Overhead Warehouse Cranes
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Safety First: Light Duty Overhead Cranes

For years, Bay Industrial Group has provided custom solutions across a variety of industries — automotive, pharmaceutical, woodworking, steel, railroad, and appliance industries as well as others. Such Light Duty Overhead Crane equipment projects have included:

  • Workstation Cranes
  • Manipulators
  • Intelligent Assist Devices
  • Rigid Fall Protection
  • Monorails
  • Power and Free Systems
  • Jib Cranes
  • Gantry Systems

OSHA regulates overhead crane safety through 29 CFR 1910.179, overhead and gantry cranes. This regulation covers general requirements, design, inspection, maintenance requirements and operations. At Bay Industrial Group, we’ll take care of ensuring that all design requirements are met, while it’s up to you to ensure that the designated crane operator is licensed as such; that all proper, and necessary inspections are carried out; and that all maintenance is performed to OSHA standard.

Inspection Requirements

Due to the large and heavy objects often being transported by overhead cranes, routine inspections are necessary to ensure continued operation and overhead crane safety.

For initial inspection

  • Hoisting and lowering
  • Trolley travel
  • Bridge travel
  • Limit switches, locking and safety devices
  • Trip setting of hoist limit switches

For daily inspection

  • Operating mechanisms for maladjustment
  • Deterioration or leakage in pneumatic and hydraulic parts
  • Hooks with deformation or cracks (visual)
  • Hoist chains and end connections for wear, twist or distortion (visual)

For monthly inspection

  • Hooks with deformation or cracks (written record with signature of inspector and date)
  • Hoist chains and end connections for wear, twist or distortion (written record with signature of inspector and date)
  • Running Rope and end connections for wear, broken strands, etc. (written record with signature of inspector, rope identity and date)

For periodic inspection, or as needed

  • Deformed, cracked or corroded members
  • Loose bolts or rivets
  • Cracked or worn sheaves and drums
  • Worn, cracked or distorted parts
  • Excessive wear on brake-system parts
  • Inaccuracies in load, wind and other indicators
  • Electric or fossil fuel motors
  • Excessive wear of chain drive sprockets and chain
  • Deteriorated electrical components

Maintenance Requirements

Ask Bay Industrial Group about manufacturer recommended preventive maintenance that must be implemented before, during, and after a light-duty overhead crane’s in-service period. If any deteriorated components or unsafe conditions are detected during the required inspections, they must be completed before the crane is allowed to be used. Only designated personnel may perform the required maintenance and repairs. The requirements of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.147 — the control of hazardous energy or lockout/tagout — should be used to de-energize the crane

If you need to handle awkward or heavy loads, have limited floor space, or a work environment that does not accommodate a floor conveyor, please allow Bay Industrial Group the opportunity to address your concerns with a Light Duty Overhead Crane System design to fit your specific needs.

And remember, safety first.

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Major Manufacturing News: Ford’s Aluminum F-150

For decades, automobile manufacturers and consumers have been addicted to fossil fuels, so much so that it’s cost everyone a great deal of money; so much so that it’s cost everyone, and the planet an even greater deal of air quality; so much so that something had to be done.

Automobile manufacturers are starting to realize the importance of fuel-efficient vehicles, not just for their bottom lines — Okay, it’s a lot for their bottom lines. — but also for the future of the people they want to drive their vehicles. One such American manufacturer is achieving fuel efficiency through weight reduction, and has done so using aluminum instead of steel for the fabrication of vehicle body panels on its flagship pickup truck: the F-150.

That’s right, Ford Motor Company’s all-aluminum-body F-150 has started rolling into dealerships throughout the country. It’s the first truck from the company to have a body made of anything but steel, and thanks to this one basic change, it weighs 700 pounds less than any previous model.

“The pickup truck market is very competitive,” said Brian Faistenhammer, Ford sales zone manager for Houston. “We had to do something different to get better results.”

