Get to Know Custom Laser Cutting Equipment

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Michael Shade

Ever wonder how the stimulation of a carbon dioxide or neodymium-aluminum-garnet lasing material with either electrical discharges or radio frequency resonators can be used to facilitate industrial cutting or surface finishing processes? If you’re anything like me, your answer is probably an emphatic “Huh?” There’s something about lasers and their operating principles that seem opaque and distant to me. I’d bet that most people I know are aware that “laser” is an acronym, but I doubt that many of them know what it stands for, and even fewer of them could describe how lasers work. The trouble may be that lasers don’t enjoy very accurate representation in media, or it may be that our encounters with lasers in daily life are not very personal or direct. But it’s clear that we benefit from their use in many ways. Continue reading →

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Pallet Racking: How To Maximize Your Warehouse Space

Posted on May 11, 2012 by nicolet

Pallet racks are a great and cost-effective way to make efficient use of floor space and unused overhead space. They are essential for warehouses, distribution centers, and many other industrial and commercial facilities. Selective Rack is the most common pallet rack system. It allows direct access to all of your pallets so you can save time selecting one without having to move others. Continue reading →

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SOR® Achieves Coveted SIL Certification for Pressure and Level Switches

Posted on May 10, 2012 by nicolet

SOR Inc. now offers pressure and level switches that are SIL (Safety Integrity Level) Certified per IEC 61508. Contact your local SOR® Representative for more details or download the SOR Safety Integrity Level Quick Guide for more information. Continue reading →

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Chain Mail and Stainless Steel Mesh

Posted on May 7, 2012 by nicolet

If you were fortunate enough as I was to grow up with Lord of the Rings, and have friends that were equally in love, making it possible for you to watch every movie numerous times, when you hear ‘stainless steel mesh’ the first place your mind travels to will probably be the chain mail that Frodo’s received. Having watched the movies numerous times and read part of the book… I knew a fair amount about Shire and the lands surrounding it, and it has never been difficult to reference the movies to things that happen in life. While there are probably plenty of other items to think of first concerning stainless steel mesh such as colanders, food strainers or protective gloves, my mind always travels to shirts that will protect you from the dangers that lurk in Middle Earth. In the movies, the goblins created the best mail products, and products were often worn in battles because they could provide defense against edged weapons like swords. This is not limited to these fantasy tales either, these products were also popular in countless countries when sword fighting was the main fighting method. While the force of impact could still affect the wearer, causing bruising or fractures, it was able to provide more protection than a fighter would otherwise have. The products did eventually begin to dwindle with the invention of guns because the mail proved to have little effect against bullets. Continue reading →

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Don’t Ignore Brake Materials

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Michael Shade

Until recently, I drove a 1997 Ford Escort, Old Rusty. At the tail end of winter, the car’s blower motor gave out, rendering the heater and defroster features inoperable. Each morning of the week following the motor’s demise, I would find myself trying to scrape a thick layer of frost off of the inside of my windshield, the concave nature of which was not even mildly hospitable to scraping. When the mechanic at the garage told me that it would cost $600 to fix the blower, I asked him to perform a general inspection of the car. I wanted to know if it was worth putting that kind of money into that kind of car if there was any chance that some other costly problem would present itself. He found that the sub-frame was rusted into oblivion (which is how the moisture was accumulating in the car’s interior and collecting on the windshield), a wheel bearing was loose (which meant the wheel could fly off as I drove somewhere) and that the engine was leaking oil from an undetermined location. Time for a new car. Continue reading →

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Wire Rope Assemblies for Zip-Lining to Bridge Construction

Posted on May 1, 2012 by nicolet

Wire rope assemblies can be found in countless complex industries these days. The main reason for this is because can be incredibly useful for such a wide variety of applications. These products are strong, durable and very reliable in intense work environments. Not just your basic construction, manufacturing, marine and other industries, but, as is becoming increasingly popular, those daredevil industries too. For instance some risk takers are finding new applications for these tools including zip-lining over the Amazon, tight-rope walking through falls or cage swimming with sharks… In these situations you will definitely want only the best possible equipment, and for those that choose wire rope assemblies for their equipment needs, this means the rope itself and the fittings that go along with them. I mean, I wouldn’t want to be zooming through the rainforest on sub-par cables…. Continue reading →

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SOR® Switches are SIL Certified

Posted on April 30, 2012 by nicolet

SOR offers a line of pressure, differential pressure, temperature, vacuum and level switches that are certified fit for use in SIL (Safety Integrity Level) environments. SOR Inc. is one of only a few manufacturers to offer its entire range of switches certified to IEC 61508 standard. Continue reading →

