80/20 is constantly looking for new ways to streamline the production process in their Manufacturing Department. One way they are streamlining is with their parts racking machine that helps employees hang raw parts so that they can be sent through a series of chemical baths to complete the anodize finish.

"The rack is based on a machine we saw in an automation magazine." Says Quality Manager Scott Boyd. "We found some solutions that could work but just they wouldn't have fit our racks, nor did they offer a single unit that was dual purpose for both racking and unracking. We quickly came to the conclusion that in order to get exactly what we needed we would have to build our own."

The rack was built using a combination of 15 series extrusions, custom machined plates and mounting panels, as well as dynamic motion parts available from 80/20. In order to complete the project, they used aftermarket thrusters and motion controls and included adjustment controls to move the rack to a comfortable working height for maximum ergonomics.

"The racking unit has been in operation for nearly a year and saves an estimated 30 hours of labor per week," states Boyd. "Its hard to imagine this process without it."

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