The change is dramatic, to be sure, but an automobile manufacturer has to do what an automobile manufacturer has to do. In a time when the American appetite for eight-foot beds cannot be quenched, automakers are facing stricter and stricter environmental regulations, and Ford has found the solution. The 2014 F-150 — the first to be made of aluminum — have seen as much as 29 percent better fuel economy than later-model trucks of the same style, which had not been rebooted in any way since 2008.

Why Aluminum?

The choice of aluminum over carbon fiber or another, lighter metal came because of its recyclability. To mine aluminum is not cheap, and in fact, aluminum is more expensive than steel, but Ford has found a way to save money, energy, and even emissions, too.

How? By recycling.

“Every single scrap of aluminum is reused,” said Mark Fields, the CEO of Ford, in an interview. “The more you can reuse or recycle, it makes it a more compelling business case.”

To offset the cost of the more expensive metal, Ford returns as much as $300 worth of leftover scrap aluminum from the F-150 manufacturing process to the plant from which it came — and that’s per truck! So when you take that shiny new Ford F-150 off the lot, you can know that not only is it more fuel efficient than the one you traded in, but you can know that Ford is doing its small part to save the planet.

Welder in Balimore Maryland & Washington DC
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Weld Safely!

Welding is a commonly used practice of joining metals together with extreme heat. The metals are fused, or melted together, and once complete, the process renders a joint that is as strong or stronger than the previously separate pieces.

The process is a common one, but when the proper precautions aren’t taken, it can also be a dangerous one. If you ever find yourself with a welder in-hand, remember these crucial safety tips from Bay Industrial.

  • Always, always, ALWAYS wear a proper face shield.
  • Never, never, NEVER wear open-toed shoes.
  • Always wear a long-sleeved, non-flammable shirt.
  • Never weld on or near surfaces that have been cleaned with a chlorinated hydrocarbon (think brake cleaner). When combined with UV light, this substance turns into phosgene gas, which is incredibly toxic and may cause death.
  • Protect your ears. A spark that flies into your ear canal could puncture your eardrum, and a spark-punctured ear drum will never heal.
  • Clear the welding area of all flammable materials (liquid, paper, etc.), and never wear clothing that may have been exposed to such flammable liquids.
  • Be wary of electrocution hazards. Before starting up the welder, make sure the work surface and the floor nearby are dry. The welder itself should also be dry, including the main box, the torch, the pedal, and the plug.
  • Even after you’ve finished the welding process, the metal will stay hot for several minutes. In the case of most metals, the heat will be contained to the immediate area around the new joints, but when other, more conductive metals (like copper and aluminum) are welded, the heat will radiate throughout the piece.
  • Wear gloves at all times when handling recently welded material. White cotton welding gloves are suitable for TIG welding, but deerskin or heavier duty welding gloves should be used to heavier duty welding.
  • Metal burns are one thing, but UV burns are another. The light emitted from a weld arc is, in fact, brighter than the light from the sun (only because it’s closer). Don a full-faced welding mask before looking at the arc, and always make sure proper weld curtains are hung and in place — to protect the welders and any other people in the shop.
  • When welding with compressed gas, the inherent danger comes from improperly stored tanks. Tanks should always remain upright, and should not ever be stored horizontally. Tanks should be secured to the shop floor so that it will never fall over, and should be securely capped.
Custom Conveyor Belt in Washington DC
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Presidential Executive Action to Boost Manufacturing

The President of the United States announced yesterday a series of executive actions meant to strengthen advanced manufacturing. Intended to propel innovation and trigger the introduction of new jobs in the market sector, these efforts led by the White House will include a $300 million investment in specific technologies thought to be critical to improving the country’s broader industrial competitive advantage.

From the White House:

In response to an earlier report of the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, which began in June 2011, the President has already launched four manufacturing innovation institutes with four more on the way; invested nearly $1 billion to upgrade our community colleges to train workers for advanced manufacturing jobs; expanded investments in applied research for emerging, cross-cutting manufacturing technologies; and launched a new initiative to deploy the talent of returning veterans to in-demand jobs, including in advanced manufacturing.

