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Industrial Automation and Motion Control Blog | The Knotts Company

Choosing The Correct 80/20 Aluminum Extrusion for Your Application

Posted by Mark Howe

Mar 1, 2011 12:07:00 PM

Choosing the correct 80/20 aluminum extrusion profile for your application can be difficult.  The two main factors that it will affect your decision making process the majority of the time are, structural integrity, and overall cost of material.

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

Can Outsourcing be Cost Effective for Your Business?

Posted by Mark Guida

Feb 24, 2011 11:11:00 AM

In these times of economic uncertainty, outsourcing has become a popular option to have a small, or sometimes not so small, set of components assembled off-site.  “Outsourcing” used to mean cutting local jobs, but not today.  A more accurate term in today’s market is external resource.   Using external resources offers many benefits to your business.  Below is a short list detailing the top reasons companies have shifted to using external resources.

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Topics: cost savings, manufacturing, cost effective, industrial automation nj/ny, resource, external resource, outsource, outsourcing, technology, core competencies, assembly

Tips For Energy and Cost Savings for Compressed Air

Posted by Rick Howe

Feb 22, 2011 12:56:00 PM

Compressed air is an excellent source for power and motion when utilized properly. There are ways to make the creation and usage of compressed air more economical and reliable. In the New Jersey/New York industrial market, operating costs are an important issue with Automation and Motion Control applications. There are many tips that we can assist you with, but here are a few key ones:

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Topics: cost savings, automation control, compressed air

Automatic Product Code Verification - Camera or Smart Sensor?

Posted by Mark Guida

Feb 10, 2011 11:40:00 AM


Just about every item you find on a store shelf has some kind of code printed, stamped, or burned into the packaging.  Whether it's simply the product’s part number or a complex string of date and lot codes, verification of these codes is critical.  These codes can be used to track products through the consumer marketplace making consumer support, such as recalling allergy medicine, much easier and more accurately to accomplish.  Missing or incorrect information would render the entire coding process useless.  In the past, random samples of coded products were inspected by hand.  This can be a cost effective solution when it is not necessary to inspect each item coming off the manufacturing line or when quantities are low.  In the case of food or medicine, however, 100% inspection is becoming required more often than not and on a high-speed manufacturing line, hand inspection is useless.  This is when automatic verification of the codes really stands out. 

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Topics: sensor, vision, automated inspection, industrial vision, inspection, validation, lot code, date code, laser sensor

Machine Frame and Guarding | Aluminum Extrusion vs. Welded Steel

Posted by Mark Howe

Feb 4, 2011 10:48:00 AM

Versus

80/20 Aluminum Extrusion offers a large list of advantages when compared to steel.  The light to heavy-duty material can be used in applications ranging from a television stand to a machine frame.  You are only held back by your imagination. 

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Topics: aluminum extrusion in nj, steel frame, aluminum extrusion, t-slotted extrusion, machine guard, assembly, welded steel frame