Unitherm Insulation Systems

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Up-skilling in the Manufacturing Sector

$29.75 an hour. That’s $61,880 a year. Not too shabby.

Manufacturing is one of the remaining sectors that provide high-paying jobs to workers without college degrees. For high school grads, earning potential in manufacturing exceeds earning potential in construction, logistics, and hospitality, other sectors that generally don’t require post-secondary education. Workers in manufacturing can get in on the ground level and work their way up to management positions, garnering raises and benefits along the way.

Is this all about to change?
According to the April Job Report by the US Department of Commerce, the education level in the manufacturing workforce is rising steadily: in 2011, 53% of all manufacturing workers had at least some college education, up 10% from 1994.

image from the US Dept. of Commerce


What does this mean for manufacturing?
Because the manufacturing sector has begun building a labor force of higher-educated and higher-skilled workers, factory work isn’t what it once was. Today’s high-tech manufacturing industries take advantage of innovative engineering and state-of-the-art machinery—no longer the dark image of 17th century industrial life portrayed by Dickens.

A skilled and educated work force will keep US manufacturers competitive in a global economy and will spur technological advancement. In fact, House candidate Dan Kildee claims that any disinvestment in education is bad manufacturing and industrial policy: “Its just bad policy to not educate the kid who might have the next billion dollar idea. We have to create productive produces in this country.”

Hopefully the up-skilling trend won’t bar the middle class workers it once sustained. Rising education levels may encourage students and current members of the workforce to pursue degrees or certificates in manufacturing-related fields. Grants and scholarships in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education abound, and many manufacturers support employees (via time off or funding or both) as they continue their education.

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How to Buffer your Supply Chain from the Blow of Natural Disasters

Tsunamis in Japan. Flooding in Thailand. Before 2011, many of us went about our business, unaware of how intricately connected we are in international supply chains. But then, distant shocks caused ripple effects that rocked the entire world.

Such disasters expose the shortcoming of lean manufacturing—although efficient under regular operating conditions, scarcely stocked inventory leads to a greater dependence on a decentralized network and just-in-time delivery.

For the consumer, it’s easy to forget that our goods must travel a complex path as they come into existence and arrive at our local retailer. They, regrettably, don’t appear out of thin air, ready to be purchased the moment we feel the urge to buy them. It’s hard to imagine iPods out of reach because of a far-off shortage of lithium-ion batteries, but that’s the reality of this elaborately entangled ecosystem.

Multinational manufacturers, on the other hand, have a greater appreciation for frailty of the supply chain. Global giants like Honda, Apple, and Intel will tell you—in a split second, Mother Nature can shake even the most carefully crafted supply chain, putting any company’s operational prowess to the test. After the twin tragedies in Asia, economists don’t expect many industries to “return to normal” until 2013.

Still, safeguarding your supply chain and setting up emergency management protocols will lessen the blow if (or when) a natural disaster strikes. Even if you’re not a global giant—catastrophes can hit close to home, knocking out your niche. Just last year, a record number of disastrous tornadoes streaked across the American South.

image from flickr, courtesy of Wesley Fryer

 

So what can you do about it? It’s a difficult situation because in some respects there’s nothing you can do—weather will rage when it wants to. But here are some tips that will help you prepare ahead of time:

  • Run best- and worst-case scenarios to test how your organization would handle emergency situations.
  • Establish a crisis team that is responsible for making and communicating decisions throughout the supply chain.
  • Diversify suppliers and transportation, which will allow for flexibly in times of disaster recovery.
  • Maintain detailed processes and procedures and keep them up-to-date with the latest plans.
  • Review suppliers’ disaster plans on a regular basis and align their plans with your operations.
  • Monitor threats and trends in your country or region.
  • Back-up all of your trade-related documents in electronic format and store records offsite.

You can’t control the whims of the Mother Nature, but you can set up supply chain strategies to handle shortages and market fluctuations. Many multinational manufacturers took a hit in 2011—how likely would their recovery have been without tactical and predetermined emergency management protocols? For proof that such protocols make post-disaster situations passable, look at the iPods and Accords all around us today.

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See it to Believe it: The Benefits of Thermal Imaging

When thinking about energy output in a manufacturing plant, it’s natural to go to the lights and the HVAC. This makes sense since these are typically the top energy expenditures, but it’s a plant’s machines that devour more energy than all other utilities combined. That’s right, machines consume about 60% of total energy costs. How do we know this? Well, government agencies and other entities provide plenty of studies and statistics for us to read over, but why not see the energy output for yourself?

Thermography is more than fancy spy gear for secret agents to expose hidden enemies—it has a wide range of commercial and industrial applications for those of us in the real world as well. For manufacturers, thermal imaging allows you to visually track the amount and consistency of heat emitted by your equipment. With a thermal camera, you can compare the output of the different heat sources (even those not-so-easy-to-access heat sources) in your facility from a comfortable distance. This way you can find defects in shafts and pipes and locate deteriorating components before they fail.

Equipped with a thermal picture (a thermogram, in case you want to sound technical), you can easily spot the energy hogs highlighted in yellow, orange, and red—so you know exactly what areas to target as you take steps to reduce your energy costs.

Thermal Imaging

 

Immediately you’ll see your machines light up hot—as they should, that’s how they work. But most likely they don’t need to be operating that hot or emitting as much heat as they do.