The final AMP report makes recommendations addressing three key pillars that support American manufacturing: 1) enabling innovation, 2) securing the talent pipeline, and 3) improving the business climate. The executive actions announced today align with the report’s recommendations by making investments in emerging, cross-cutting manufacturing technologies, training our workforce with the skills for middle-class jobs in manufacturing, and equipping small manufacturers to adopt cutting-edge technologies.

President Obama will meet with the Partnership’s steering committee — a working group of the President’s Council of Advisors in Science and Technology — on Monday, November 3 to enact the planned actions, and to direct the necessary funds.

NASA, and the departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture will invest heavily in emerging technologies and advanced materials that include composite and bio-based materials. Investments are to be matched by private-sector resources, and are intended to drive advances in the manufacture of “new steel alloys that are twice as strong and lighter than today” and in new processes that eliminate American reliance on foreign materials.

Two manufacturing “centers of excellence” established the National Science Foundation will combine basic research efforts on a university level with the larger industry in an effort to develop advanced sensors for manufacturing, and digital manufacturing.

And that’s still not all. $100 million of the earmarked funds will back the Labor Department’s new American Apprenticeships Grant Competition, “a national effort to communicate the value of careers in manufacturing to the nation’s youth.” Another $130 million will bankroll a trial competition sponsored by the Commerce Department’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Spread over five years and ten states, the contest — for which full details have yet to be released — aims to help small manufacturers “adopt new technologies and expand into new markets.”

Manufacturing is central to the foundation of our economy, adding more than 700,000 jobs since 2010. As the White House makes moves to stimulate more industry growth, Bay Industrial Group is poised to embrace the bright future ahead.

Industrial Manufacturing Automation
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Five Manufacturing Blogs You Should Be Reading

Bay Industrial is successful because we pay attention to the industrial manufacturing conversation that’s happening outside the walls of our Baltimore, Maryland-based operation. We pay attention to the industrial manufacturing conversation happening off the shop floor. Our industry is one supported by machines, but we won’t soon forget about the invaluable human element.

To that end, we have compiled a list of the manufacturing blogs you should be reading.

Manufacturing Innovation Blog

The Manufacturing Innovation Blog is powered by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a nationwide network of manufacturers in place to provide a variety of services, from innovation strategies to process improvements to green manufacturing. Featuring recent articles that include “How to Attract Millennials and Protect the Future of Manufacturing” and “The Five Hottest Innovation Tools,” the Manufacturing Innovation Blog is written by manufacturing professionals, for manufacturing professionals.

ThomasNet — Industry Market Trends

ThomasNet’s Industry Market Trends blog covers a range of topics that include advancements to enhance design and innovation, packaging opportunities, and risk management. Its Industry Crib Sheet segments get down to the nitty gritty in their savvy evaluations of hiring, production and sales figures.

Shopfloor

Shopfloor was founded in November 2004 as the official blog of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). The online publication has since become the go-to resource for governmental and advocacy issues affecting the manufacturing industry: energy and labor policy, legal reform, trade and regulation. It’s widely read on Capitol Hill, covers both national and regional issues, and is updated multiple times daily.

IndustryWeek

IndustryWeek is in the business of advancing the business of manufacturing. Blogs hosted cover supply chain management trends; leadership, logistics, and outsourcing; manufacturing’s competitive advantage; next-generation technologies; labor and operations; lean leadership techniques; continued education, and more. No fewer than a dozen bloggers strive to keep the industry up-to-date on the subjects that affect day to day manufacturing operations.

Manufacture This

Manufacture This is published by the Alliance for American Manufacturing, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen American manufacturing through research, public education, advocacy, and strategic communications — part of which is carried out in the publication of near-daily blog articles. Recent posts include “Manufacturing: What We See When We Look Into Our Coffee,” “The True Cost of Chinese Solar Panels,” and “Investing In Our Future: Congressional Manufacturing Leaders Support Innovation.”

Got any blogs to add to this list? Send them to us!

