The Material Handling Blog

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...

Just a few years ago, the material handling industry thought 24-volt conveyors had to be driven via a small, high RPM motor with gearing assembly, all fitted within the tube of a drive roller; thus, the term motor driven roller (MDR). In recent years, however, a new technology has come along offering a much different solution. This new technology utilizes a 24-volt motor mounted external to the roller rather than inside, and it offers several advantages...

March Madness is finally here, and there's a reason it's called "madness." The unexpected often happens - which is very exciting in sports, but not so much with a mission critical project. To reduce the "madness" that can often overwhelm and impede project success, follow this simple outline. As a result, you will save time, effort and money over the lifespan of the project.

Recently, I attended the World Ag Expo at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, California. It is the largest trade show of farm and agricultural equipment and associated products in the world, and because it is held outdoors, very large equipment can be brought in for attendees to view--from tractors nearly two stories tall, to the smallest of nozzles used in irrigation...

Leasing larger, higher priced equipment is a very common practice for all sorts of companies, large and small. This makes sense because there are many benefits to doing so...

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.

There are three key elements that differentiate a systems integrator from an original equipment manufacturer: product life cycle, successful integration of products, and choice of system products. Taking a look at these can help you make an educated decision when researching both options. Continue Reading >>

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...

Recently, I attended a meeting where a consultant was presenting his recommendations for a project that involved adding automation to an existing process. One of the key points that jumped out at me was that his justification for this project was focused entirely on the elimination of people. While the consultant suggested that the project would probably go forward because it was a strategic initiative on the part of the customer, I could only think about a more than 100-year-old poem entitled, The Calf-Path ... Continue Reading >>

Project management is more or less the art of making things happen, or moving a project forward to completion. Sounds simple enough, right?

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.

The Vectura unit load stacker crane is a flexible and modular design concept which allows our customers to quickly configure the crane and ASRS to their specific application.