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Appreciating Bridge Cranes

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Michael Shade

The operating principle of a bridge crane is as easy to grasp as a coffee mug. They pick stuff up and move it somewhere else. For someone who does a lot of writing about a lot of different kinds of industrial products and processes, it’s refreshing to be assigned a topic whose conceptual complexity is roughly equivalent to that of a hammer. Hammers hammer. Hoists hoist. Bridge cranes lift. Continue reading →

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IQS Newsroom Featured Profile: Oasis Car Wash Systems

Posted on April 23, 2012 by nicolet

Since the company opened its doors as producers of farm and agricultural equipment in 1964, they have been dedicated to quality and exceptional service for their customers. Today, while the agricultural and farm equipment is a thing of the past, having moved on to car washes, their dedication remains intact. As a family owned and run company, Oasis Car Wash Systems is able to provide superior car wash equipment and wash systems. Featuring some of the leading brands and systems including their trademark models Typhoon™, Eclipse™ and more, this is a company to depend on for every order. Continue reading →

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Oxidizers And Green Cars

Posted on April 20, 2012 by nicolet

The number of people looking for more fuel efficient and environmentally safe cars is constantly rising. With gas prices skyrocketing and the threat of global warming waving above our heads, people are finally being forced to take action. People want to save money in gas and help save the environment; it is no longer solely about having the “sweetest” looking and fastest car available. While The Fast and the Furious may always be a dream for many, it is no longer realistic for the majority. Since 1968, when national regulations on emissions became increasingly strict on cars, the industry has been trying to find the most environmentally safe options possible. The method to achieve this cleaner air is oxidizers, and they are being perfected everyday, the resulting in more efficient products. Continue reading →

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High Pressure Blowers for HVAC and Beyond

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Michael Shade

Enduring the crucible of Michigan’s climate is a trial suited only for the heartiest of the hearty. The winters can be viciously cold, and the humidity of the summers can seep in through your ears and gunk up your brain. That’s why I was quick to act this spring; before the dew point hit the ceiling and I became permanently stuck to my couch, I went out and bought an air conditioner. After a few hours of screwing all of the parts together, mounting the thing in the window and plugging the gaps in the arrangement with plywood, plastic bags and bricks I found in my yard, my living room window became a picture of post-apocalyptic pragmatism. From the outside, what was a reasonably attractive façade is now an embarrassment – the fruit of an idiot’s labors. But darned if it isn’t going to be nice and crisp in my living room while the world outside melts into sweaty puddles. Continue reading →

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IQS Newsroom Featured Profile: SFR Industries

Posted on April 17, 2012 by nicolet

Providing exceptional customer service and specializing in solutions to all unique and specific requirements has set SFR Industries apart from the competition for many years. Beginning in 1978, the company began by breaking into the industry with two employees and a single plastic extruder. SFR Industries now offers over thirty lines of plastic extrusions and has grown to include over sixty employees. The company is proud to be able to take your idea and turn it into the product you need. Capable of working with a napkin sketch or a fully engineered CAD drawing, they create products that provide the detail and practicality your company needs in plastic extrusion products. Continue reading →

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Remember How Back In the Day…To the Invention of Rotary Dryers

Posted on April 13, 2012 by nicolet

“Back in my day we had to walk three miles to school with no shoes on…” “When I was a kid we had to wash our clothes by hand and hang them up to air dry…” Growing up, my siblings and I were constantly told tales such as these from our parents, as they were told similar tales from their parents. Some true, some exaggerations or complete fabrications. But, I will admit, life has gotten easier in many ways throughout the years. Things that were common and everyday for our parents seem crazy now! Having to mail letters while today we have e-mail, listening to the radio for entertainment while today we have televisions… We will not even begin discussing computers and cell phones… As times changed, we can now accomplish things much faster. Can you imagine washing clothes and hanging them to dry? Today we have machines and rotary dryers to accomplish these tasks for us, saving time and energy on our part. Personally, I am not entirely sure how to survive without them anymore… Continue reading →

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The Supermarket Phenomenon and Its Effect on Industrial Mixers

