Two areas often cause the COVID-19 recommendations to be compromised: manual material handling, and service performed due to downtime. Productions such as metal forming, lumber, and plastics molding are very vulnerable for downtime, and COVID-19 has caused a renewed focus on how to minimize downtime and service needs, thereby securing the personnel from working closely together and living up to the social distancing recommendations.
Gemco linear displacement transducers (LDTs) improve production and personnel safety as it features high accuracy, ruggedness, longevity, programmable zero, and span. For example, the 953 VMax LDT is designed to withstand 1,000 G’s of shock and 30 G’s of vibration, which can help to reduce or eliminate maintenance in rugged applications.
An improved automated workflow helps companies to comply with the COVID-19 social distancing recommendations:
Plastic molding production lines can achieve improved automation using linear displacement transducers such as the Gemco 955 eBrik II, 953 VMax, and 956 Blok which are all designed to replace linear potentiometers with outstanding accuracy and longevity.
The Lumber industry can achieve flawless control of the production line with a reduced risk of downtime by installing 953 VMax or 955 eBrik II LDTs instead of classic potentiometers or low budget LDTs that cause more frequent downtime. Downtime leads to loss of production, and, perhaps more important in regard to COVID-19, it leads to service time which makes it difficult to keep the social distancing recommendations.
Metal forming applications provide the vibration or shock exposure that Gemco linear displacement transducers are specially designed to handle. Stamping presses equipped with a Gemco 953 VMax LDT, therefore, experience very little downtime. Again, this reduces the need for service on the machine.
Aside from the above-mentioned industries, Gemco manufactures linear displacement transducers for several additional industries. Gemco shares free knowledge and examples from industries such as automotive, agriculture, mining, packaging, recycling offshore, and many others on their website, AmetekFactoryAutomation.com.