The good news? Machines represent your greatest opportunity to conserve energy. Instead of idling, consider powering down equipment during non-peak hours, make sure motors are working as efficiently as possible, and insulate, insulate, insulate. The ROI is remarkable—insulation saves an average of $164 per machine per month. See what thermal imaging reveals so you can start saving.

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Why Induction Heat is Super Efficient

Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! It’s not up in the sky, it’s…unbelievably efficient induction heat technology!

Ok, maybe I sound a little fanatical, but if you’ve never seen induction heaters in action, I seriously recommended you watch some induction heating demos. These videos will blow your mind.  You’ll see metal wires melt, aluminum cans explode, and ice cubes set ablaze—before they even have a chance to melt!

What is induction heat?
Induction is a heating method, but unlike conduction or convection heating methods, it doesn’t require a transfer medium. The inductor itself can be a simple-looking strip of coiled metal (precisely designed to optimize the magnetic field and alternating currents), and the magic is, the inductor never touches what it’s heating, and it never gets too hot to handle with bare hands. I won’t get into the physics of it all, but if you’re interested in how induction heating works, see inductionatmostpheres.com. Basically, induction heat uses radio frequencies, and that’s how it can work sans transfer medium—heat is “induced” by the circulating electrical currents.

The shift toward lean manufacturing and the emphasis on better quality control have led to the rebirth of induction technology and the development of precisely controlled, solid-state induction power supplies.

How can induction heat benefit manufacturers?
For most industrial applications, induction heating offers significant advantages over traditional heating methods—the fast, accurate, and consistent heat transfer reduces energy consumption and creates a safer working environment.

Companies like Ford, John Deere, GM, Cat, Volkswagen, and BMW have already implemented induction heat into their manufacturing processes. Most manufacturers that switch over to induction technology report a decrease in their utility bills. Why is this? Because induction is a highly efficient means of heating that requires less energy to do the same job as, say, a heater band, which is constantly losing energy and reheating.

In fact, uninsulated heater bands are only 30-70% efficient and have a limited lifespan because they must stay hot to operate. Induction heaters, on the other hand, are typically 95% efficient and don’t emit excess energy. Even better, insulated induction heaters can reduce ambient energy loss by 98%.

How can you use induction heat to make your manufacturing process more efficient? If you haven’t already, start thinking about this innovative heating method, and stay tuned for the latest in energy efficient technology.

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The Best Ways for Manufacturers to Save Energy: Surveying the Site

Who doesn’t want to save energy? Now more than ever, we are all looking for ways to cut back—we turn down the lights and turn off the thermostat, we run the dishwasher less and take shorter showers—hoping to save some money on the monthly energy bill.

But when you run a large manufacturing plant, the task of saving energy may be a bit more daunting. Before you can start conserving energy, you have to know where the most energy is being consumed and what the best opportunities are for reducing high-energy output.

Knowledge is power, so we’ve put together a simple site survey checklist to help managers get well acquainted with their plant’s energy output. According to the Energy in Plastics Good Practice Guide, you should carry out an initial survey immediately because “if energy is being wasted, it is costing money.” A 20% cut in energy costs can equal the same bottom line benefit as a 5% increase in sales.

It’s also a good idea to take an unannounced walk around the site at about mid-shift to see how things are running during normal working hours.

What to look for during an initial walk through
Keep a close eye on the machines. Machines consume about 60% of energy costs. Yikes. But think of it this way—here lies your greatest opportunity for energy savings.

As you survey the site, keep these questions in mind:

  • Which areas have the largest energy load? Look for the largest machines; they will have the largest motors and consume the most energy.
  • Which motors are running? Would smaller motors be more efficient? Could they be turned off during non-peak hours?
  • Are machines well insulated? Is the insulation in good condition?
  • Are hot and cold pipes insulated? Is the insulation in good condition?
  • Which cooling water pumps and vacuum pumps are running?
  • Does compressed air pressure need to be so high, or the vacuum so low? Can you hear steam and compressed air leaks?
  • Are lights and machine heaters left on? What is running during lunch breaks and and after working hours?

With a better understanding of where unnecessary energy output occurs, you can now take productive steps to decrease it. Don’t wait—conduct your site survey today to start saving energy and increase that bottom line!

*Statistics from European Best Practice Guide.

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Research & Development Tax Credits: More Accessible Than You Thought

Research and development tax credits provide golden, yet often overlooked, opportunities for manufacturers to recoup expenses of new product development, product changes or manufacturing process improvements. Recent changes to tax regulations and legislation have expanded these credits, making it easier for businesses to take advantage of the savings.

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Cedar Robinson, a corporate tax consultant with more than 18 years of specialized R&D Tax credit experience. Robinson explained that businesses do not have to be  a high-tech research type company to qualify for tax benefits. In fact, qualified research activities often include all phases of product upgrades, new product research and development,  and product & manufacturing process  upgrades  to improve quality, reliability or efficiency. Most manufacturers are continuously improving production processes and efficiency as part of everyday operations and virtually all manufacturers develop new or improved products. As a result, Robinson indicated that nearly all manufacturers are eligible for the R&D Tax credit.  [Read more…]

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UniTherm Insulation Systems

711 Jones St.
Lewisville, TX 75057
Toll Free: 800.657.9542
Phone: 972.436.1401
Fax: 972.436.0112
info@unitherm.com