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Plant and Facility Equipment

A key component to the success of any industrial operation is facility management, which helps to maintain and support complex manufacturing operations. There is an endless number of processes in the background of every industry that supply services and applications that ensure that each step of the production process moves smoothly and efficiently.

An essential part of industrial operations is inventory control, which begins with the storage and handling of a wide array of components from boxes and containers to bulk powdered and granular raw materials. Included in the handling of containers and boxes are various types of conveyor systems that are designed for easy movement of materials avoiding the need for workers to carry cumbersome and heavy containers.

Next on the list of storage methods is shelving, which can be huge racks that stretch to the ceiling or smaller ones for parts rooms. Included in the category of shelving are other methods of storage such as drums, plastic pallets, and small or large storage tanks. These varying methods are ways to store raw materials, parts, assemblies, and equipment. The importance of storage methods is to keep things organized for convenient and easy access as well as providing ways to locate needed materials.

There are many factors that influence manufacturing processes that can have an effect on the environment and working conditions. One of the major concerns is the quality of the air inside the production facility as well as the air that flows from it. Every industrial operation has a concern regarding their environmental footprint. To that end and to prevent air pollution and contamination of the environment, companies have developed methods for removing dangerous particulates that are the result of manufacturing processes with the use of air filtration systems.

Various manufacturing processes require the use of electric heaters to control the temperature of fluids. Unlike the typical residential heating device, industrial electric heaters come in a wide range of sizes and types from ones that fit inside a vat of liquid fluid to others that are used to increase the heat of a drum of raw material. The type of heater for an application has to be carefully selected to ensure the proper temperature of the material and the protection of employees.

A key part of manufacturing operations is the availability of raw materials to be applied to a process, assembly, or application. This type of function falls under the supervision of the supply chain manager that has the responsibility of ensuring the proper storage of raw materials and making them readily available for production. There is a wide array of methods used to move materials to and from production processes, which include forklifts, AGVs, cranes, platform lifts, and other hydraulic methods. In order for manufacturing to efficiently produce products, there has to be a smooth transition of materials from being received and into the assembly processes.

The list of functions that support manufacturing includes several different forms of equipment and applications. The most obvious part of the process is manufacturing equipment that is kept in peak condition to ensure the constant flow of production. Different methods of labeling and identification are necessary to ensure proper use of materials. Once a product is completed, a variety of methods are used to package and prepare it for shipment.

Regardless of the operation, application, or method, the manufacturing of a product requires the coordination of many factors from the janitorial staff to the men who operate technical equipment as a part of production. Each part, aspect, and component ensures that a company will meet delivery requirements on time.