The Latest News From Sure Controls
SCARA Robots – The Key to Boost Your Plant’s Efficiency
Many Midwest manufacturers are looking for new, cost-effective automation solutions in the challenging labor market. Sure Controls robotics engineers and technicians can partner with you to optimize your operation and improve your bottom line. SCARA robots may be the key to yout success! What is a collaborative SCARA robot? The SCARA acronym stands for Selective […]
Cobots vs. Robots – The Future of Manufacturing
Midwest manufacturers are waking up to the benefits of plant automation. While robots have been popular in European plants and U.S. East and West coast operations, the Midwest has been a bit slower to adopt them. The labor shortage has provided a significant nudge toward investigating and implementing robotic solutions across various industries. One […]
Cast Film Extrusion Lines: How to Achieve Optimal Control
Stretch films are essential in the packaging industry as they provide a versatile and high-quality solution for packing products safely and economically. The film is produced by a flat die extrusion process where AC motors and variable speed drives significantly ensure high-quality output. The process starts with the extruder, a pump that melts and transports […]
Extruded Aluminum: A manufacturer’s best friend
Special Guest Author: Bob Kroll Have you ever seen or built a workbench made from 2×4 lumber and a plywood top? The material is easy to work with, fairly sturdy and adaptable to just about any size needed. Now imagine making this same workbench out of steel. Things begin to get a little more complex. […]
Micro-Automation – Small Part Automation “No Part Too Small”
When approaching the automation of a system there are many factors to take into consideration including: product in-feed, product out-feed, cycle rate, quality inspection, and as important as the technical specifications a shared definition of success. When you move into applications that involve handling small parts “microparts” another level of complexity is typically added to […]
Tax Section 179: What Manufacturers Need to Know
What is Tax Section 179 & Who Qualifies? To 179 something, means to deduct its entire cost in the year of purchase on your tax return. Any business that purchases equipment can qualify for Tax Section 179 but it’s particularly helpful for manufacturers looking to offset equipment costs. The Code allows for the full purchase […]
Winter Plant Preparedness – Top 5 Tips
In the Midwest, everyone loves fall. But, we know what comes next. Snow, ice and brutal temperatures are on the way. Leading up to the winter months, manufacturers will perform routine checks on all facility heating systems. And, this year, you may want to perform those checks sooner rather than later. The supply-chain disruption will […]
Can a Beer Machine Help Solve the Knowledge Transfer Crisis?
It’s no secret that U.S. manufacturers are currently facing several serious challenges. And, labor shortages are at the top of the list. Many manufacturers are looking to automate where possible and beef up their recruiting efforts. Attracting and retaining talent is certainly key to the success of any organization. But, most manufacturers are realizing it’s […]
Labor Shortage Got You Down? Meet M.A.C ™
Currently, one of the biggest challenges for any manufacturer is finding and keeping employees. It’s no secret the manufacturing industry was hit hard by the labor shortage. According to a report from Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, the COVID-19 Pandemic resulted in the loss of over 820,000 manufacturing jobs. Nearly 500,000 jobs remain unfilled today. […]
IPS Structured Aluminum – The Uses Are Many
We use IPS Structured Aluminum for many purposes. Here at Sure Controls, we use it to create anything from machine guarding, tables, and workstations to robotics stands and even unique projects such as the bobblehead stand featured. While the bobblehead stand project was a fun change of pace, many of our manufacturing clients rely on […]
Freeze Protection – It’s Time to Plan Ahead
With the first snow already in the books here in Wisconsin and many other states, it’s time to be thinking about freeze protection! Anticipating freezing conditions and Cold Weather Planning to protect buildings, equipment, and grounds against freeze damage is a vital part of a Facility Maintenance Program. We can help you solve a wide […]
Cheese, Brats and Heater Failures!!!
