{"id":7329,"date":"2022-04-25T20:59:48","date_gmt":"2022-04-25T20:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/?p=7329"},"modified":"2022-04-27T17:21:16","modified_gmt":"2022-04-27T17:21:16","slug":"cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Cost-Effective Way to Improve a Material Handling System"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7332 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"worker on ipad trying to improve material handling\" width=\"443\" height=\"295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-scaled-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Anyone who works in material handling\u2014or the process of moving, processing, and storing materials\u2014knows how even a small issue can snowball into a bigger and more expensive problem. One machine breaks down, and production stalls. One ingredient spoils, and the entire batch is compromised.<\/p>\n<p>What material handling issue gives <em>you<\/em> the biggest problems? What are some \u201cquick fixes\u201d that you can make that can make a big difference in production speed, quality, and cost? In this post, let\u2019s look at how some companies improved their material handling system and its impact on their bottom line.<\/p>\n<h2>Frequent Downtimes<\/h2>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/case-history\/airsweep-system-unplugs-poorly-feeding-coal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">US-based utilities company<\/a> uses bituminous waste coal, a mining by-product, to produce clean energy. The thick material\u2014which contains sandstone, clay, and moisture\u2014had a tendency to cake in the feed chutes.<\/p>\n<p>Workers had to enter the chutes to chip at the blocks. This occurred 15 times during each 12-hour shift, taking 20 minutes each time.<\/p>\n<p>Manual cleaning caused downtime and increased labor costs. Workers were also unnecessarily exposed to dust, which can cause damage to the respiratory system through prolonged or repeated inhalation.<\/p>\n<p>The company replaced manual cleaning with an AirSweep system. The <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/airsweep-model-va-51\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AirSweep VA-51<\/a> can activate 6 to 8 feet in diameter of material and is effective even for heavy materials such as sandstone and clay.<\/p>\n<p>After installing AirSweep, the plant no longer experienced plugging concerns in the feed chute. They experienced improved productivity and had lower energy costs compared to previous flow aids. \u201cThe AirSweep units paid for themselves within 2 weeks!\u201d said the plant engineer.<\/p>\n<h2>Poor Product Uniformity<\/h2>\n<p>One of the <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/case-history\/airsweep-full-speed-ahead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">world\u2019s largest tire manufacturers<\/a> uses carbon black to improve durability and performance. It conducts heat away from the tread and belt area and can reduce rolling resistance.<\/p>\n<p>However, carbon black has a tendency to pack and leave deposits. Bridging above the hopper discharge caused frequent delays, and the material residue led to off-spec batches that had to be discarded.<\/p>\n<p>The company tried fluidizers, but despite running continuously (and consuming a lot of plant air), these still left material residue.<\/p>\n<p>AirSweep proved to be the more cost-effective solution for material handling efficiency. The system flushed away all carbon black residue and used less energy because the pulses were pulsed in a specific sequence and positioned at problem spots.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAirSweep has provided us with reliable flow and reliable batch uniformity,\u201d said the manufacturer\u2019s engineering technology specialist.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-7334 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"conveyer belt improving product uniformity\" width=\"444\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-scaled-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_2013310244-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Slow Loading Times<\/h2>\n<p>One of the biggest challenges of bulk material handling is loading the final product for transportation to the end-user.<\/p>\n<p>For many years, a <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/case-history\/sweet-success\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">major distributor of granulated sugar<\/a> with multiple locations across the United States had issues with unloading sugar from railcars. Sugar has a tendency to attract moisture, and cake or clump during storage.<\/p>\n<p>The company tried industrial vibrators, which actually made the material more compact. Operators had no choice but to enter the car or do rodding. This affected loading times and worker safety.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the company found a faster and safer solution: <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/acousticlean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AcoustiClean Sonic Horns<\/a>. These devices focus sound energy that pushes material in a fast, steady flow. The horns were attached to the railcar\u2019s top access hatch, so all workers had to do was open the hatch and the discharge gate.<\/p>\n<h2>Material Pile-Up<\/h2>\n<p>If equipment fails, any material that is being loaded or processed can overflow and lead to a material pile-up.<\/p>\n<p>If that occurs, it can take hundreds of manhours just to clean up the mess. A <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/case-history\/dazic-speed-switches-can-literally-prevent-250-tons-of-problems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">concrete company<\/a> that processes 250 tons of gravel per hour calculated that it would take 3 people at least 3 hours to shovel one ton. \u201cWe would have to shovel for days!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To prevent the problem, the company installed <a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/dazic-zero-speed-switch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DAZIC zero speed switches<\/a> on their conveyor system. Once equipment runs outside of pre-set speed limits, the switches send an alarm to the operator to stop operations.<\/p>\n<p>The DAZIC Zero Speed Switches used by Barnes Concrete cost less than $900 each, and have not broken down after more than a decade of use.<\/p>\n<h2>Can We Help You?<\/h2>\n<p>Small fixes can give big results. Your material handling system can be improved without very expensive investments or complicated installations and changes to your process. In fact, our AirSweep ROI calculator will show you how our system can actually help you save money, compared to your current flow aids.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact us<\/a> and we\u2019ll be happy to work with you to find a material handling solution and a customized ROI.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anyone who works in material handling\u2014or the process of moving, processing, and storing materials\u2014knows how even a small issue can snowball into a bigger and more expensive problem. One machine breaks down, and production stalls. One ingredient spoils, and the entire batch is compromised. What material handling issue gives you the biggest problems? What are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[90,1019],"tags":[213],"class_list":["post-7329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-airsweep","category-news-and-information","tag-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.8 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Most Cost-Effective Way to Improve a Material Handling System - Control Concepts, Inc.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"What material handling issue gives you the biggest problems? We identify the most cost-effective ways to improve a material handling system.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Control Concepts USA\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Most Cost-Effective Way to Improve a Material Handling System - Control Concepts, Inc.","description":"What material handling issue gives you the biggest problems? We identify the most cost-effective ways to improve a material handling system.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Control Concepts USA","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/"},"author":{"name":"Control Concepts USA","@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/#\/schema\/person\/4adf025d9423fe94f784b73a083afb0e"},"headline":"The Most Cost-Effective Way to Improve a Material Handling System","datePublished":"2022-04-25T20:59:48+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-27T17:21:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/"},"wordCount":745,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-scaled.jpg","keywords":["news"],"articleSection":["Airsweep","News and Information"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/","url":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/","name":"The Most Cost-Effective Way to Improve a Material Handling System - Control Concepts, Inc.","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/cost-effective-way-to-improve-a-material-handling-system\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/controlconceptsusa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/shutterstock_703990624-1-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2022-04-25T20:59:48+00:00","dateModified":"2022-04-27T17:21:16+00:00","description":"What material handling issue gives you the biggest problems? 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