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How to Ensure A Safe Workplace

Safety in the workplace is important to the overall success of a company’s day to day operations and their ability to survive in an ever changing and competitive world. For every job position in a company there is a corresponding task that must be performed in order to reach the company’s goals and objectives. While every employee should be doing their part to make the company profitable, they must also understand their role in upholding the company’s safety policy. Most incidents in the workplace are preventable if everyone does their part to ensure the safety of the working environment.

When you work in the manufacturing industry or run an industrial complex there are many safety concerns that can be prevented when:

  • Employees follow safety codes
  • Proper training ensures that the use of machinery does not cause injury
  • The workplace is kept clean and well maintained

Supervisors are responsible for instructing trainees of the company’s safety policies and procedures. Trainees must undergo thorough training and instruction before they are allowed to begin work. In addition, employees should receive training sessions on basic first aid and other preventable health issues.

Good safety practices with a focus on prevention can greatly reduce the incidence of accidents in the manufacturing industry. This benefits everyone from employees to employers as well as individuals that happen to walk into the workspace. For industries dealing with health or food products, a safe working environment is important for the safety of consumers. In addition to preventing injuries, a safe work environment can increase productivity.

When maintaining a safe workplace, cleanliness should be given top priority. The workplace should have proper ventilation, adequate lighting and the temperature should be controlled. Toilet and washing facilities should be kept clean and adequate for the number of workers at the facility. Additionally, the workplace should have emergency exits and employees should be trained in evacuation procedures.

To prevent injury while operating equipment and industrial machinery, all tools, equipment and machinery should be well maintained and inspected regularly for problems. Employees should be fully trained in operating machinery. This training should include the safety and health procedures that currently exist in the company.

It is extremely important that workers notify supervisors of any potential health or safety issues in the workplace that might pose a threat to the health or welfare of others, or affect job performance levels. Regularly scheduled safety meetings can give employees an opportunity to talk about any safety concerns. This also gives supervisors an opportunity to discuss any new safety policies and procedures.

Bay Industrial Group offers manufacturers solutions that solve a variety of complex manufacturing challenges. For more information please contact Bay Industrial Group today.

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What are Belt Conveying Systems?

A belt conveying system consists of two or more pulleys with a loop of conveyor belt that rotates around them. One or both of the pulleys are powered in order to move the belt forward. In industry there are two main types of belt conveying systems:

  • Those used for general material handling
  • Those used for bulk material handling

Conveyors are durable and reliable components used in automated distribution and manufacturing. When used in combination with computer controlled pallet handling equipment, conveying systems can allow for more efficient retail, wholesale and manufacturing distribution. Belt conveyors are considered labor saving systems because they allow large volumes of product to move rapidly through a process allowing companies to ship and receive higher volumes with smaller storage space necessary and with less labor expense.

Belt conveying systems consist of a metal frame with rollers at either end of a flat metal bed. The conveyor belt is looped around each of the rollers. When one of the rollers is powered, the belting slides across the metal frame bed, moving the product it is meant to carry. When the conveyor system will be used in heavy applications the bed which the belting is pulled over is typically replaced with rollers. These rollers allow weight to be conveyed and reduce the amount of friction generated from the heavier loading on the belting.

Belt conveyors can be designed to fit any manufacturing need. Rubber conveyor belts are usually used to covey items that are so small that they would fall between rollers, or items with irregular bottom surfaces and bags that would sag between rollers. Belt conveyors can be designed with curved sections that use tapered rollers and curved belting to convey products around a corner. A sandwich belt conveyor uses two conveyor belts that are face to face. This firmly contains the item that must be carried, making steep inclines and vertical lifts possible.

Belt conveying systems are the most commonly used powered conveyors because they are the most versatile type of conveyor. Product is conveyed directly on the belt so both regular and irregularly shaped objects can be transported by a belt conveying system successfully. Belt conveyors can be used to transport product in a straight line, a curved line or through changes in elevation or direction. Belt conveying systems can even be used for static accumulation or cartons.

Bay Industrial Group specializes in solving complex manufacturing problems. The expert automation designers, project managers, fabricators and welders at Bay Industrial Group are highly trained and experienced to work with a wide variety of industries in order to locate and create solutions to problems in their manufacturing processes. For more information please contact Bay Industrial Group today.

