The Material Handling Blog

Freight Solutions Management

Derek Cribley

June 29, 2012

As a material handling solutions provider, we take pride in integrating the best mix of technology and people to maximize our customer’s bottom line. We believe that there is a “best” solution out there for every customer. This philosophy is typically applied throughout our business processes; how can we do things cheaper, faster, better, and provide more value to our customers. One of the areas we recently focused on in this regard is freight management . Here are 6 key areas on which we have focused our attention and have seen real benefits...

Getting Air: New Vertical Conveyors Raise the Bar

Derek Cribley

April 11, 2012

Who doesn’t have fond childhood memories of jumping over objects, whether it was on a bicycle, sled, skis, or dirt bike? Well, “getting air” is not just a kid’s dream; our customers want it, too. It seems like almost every project has some requirement to elevate product from one level to another.

The Invisible Men of Material Handling

Bastian Solutions

March 27, 2012

Upon the approach of my tenth anniversary with Bastian Solutions, I began asking myself what makes this company successful. After all, there must be some reason or reasons why I have found such satisfaction here that I have contributed a decade's worth of skill, talent, and effort toward the company's success. In answering this question, recent project experiences led me to an answer that lies partially outside of the company...

New Design Tools for the Creative Engineer

Bill Bastian II

February 16, 2012

With the pace of business continually accelerating, it is nice to see the selection of new engineering design tools rising to the occasion. Although there is no substitute for sound engineering fundamentals, these tools can help engage an engineer's creativity by speeding up the iterative design process.

Manufacturing and Logistics Facts about Valentine's Day [Infographic]

Eric Brunkow

February 14, 2012

Behind all those flower bouquets, candy hearts, and jewelry boxes, there's a manufacturer and distributor who got them to you! So this year, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the numbers and logistics behind Valentine's Day because without all the behind-the-scenes work, well, the day just wouldn't be the same...

Help Me, Help You -- A Project Engineer's Take on RFPs

Ahmed Arif

January 19, 2012

In this day and age, it's absolutely crucial to develop a sound request for proposal, or RFP. There are several key advantages to taking the time and effort to do so, but this isn't a how-to on on RFPs. Instead, it is key information that you should think about as it relates to your projects.

20 Awesome Gifts to Get an Engineer This Holiday Season

Stefanie Hardy

December 20, 2011

If you're anything like me, you've probably procrastinated on this year's holiday shopping. And if you're really like me, you have an engineer on your shopping list, and you're struggling to find him or her the perfect gift. Well, you're in luck because I've spent the last week digging around the Internet to find some ideal gifts, ranging from humorous to down right practical...

The Sensitive Engineer: Using Monte Carlo Simulation to Understand the Sensitivity of a Complex System

Bastian Solutions

November 23, 2011

During the design process of any system, it is desirable to know how the possible range of input values will affect the system output. One back-of-the-envelope method is to assume the amount of resources the system will use, err on the high side, and protect yourself against failure.

5 Ways to Support Your Conveyor System, While Conserving Floor Space

October 27, 2011

In years gone by, facility roofs were designed in such a manner that you could just about hang the Queen Mary from them with little regard given to worrying about the roof collapsing or caving in. Nowadays, this is not always the case. With rising costs in steel and labor, roof structures are for the most part designed with the minimum loading allowed by law.

Safety First: A Review of OSHA Violations and Penalties

Bastian Solutions

October 21, 2011

In my last blog article, What's the True Cost of Your Corporate Safety Program , I discussed the importance of corporate safety training and some of the most popular OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) citations in 2010. Now I'd like to review some of the costs that occur when workplace safety standards are not followed, which often results in violations with costly penalties that can reach upwards of $500,000, and in some cases, even jail time.

Hurry Up... So We Can Save Some Money

Blain Cook

September 30, 2011

It's always puzzled me as to why so many companies spend months and years planning and designing a project and only give the material handling integrators two weeks to bid. It's also been suggested that tight timelines provide the end user with the best price possible. In my opinion and past experience, this statement couldn't be further from the truth. Read More >>

It's a Great Day to Be an Engineer

Shelby Shay

September 26, 2011

Despite the economic downturn, engineering has been one of the least affected professions. In fact, hiring in the engineering services sector has increased 104% since December of 2009. So what does this mean for you?

Evaluating the Economics Behind Your Project Investment

Marvin Logan

September 14, 2011

As consultants and material handling system integrators, we are often asked to evaluate the economics of capital projects. There are several metrics that can be used to evaluate a project, each with their own set of advantages and disadvantages. However, we are almost always pressed to say what the "payback period" is of a given project. Every time it happens, my stomach hurts just a little.