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Andrea Mustine

Going out to pick up some groceries is no longer a quick and easy trip to the corner market like it was fifty years ago, when there were five types of breakfast cereal instead of eighty and milk came in jars filled hours before at the local dairy farm. Times have changed, and the change has birthed a phenomenon known as the supermarket, which has altered the food and beverage industry significantly. Not only does processed food now dominate the aisles of grocery stores across the nation, but the expanded options for every food group, from canned meats to cheese to chips to granola bars, can be overwhelming for the average consumer. However, setting aside the possible panic attacks experienced by individuals who CANNOT decide what kind of pasta brand to buy, this growth has increased the number of thriving food and beverage companies and therefore jobs in our difficult economic climate. In turn, this has benefited the industrial manufacturers who provide the food companies with their equipment, such as industrial mixer manufacturers. Continue reading →

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We’re Lucky to Have Food Grade Tanks

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Michael Shade

For my birthday a few years ago, I received a Mr. Beer® home brewing kit from my parents, complete with ingredients, instructions and all of the vessels needed to facilitate the transformation of wort (which is sugared, flavored brown goo, basically) into moderately comestible, ideally non-poisonous beer. The kit comes complete with a little plastic barrel fashioned after a wooden brewing barrel, a set of ingredients and sanitizing solutions, and it all comes packed in a box with a picture of a fellow holding a big glass of beer and wearing a very satisfied expression on his face. It would be generous to say that since receiving my beer kit, I brew beer at an amateur level. Heck, it’d be generous to call it “brewing” at all. The process involves heating and stirring the wort supplied in the kit for 45 minutes and then pouring the mixture into the plastic barrel. And let me tell you – that plastic barrel is no food grade tank. Continue reading →

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The Elegance of Spin Forming and Chandeliers

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Andrea Mustine

Creating an environment of old world elegance and grace can be easily achieved with an artfully crafted chandelier, which inevitably takes center stage in any residential or commercial venue that seeks to dazzle those who enter it. Lighting up rooms that vary from theatres to libraries to homes of individuals, chandeliers are a sure fire way of making a lasting impression. These light fixtures have been around for centuries, morphing with the times by replacing candles with light bulbs while retaining the grandeur and charm of soft but thorough lighting and fine craftsmanship. The way chandeliers are produced in our modern age has also evolved. No longer are the metallic elements that make up chandeliers hand carved, but they are developed by way of methods like spin forming, a process that shapes round or hollowed out objects withdimensions that are even and precise. Whether this process is applied with a manually run metal spinning machine are a CNC machining system, the result is always the same; perfection. Continue reading →

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Deep Drawn Stampings – Insert “Kitchen Sink” Cliché Here

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Michael Shade

Deep drawing could be described as the first choice of doodad manufacturers. If you conduct a Google image search for the term deep drawn stamping, you’ll see on your screen lots of round, metal trinkety things that look like they belong in the 50¢-apiece-box at a flea market. They’re all probably used for something important, but it’s not immediately clear upon first glance just what that use might be. But if you change your search query to “deep drawn,” some of the images you’d see might be more easily recognizable to you. Continue reading →

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The Future of Waste Gas Treatment From Carbon Fiber Processing

Posted on March 28, 2012 by nicolet

Carbon fiber and graphite reinforced polymers are materials that have, and will continue to revolutionize the products we use every day by making them stronger, lighter and more durable. However, the manufacturing process can have serious environmental ramifications and immediate danger to human health if careful consideration is not given to emission control at the production phase of these materials. Continue reading →

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The Relationship between Cosmetics and Aluminum Powdered Parts

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Andrea Mustine

The funny thing about industrial materials is that they can be utilized in ways the average consumer would never think possible. Thankfully, it is not average consumers but innovative industrial minds that are constantly stretching the boundaries of applications for various products, creating new forms for materials that will benefit new markets. Not only does this mean more jobs and financial security for certain material industries, such as powdered metal, but it also means that technological advancements are never neglected but always being pursued. This developmental phenomenon can sometimes take shape in extremely unexpected business arenas. For example, aluminum powder parts, which are an innovation in and of themselves, are being utilized within the cosmetic industry as well as the manufacturing of metal parts for automotives, electronics and medical instruments, among other products. Continue reading →

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Starting a Concert off with Elevated Work Platforms

Posted on March 23, 2012 by nicolet

Personally, I am not sure if any concert could ever beat the Christmas shows that the Trans-Siberian Orchestra throws in Grand Rapids each year. A spectacular lightshow paired with a phenomenal blend of classic and rock music produces a performance that completely transports the viewers into the Christmas story being told. Each year they add more and more, making each concert more impressive than the last. Whether this is by adding giant screens to show various images, finding even more lights, using fire along the sides of the stage or adding new lifts to raise the singers and guitar players into the sky, the producers somehow manage to put an even higher level of effort into each unbelievable performance. Continue reading →

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