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Benefits of Industrial Automation

An industrial automation system is a dynamic system that is capable of automating production in industry with the help of an artificially intelligent computer system. There are many different types of industrial automation systems designed to meet a wide variety of industrial needs. In the field of industries, the benefits of industrial automation are endless. Benefits of industrial automation include:

  • Increased productivity
  • Improved quality
  • Reduced cost
  • Improved safety
  • Improved accuracy
  • Remote monitoring

Perhaps the most significant benefit of industrial automation is improved and increased productivity. An industrial automation system can continuously perform a particular production task over and over again with perfect accuracy.

Another benefit of industrial automation is improved quality. Industrial automation systems are able to maintain superior quality while they perform tasks. This greatly increases the efficiency of the overall manufacturing process.

An industrial automation system is able to reduce the costs involved with manufacturing. This is because the system is self-operated meaning that extra human workers are not typically necessary. In fact some automation systems are specially designed to perform various production tasks without any instruction from human operators. In addition most automated systems are designed to save power when they are not in use, cutting energy costs as well.

Industrial automation systems are designed to improve safety. While a human operator might accidentally injure themselves or others while operating machinery manually, an automated system is computer operated so it cannot make mistakes. In facilities where dangerous chemicals are used, automation systems can provide maximum safety by eliminating the need for workers to come in contact with hazardous materials. In addition separate safety devices are usually installed with the automation system in order to reduce accidents.

An industrial automation system provides maximum accuracy in production. The computer system that runs the automation system ensures accuracy and timing for production. While the system is in use different types of sensors and processors monitor the entire process preventing faults in the production line.

Most industrial automation systems are equipped with remote operation and controlling systems. This allows the operator to monitor and control the production process from a distance. The remote system might be hooked up to WiFi or the internet to allow operators to communicate from a much greater distance. However the main controlling systems are typically based on radio signals.

Bay Industrial Group specializes in solving complex manufacturing problems. For more information about the industrial automation systems offered by Bay Industrial Group, please contact them today.

Industrial Robot
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What is an Industrial Robot Used For?

In order to stay in business a manufacturing company must be both productive and efficient. In fact manufacturing companies must maintain as many efficient processes as possible. Industrial robots integrated into manufacturing processes can provide an effective way for manufacturing companies to increase their efficiency and quality while decreasing their waste.

Implementing certain manufacturing methods involves reducing unnecessary steps, movements and other waste. In manufacturing terms, waste occurs whenever tasks take place that are not considered value-added tasks. A value-added task adds to or manipulates a product in such a way that it increases its value in the eyes of the consumer. One example of a task that is not a value-added task would be walking to and from a toolbox to collect the necessary tools. Eliminating these types of tasks from the manufacturing process can make a manufacturing company much more efficient and successful.

Even though an industrial robot could cause overproduction of products when running at full capacity, manufacturing companies will not typically run their industrial robots at full capacity unless consumer demand requires it. By running industrial robots and production lines at speeds equal to consumer demand manufacturing companies can be much more flexible with the products they produce. This avoids additional costs related to counting, transporting and storage of overproduced products. Industrial robots can provide manufacturers with many quality and safety benefits.

If a manufacturing company needs to change a certain manufacturing process the last thing they want is for industrial robots getting in the way of completing their orders. This is why several smaller industrial robots are used to perform several different tasks instead of one robot used to perform multiple tasks. This allows for much greater flexibility.

Industrial robots can dramatically increase a manufacturing company’s product quality and reduce the incidence of injury. Industrial robots are able to perform manufacturing applications with perfect accuracy and create a variety of products with superior quality. Additionally, workers are able to work in much safer environments while industrial robots handle the dangerous ones since chemicals, tight spaces and hazardous environments do not pose any threat to robots.

Bay Industrial Group specializes in solving complex manufacturing problems. The expert automation designers, project managers, fabricators and welders at Bay Industrial Group are highly trained and experienced to work with a wide variety of industries in order to locate and create solutions to problems in their manufacturing processes. For more information please contact Bay Industrial Group today.