How the Material Handling Industry Sparked a Marketing Craze

Stefanie Hardy

August 18, 2011

As surprising as it might seem, the material handling industry was the founder of today's current marketing craze--the quick response (QR) code. That little black and white square now seen everywhere from your Starbucks cup to movie posters was originally used by vehicle manufacturers to track parts.

3 Easy Ways to Incorporate Green Best Practices into the Material Handling Industry

Bill Bastian II

June 02, 2011

With the economic recovery moving at a snail's pace and the cost of raw materials and fuel continuing to rise, manufacturers are continually challenged to find ways to incorporate green sustainability solutions into their material handling processes.

To Move or Not to Move...Your Existing Material Handling Equipment

Gregg Durham

May 13, 2011

When companies are moving to a new facility, I'm frequently asked whether it's better to move existing equipment to the new location or to purchase new, and my usual answer is that it depends on many factors. Now I know this really isn't an answer at all, but the decision can't be made without first asking several important questions .

Creating Effective Safety Training for Your Employees

Derek Cribley

May 03, 2011

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandates that business owners must provide safety training to all employees. However, owners are given the option of deciding what kind of training will be done and what topics will be covered as it relates to their business.

The New World of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems

Derek Cribley

March 25, 2011

As I was recently working on an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS)project, I had the opportunity to reflect on how much the technology has changed in just the past few years. One of the more valuable references I was using--from the Material Handling Institute of America --divided the ASRS technology into two main families: fixed aisle and carousel/vertical left module (VLM). However, some of the new advances in ASRS have a hard time fitting into either of these categories.

Out With the Old, In With the Newly Retrofitted Conveyor

Dan Williams

March 17, 2011

Retrofitting what you already own is often just a fraction of the cost of replacing it with new conveyor, and you can also gain new functionality.

The Material Handling Industry: More Exciting Than You Think

Bastian Solutions

February 11, 2011

Before I accepted my position as a research and development engineer at Bastian Material Handling , I only knew of a peripheral definition for material handling. This was due to my focus as an undergrad in automotive engineering, with some topical interest in aerospace and biomechanics.

Top 3 Reasons to Consider Material Handling System Simulation

Marvin Logan

December 29, 2010

To showcase the usefulness and advantages of material handling simulations I've included the top 3 reasons one should consider simulating their current or future processes.

Controls Engineering Lessons Learned the Hard Way

Ron Daggett

December 23, 2010

Those of you in the business of making electricity do what you want it to do have all been there, whether you are an electrician, electrical engineer, or controls engineer you have been in a position where you have unnecessarily beat your head against the wall trying to solve a problem. When it is all said and done you realize that the root cause of the problem could have easily been avoided had you taken a few simple steps up front. From the "School of Hard Knocks," here are a few learned lessons that might be helpful to you.

What's the True Cost of Your Corporate Safety Program

Bastian Solutions

December 21, 2010

Few of us have been able to escape the unwanted, but necessary, cost-cutting initiatives of our employers during the past three years of the recession. In the interest of self preservation, we have combed through each line item of the corporate budget looking for hidden treasures to help sustain us until consumer demand returns.

Lessons Learned from Conveyor Design: A Modular Conveyor Development Success

Bastian Solutions

November 05, 2010

When Bastian partnered with Blue Arc Engineering to design Bastian Solutions' conveyor, a zero accumulation conveyor, we knew that there would be hundreds of different products that would have to be conveyed. Thus, we manufactured a conveyor that could handle very small products as well as large and heavy boxes on inclines, declines and horizontal conveying applications. We learned a lot from turning modular product development into “Modular Conveyor Development."

The Importance of Hiring the Right People

Shelby Shay

October 04, 2010

Bastian Solutions recognizes that our talented and driven employees are responsible for the success of the company, so we regularly analyze where we need to grow and how we can recruit top candidates.

The Top 10 Characteristics of a Perfect Project Manager

Bill Bastian II

July 26, 2010

Having been in the trenches executing complex automated material handling systems for the last 23 years certain “lessons learned” become etched into my mind. The difference between a great project manager and a mediocre project manager directly impacts: the ability to complete the project on time, overall profitability, and most important customer goodwill... which translates to the future revenue stream with that customer. I would offer the following 10 characteristics of a perfect project manager for your consideration...

What to Expect from an Engineering Study

Marvin Logan

April 17, 2009

For those of you in the material handling or manufacturing industry, there is a good chance that you are working with a system that is quickly becoming outdated. With today's idea of "buy today, ship tomorrow" online shopping mentality, your system could easily become overwhelmed, especially if downsizing has resulted from the recent economy. But how do you even start to improve?...

AI-Based Robotic Depalletizing vs. Robotic Layer Depalletizing

Planning for Warehouse Automation: Where to Begin?

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