Industrial Automation and Motion Control Blog | The Knotts Company

It's your first time ordering and assembling an 80/20 t-slotted aluminum extrusion frame. From your first glance, it looks like its going to be an uphill battle. Don't worry, it is not as difficult as it may look.

Topics: aluminum extrusion in nj, t-slotted extrusion, knotts company

Topics: cost effective, industrial automation nj/ny, resource, air cylinder, knotts company, bimba

Post Written by Ted Orlowski

Topics: cost effective, core competencies, knotts company, customer service

It is becoming an increasing important question when building automated machines. What is best for my application? Pneumatic or Electric actuator.  Both actuators have their pros and cons.  When it comes down to it, there are a handful of reasons why to use one over another.

While they are different as night and day, the way you size them is very similar.  You just need to know some basic information to start the decision process.

• Load
• Speed or cycle time
• Stroke

Once you know this information you can size your cylinder as needed.  Beyond that information, air and electric start to differ.

Air will never be replaced.  No matter what anyone says, air does have its place and it has some key features that eclectic just can’t match up to.

• Speed
• Power
• Size
• Simplicity

To get an air cylinder to move faster, the air flow needs to be increase.  The size of the unit versus the power it puts out can’t even be matched by an electric cylinder.  If all you need is two points then air is the way to go and simple compared to electric.

Like air, electric cylinders do have their merits.

• Multiple Positions
• Overall Cost
• Acceleration and deceleration
• Accuracy and Repeatability
  

These are just a few aspects that air can’t match electric.  With an electric cylinder, you have complete control over the acceleration and deceleration. An application example for acceleration and deceleration is handling of liquids or fragile materials.  Electric cylinders give you the ability to program and control multiple positions with high accuracy and repeatability.  And last, there is the ‘Green’ factor.  The overall operating cost of electric can be anywhere from 1/3 to 1/10 the cost of air.  

So overall they both have their benefits over each other and it really comes down to if it fits the application.  If they both fit the application, then it really just comes down to what the user prefers as well as the application.  Air or electric?

Topics: cost savings, manufacturing, cost effective, industrial automation nj/ny, technology, electric cylinder, air cylinder, knotts company

Recently a Knott's customer contacted us and arranged a visit from our 80/20 Aluminum Extrusion Demo Van to see some of the latest products being offered.  Our account manager Jerry pulled the van right up to the shipping bay to set up shop.  The 80/20 Demo Van contains a fully loaded gurney that shows all the extrusion profiles as well as hands on demos.  Jerry pulled the gurney out and set up shop before the customer's engineers arrived on scene.

Topics: industrial automation nj/ny, resource, aluminum extrusion in nj, aluminum extrusion, t-slotted extrusion, knotts company

On May 23, we started designing a t-slotted aluminum safety enclosure for a specified work envelope. (If you need a quick refresher, head over to Part One)

Now that the overall structure has been designed, we can move to the next step. We will now go through the process of adding the doors and additional hardware that is required.

Designing the Doors.

As stated in the job requirements, we need two doors on opposite sides.  Doors help give maintenance access without requiring disassembly. 

Topics: cost savings, cost effective, aluminum extrusion in nj, aluminum extrusion, t-slotted extrusion, knotts company, machine guard, assembly

Having a safe work environment is extremely important today. Machines have always posed a hazard to the workers due to fast moving parts and possible pinch/crush points. 

Topics: cost effective, industrial automation nj/ny, aluminum extrusion in nj, aluminum extrusion, t-slotted extrusion, machine guard, assembly

If video killed the radio star, then technology has definitely done the same to the traveling salesman. In today’s world of eco-conscious everything and instant information in the palm of your hand, the traveling salesman with papers, catalogs and brochures has been replaced by state-of-the-art gadgets and gizmos.

At The Knotts Company, we’re always on the cutting edge of the latest trends in the industrial automation industry, but we’re also ahead of the curve when it comes to getting you the information you need when you need it most.

We are now delivering information to our customers at lightning speed with the use of smart phones, iPads, tablets, notebooks and more. We can provide you with real time, person-to-person information—no delays, no call-backs needed.

There is no need to waste time rummaging through paper catalogs or deciphering literature on DVDs and PDF files.

The Sales Force at the Knotts Company can deliver accurate information and get you order quotes on the fly. We are always looking to improve the way we do business with you so that you can get what you need when you need it most.

Want more information? Use our contact page to get in touch with us.

Topics: industrial automation nj/ny, technology, core competencies, knotts company, quick response solution, sales process, sales tools

In order to differentiate yourself from the competition, you must engage in life-long learning.  Even if you are currently at the top of your game and leaving your competitors in the dust, you won’t be for long.  Every day new technologies, products, and ideas are reshaping the way we do business and interact with each other.  Just think about the fact that you are reading a blog post on the internet that only five years ago could have been only a random emailed message with no real target audience.  If you go back ten years, you would be throwing a postcard in the trash without even giving it a second look.  To say that stagnation and complacency are dangerous is an understatement.

Topics: resource, external resource, outsource, outsourcing, technology, core competencies, learning, improvement

The t-slotted profiles of 80/20 aluminum extrusion allow you to insert a large variety of panels.  Panel functionality can range from load bearing applications to overall aesthetics.  Choosing the correct panel for your application may be difficult, so we are going to review various scenarios based on the function of the panel.

Topics: cost savings, cost effective, industrial automation nj/ny, aluminum extrusion in nj, aluminum extrusion, assembly