using natural resources when Dorothy dumped the bucket of water over the Wicked Witch of the West.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
HMI, OI January 15, 2008

Air filtration systems contribute more than clean air

While productivity, quality and the bottom line will never go away as the primary drivers of manufacturing processes, new focuses on safety and sustainability will have a growing impact on how those processes are executed. One area where plant managers can find real savings while addressing sustainability concerns is in their air filtration systems.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Gears and Bearings June 15, 2007

Varnish: The cholesterol in your plant equipment

Consider it the cholesterol of industrial equipment, because what it can do to machinery is almost identical to what hard, plaque-like cholesterol buildup can do to the cardiovascular system. We’re not talking HDL here, folks. There’s nothing healthy about this stuff. Varnish is a nasty, hard, sticky substance that forms on the surface of machinery components.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Workforce Development May 15, 2007

Giving manufacturers a lift

Everyone can use a lift once in a while. In fact, that was the thought behind the development of the lift truck in the first place. What began in the late 1800s as an evolution from hoists and cranes, lift trucks have long been an essential tool for manufacturers to move their materials and products through the various processes of manufacturing.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Arc Flash & Electrical Safety April 15, 2007

Infrared thermography hits the (hot) spot

Infrared thermography has always been a great maintenance tool. New features and capabilities allow manufacturers to do everything from pinpoint hot-spots on the production line to identify leaks in the facility’s roof. Manufacturers can more accurately predict where maintenance is needed, preventing costly downtime and the accompanying drag on the bottom line.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
IIoT, Industrie 4.0 April 8, 2007

Continuous improvement more than just maintenance practices

Cut the clutter and skip the small stuff. Grow your people. Provide them with leadership.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Safety Standards March 1, 2007

For managing inventory, technology counts

Controlling inventory can be an agonizing task for a manufacturer. Keeping track of raw materials, works-in-process and finished products is obviously critical to a company’s bottom line; these items have to be well-managed and accounted for. But tracking them may not even be half the battle. None of those materials get processed and out the door as finished products without being brought...

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Material Handling February 1, 2007

Automation, Lean join forces to keep products moving

Ever since Henry Ford perfected what has become the modern-day assembly line, manufacturers have attempted to improve the concept. It continues today as companies demand their plant personnel to continually do more with less. Whether it’s through installing new machines to increase throughput, incorporating new controls and components to make those machines run more efficiently or reconfi...

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
HMI, OI December 1, 2006

Lubrication

Among the many tasks and conditions plant engineers must contend with on a daily basis are maintenance and downtime. When these two aspects are minimized, production can be enhanced and the impact on the bottom line can be reduced. Following some simple guidelines to keep equipment lubricated properly are the first steps to preventing unscheduled maintenance and costly downtime.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Material Handling December 1, 2006

When a plan comes together

Imagine this: you manage a major automotive manufacturing plant where every two-seat roadster and every SUV that the company sells worldwide is manufactured. Two vehicles on opposite ends of the continuum, right? It's not unusual to have two vehicles that differ so much roll out of the same plant. Now imagine this: both of these vehicles roll off of the same assembly line.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Arc Flash & Electrical Safety October 1, 2006

Safety: Right to the bottom line

When it comes to safety, some companies take a traditional approach: do no more than finding out what the Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines are and try to meet them. Spending on safety often means little more than some new machine guards or a few extra stripes on the floor leading to emergency exits.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Material Handling August 1, 2006

The endless journey

For some manufacturers, Lean manufacturing is a goal. For others, it is a destination. It shouldn’t be either one. Lean, like business itself, is a journey. It’s an ever-evolving way to get somewhere. It is not something like a goal or a destination; it’s not something you can achieve.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Workforce Development August 1, 2006

Food process manufacturers find old, new ways to stay efficient

Security. RFID. Uptime and downtime, and maintenance and maintenance-free. For those in the manufacturing sector, these are just a few of the buzzwords that are dealt with daily. Here’s another one: margin. Food processors, in particular, face some hefty challenges – in both their processing and packaging operations – to keep their margins up and their machines operating.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Gears and Bearings June 15, 2006

Best practices in lubrication

Like blood coursing through the veins of living beings, lubrication is what keeps a plant’s capital investments operating smoothly and efficiently. At the same time, when lubrication becomes contaminated or depleted of its sustaining properties, overheating or exhaustion are among the problems that can occur.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Gears and Bearings June 1, 2006

Have you changed your oil…program?

Like blood coursing through the veins of living beings, lubrication is what keeps a plant’s capital investments operating smoothly and efficiently. At the same time, when lubrication becomes contaminated or depleted of its sustaining properties, overheating or exhaustion are among the problems that can occur.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor
Asset Management April 26, 2006

MRO spending: plan for the unplanned

Unplanned maintenance — it can be the bane of a plant engineer’s existence. It can lead to hours spent on the Internet, on the phone or both, searching for suppliers that not only can supply the part needed, but supply it in a timely manner. And this can be the least of the plant engineer’s concerns.

By Kevin Campbell, Senior Editor