Robots are known for repeatability. Programmed to perform mathematically-defined actions, as opposed to the associative actions taken by human operators, they will make nearly identical motions, over and over, for as long as they’re running. At least, that’s how the story goes on paper. In the real world, parts wear due to friction, lubrication dries…
Can you open a can with a hammer? Sure. But it would probably be easier with a can opener. Special jobs take special tools; using the right tool for your job saves effort and increases productivity. In the business world, specifically in manufacturing or equipment service and repair, saving effort and increasing productivity means lowering…
You don’t have to be a maestro to know that no matter how grand your piano is, you can’t play it if it’s out of tune. It’s similar when you’re working with torque tools; you can’t properly tighten your fasteners if your tools aren’t in calibration. In fields like manufacturing and maintenance, tightening fasteners is…
Imagine your job is lifting a five pound weight. Pretty easy, right? Most healthy adults don’t have an issue picking up something that light or even holding it about their heads for a few minutes. Pick it up, put it down, go home, get your paycheck. Unfortunately, your boss knows how easy it is for…
Roller coasters are thrilling. Riders soar and dive and flip upside down. They get blasted out of tunnels and splashed down through ponds. It’s an experience that causes people to grip their handrails, white-knuckled, to scream in terror, to pant for breath, and, when it’s over, to laugh. The intended effect is to expose riders…
As a precision technician, you use a torque wrench to achieve the exact tightness you need to extract maximum performance. However, the only way you can be sure a fastener is tight enough to resist vibration, but not so tight as to strip the threads or stretch the bolt beyond its yield point, is through…
Whether you’re in manufacturing or maintenance, it’s essential to use the right tools in order to get the job done right. After all, the tools you invest in will determine the type of work your business is capable of handling. Understanding the differences between similar tools and choosing correctly between them is, therefore, an important…
For some areas in the United States, winter isn’t the end of the year; winter is the year. Winter is when the ponds ice over for fishing, the falls freeze for climbing, and the snow covers the ground for skiing. It’s when the hockey sticks come out of the closet, the snowshoes get tightened, and…
How fast can you fasten? In assembly line production, fastening speed is a key indicator of production volume. It can even be a factory’s bottleneck, limiting the number of pieces completed. In fact, improving fastening speed can often be the most effective way to increase production and, in turn, revenue. However, speed is no substitute…
If it moves, salute it. If it doesn’t move, pick it up. If you can’t pick it up, paint it. Naval recruits following this time-honored advice may be able to grasp the basic necessities of keeping their ship trim and themselves out of trouble. But the apparent simplicity of these rules, under closer examination, reveals…