Author Archives: nicolet

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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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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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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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 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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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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IQS Newsroom Featured Profile: Precision Filtration Products

Posted on March 14, 2012 by nicolet

The team here at Precision Filtration Products is on a mission to be the best full-service industrial filtration company, in both the distribution and manufacturing sectors. This means that we offer the highest quality products, a superior level of knowledge and creativity, as well as a quick turn-around time. We continuously strive to provide you with excellent service by helping you to find and/or design the exact product that YOU desire. Our company was born in 1994 out of very humble beginnings, working out of a small house and unloading tractor-trailers by hand with no forklifts. At that time, each member of our small team “wore many hats”, and we worked during all hours of the day and night to fulfill our customers’ requests. Gradually, we started offering more products, we found more help, and we started expanding at a rapid rate. Today, we are a full team of professionals with 50+ years of experience in the filtration and manufacturing industry. Continue reading →

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Linear Slides for Easy Motion

Posted on March 12, 2012 by nicolet

You are sitting in a dark tunnel, when suddenly the mining cart you are sitting in takes of and goes flying down a large hill, ripping around corners, soaring up and down, making your adrenaline rise and your stomach fall. If you cannot completely imagine the scenario, you could easily pick your favorite movie consisting of a scene such as this. Maybe Indiana Jones or Harry Potter? The reason I want you to think of these situations is it is a slightly more exciting transition into our next topic, linear slides. If you picture these large carts and carriages, they are often sliding along on wheels on a metal surface or railing. Linear slides can be thought of as the metal railings these large carts would slide down. However, instead of the wheels, ball bearings are used. The slides work much like the railings in that they dictate exactly where the carriage will go. Continue reading →

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Machinery Rebuilders: A Hospital for Machines

Posted on March 9, 2012 by nicolet

Our frail human bodies are not invincible, which is why our generation is lucky to be living in an age when medicine is advanced and continuing to advance further every day. The hub of these medical marvels, where we go when we are sick or hurt, is a hospital. There trained doctors are able to diagnose and fix the wrongs in our bodies, or at least try to do so. We go to hospitals because they are prepared to do what the average man cannot, and we trust in their abilities. A hospital is not, however, able to fix all broken or sick things. For example, a dog with a broken leg is not taken to a human hospital but a veterinary hospital, because that is where the people trained to know his anatomy well enough to help him reside. Although most people would not consider the fixing of machines to be nearly as important as fixing humans or animals, for industrial companies, getting broken or old machines fixed or rebuilt is vital. A malfunctioning hydraulic press or an old etching machine cannot be taken to a hospital for people. Instead they need to be taken where the employees know how to fix them. Those that work in hospitals for machines are commonly known as machinery rebuilders. Continue reading →

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Telesis Names Representative

Posted on March 7, 2012 by nicolet

Telesis Technologies (Circleville, OH) has named CRS DATA SOLUTIONS as its representative covering Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska and Wyoming. CRS DATA SOLUTIONS will be responsible for sales and service of Telesis’ Pinstamp, scribe and air cooled laser (gas, fiber and solid state) solutions for high resolution, high speed marking and engraving equipment. Continue reading →

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A Little More On Plastics with Plastic Fabrication

Posted on March 5, 2012 by nicolet

We have been discussing plastic a lot lately and there is a simple reason for this: plastic is everywhere! It has not only completely taken over, it has transformed our lives. This versatile material has become a very popular alternative to items that were once primarily created out of metal, wood or glass. Due to the ease of fabrication and the low costs of production it has been able to make its way into every aspect of our world and most likely will not be leaving anytime soon. First developed in the late 1800s, plastic products exploded following World War I when new improvements in chemical technology allowed new forms to be created. This material can be used in almost any industry in some form or another and because it provides a countless number of benefits. These factors have made plastic fabrication the indispensable method it has come to be in households and businesses alike. Continue reading →

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The Many Forms of Plastic Containers

Posted on February 27, 2012 by nicolet

Plastic containers have changed the way we do things. Offering countless forms as well as benefits including strength, versatility, durability, customizability and low cost, they are beneficial to every industry. They are available in every size, shape and color and can be used for virtually any function or application. In addition, the fact that they can be recycled makes them valuable to the planet by reducing the space taken up in landfills. Whether you are using bioplastics or contributing to recycling, plastics can be beneficial to keeping the planet clean if treated in the right way. As of now, only 15-35% of the plastics used are recycled. By increasing this number, we can help save the planet by reducing landfill space and helping prevent additional occurrences such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. When it comes to recycling containers there are 7 different types you need to be aware of. Many recycling companies will accept most or all types, but this isn’t always the case so households need to determine which types can be recycled. Continue reading →

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IQS Newsroom Featured Profile: Commercial Metal Exchange

Posted on February 20, 2012 by nicolet

“We are Experts at Metals”. Commercial Metal Exchange is determined to help companies avoid the frustration of inexperience with copper and related metal orders. Each sales employee has over twenty-five years of experience in the metal industry, which provides them with the extensive knowledge necessary in dealing with all metals, including alloys, forms, tempers and other specifications. Devotion to locating affordable materials and products, as well as providing an unbelievably fast delivery system are high priorities at Commercial Metal Exchange. Commitment like this to every aspect of the business is why they are considered experts in the metal industry. Continue reading →

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The Whimsical Side of Pneumatic Conveyors

Posted on February 17, 2012 by nicolet

Valentine’s Day is one time of the year many of us expect chocolate. With such a wide variety of chocolate shapes and options available, you can expect there to be many methods utilized to create them. Recalling a classic childhood chocolate film, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, you may remember how the conveyor belts ran the candy down the processing line. While a traditional conveyor would use motors to move the product from one point to another, pneumatic conveyors are able to use an environmentally friendly form of power. They use air pressure to push or pull materials from one point to another in an enclosed conveyor. This method is beneficial because it can prevent items from being scattered or spilled, as well as being stuck or crushed on your typical conveyor. A relatively new method of transporting items, pneumatic conveyors were able to revolutionize the industry. They also have an element of whimsy that fits in perfectly with the production of chocolate. Continue reading →

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IQS Newsroom Featured Profile: One Way Solutions

Posted on January 23, 2012 by nicolet

A forward thinking company is one that constantly strives to progress within their industry and improve upon the products they already offer. One Way Solutions, which is one of the finest manufacturers and distributors of plastic pallets in the pallet industry, has embraced this mindset since their foundation in 2002. One Way Solutions is a family owned business begun by two brothers who had learned manufacturing from their father’s company, Nucon Corporation. They have been very successful, particularly in the last three years. Since 2009 the sales at One Way have literally doubled. Due to a variety of pallet and material handling product options that expand on a regular basis, a large number of target industries and incredible innovation, One Way Solutions is a company that will be around for many years to come. Continue reading →

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