Modern farming is a capital-intensive industry. The large machines that family farms and corporate farming operations employ to seed, weed, tend, and harvest can represent sizeable portions of multiple years worth of revenue. In order for the farm to succeed, these tractors, combines, harvesters, and other large pieces of equipment must do enough work to…
Bad news from the backcountry. After two weeks of waiting for the right weather conditions, a local extreme skier lifted off in a light helicopter this morning to drop into fresh powder on a technical slope at 13,000 ft, hoping to shoot some high-quality action footage. The flight and the drop went okay—just not the…
Without the right assembly tools, you don’t have a production line. It’s the tools, after all, that allow your workers to assemble the pieces into a product. That doesn’t mean that finding the right tools is easy, though; each product is different, each factory is different, and there are hundreds of different tool options. How…
Modern appliance manufacturers must work continuously to improve the efficiency of their operations in the face of stiff competition domestically and abroad. Producing household or commercial appliances—like dishwashers, washing machines, or televisions—requires a faster pace and greater accuracy than ever to meet the market’s demands for speed and volume. At the same time, lightweight, inexpensive…
Good question. Knowing your tool is the first step towards working in a safe, productive manner. An air tool is a powerful instrument, capable of doing a great amount of work in a short time. But to be used safely and effectively, its operator must know and follow best practices for operation and maintenance. While…
Which is better—a canoe or a raft? A canoe is certainly faster and easier to maneuver. That’s gotta be the best, right? Nothing beats fast. On the other hand, rafts are more stable than tippy canoes and are better equipped to carry cargo. So, the real answer is, the best boat for you depends on…
A little bit of torque goes a long way in the world of electronics manufacturing. The ongoing miniaturization of components has resulted in smaller and smaller screws being used to hold together electronics products. At the same time, the criticality of delivering the proper amount of torque remains unchanged. Over-torquing fasteners can lead to deformed…
If you’re in the automotive aftermarket as a shop owner, master mechanic, or equipment specialist, you’ve undoubtedly heard of torque—it’s how much rotating force an engine throws out, the engine’s ability to make the crankshaft spin. Diesel and electric motors produce more of it than gasoline motors, and you need it when you’re carrying a…
The other day, Freddie, an electrician I know, asked me if I ever used a torque screwdriver and if I thought it was necessary? He was about to start work on a multi-unit renovation job and would be working around and behind a lot of appliances. Freddie’s question is an important and common query, often…