Fixing Heater Failures Efficiently in Food Production Heater Failures probably isn’t the phrase you expected. As good Wisconsinites, we all know that it should have said beer. Believe We understand the value of good food and a cold brew here at Sure Controls. In fact, we have an onsite beer brewing machine that even has […]
Sure Controls – Responsive to Our Community
Unequalled Responsiveness At Sure Controls we are very proud to live out our company motto in any way we can. Our motto is “Give a smile to get a smile” It’s displayed on our walls and carried in our hearts – and not just at work. Over the past few weeks COVID -19 has swept […]
Diaphragm Material, How to select
Sure Controls is proud to offer Dynisco products as well as repair and calibration services for them. For over 60 years, Dynisco pressure sensors have been used in various applications around the world. The original patent holder for the melt pressure sensor used in extrusion, Dynisco has remained the world class industry leader in this […]
Infrared Sensor Temperature Measurements
Infrared Sensor Temperature Measurements. In many IRt/c installations, such as paint curing, web drying, printing, etc., the temperature control system must be able to accurately measure materials with a variety of colors. Ideally, the same calibration set-up would be used for all colors, rather than having to calibrate each time a new color is run. […]
Why do Electric SCR Power Controls make sense for Electric Heat
SCR Power Controls and Electric Heat For the past 50 years, analog-based designs have served industry well. However, increasing demand for design flexibility, improved reliability/repeatability and lower costs have made the intelligent SCR power supply an ideal solution for electric furnace users seeking to gain competitive advantage. Intelligent power supplies have many advantages over analog […]
Frameless Motor Integration
Frameless Motor Integration The following is a quick summary and recommendations on selecting the best feedback device for your motion control application. Int he video below Parker explains the ins and outs of the Parker K series frameless servo motor. Call Sure Controls for more information on which feedback devices can be readily used with […]
Packaging Film, Sheets Expected to Grow Through 2021
Packaging Film, Sheets Expected to Grow at 6 Percent Clip Through 2021 Business Research Company 12/20/2017 as seen in Flexible Packaging The plastics packaging film and sheets manufacturing market, which comprises businesses that convert plastics resins into plastic packaging film and sheet, is worth $104 billion in 2017, according to research by The Business Research […]
Tension Control in Web Handling – Key Components
Tension Control in Web Handling – Key Components Recently, Flexible Packaging had the opportunity to interview Mark Breen of Dover Flexo Electronics New Hampshire. Sure Controls is happy to share this great information. If you are in Wisconsin, Sure Controls is your go to resource for web handling needs. We understand both the art and […]
Managed Ethernet Switch in Manufacturing Environment
Image Blizzard Case Study of a Managed Ethernet Switch in a Manufacturing Environment Blizzard, a leading ski manufacturer based in Austria, was looking for an industrial automation solution to extend manufacturing visibility and control across five machine production stations for wood working, sanding, pressing, assembly and packaging. In addition to utilizing existing hardware, the industrial […]
IoT Retrofits – The Keys to Success
When New Machines Have a Voice, What Will Old Machines Do? 53 Posted by IoT Team on Tuesday, June 19, 2018 Last year, PwC found that 85 percent of U.S. manufacturers are already delivering, or planning to deliver, products with IoT capabilities. Considering the promise of IoT, this should come as no surprise. Manufacturers, including Parker, are moving […]
How to Achieve Optimal Control of Cast Film Lines
Achieving Optimal Control of Cast Film Lines Stretch films are essential in the packaging industry as they provide a versatile and high-quality solution for packing products in a safe and economical way. Film is produced by a flat die extrusion process where AC motors and AC variable speed drives play a significant role in ensuring […]
The Top 4 Questions about MASTERDRIVES to SINAMICS Migration
The Top 4 Questions about MASTERDRIVES to SINAMICS Migration 1. Where can we get Support for existing MASTERDRIVES products? The question often comes up of how long existing installed MASTERDRIVES will be supported. Siemens and Sure Controls have committed to supporting the installed base at least until 2020. However, over time the subcomponents price and […]
Cold Weather Planning
If you weren’t from Wisconsin, you might find it hard to believe that it is snowing outside, and will again on Sunday. Here is some helpful advice on cold weather planning. It’s never too soon to start getting prepared. Anticipating freezing conditions and Cold Weather Planning to protect buildings, equipment, and grounds against freeze damage […]
Calculating Euler Angles on a 6-axis Robot
How is orientation in space represented with Euler angles? If you use a six-axis robot arm, like Mecademic’s Meca500used in this tutorial as an example, you are most probably interested in positioning its tool (end-effector) in various orientations. In other words, you need to be able to program your robot to move its end-effector both to […]
Precise Automation – Automate 2019 Press Release
Press Release Source: Precise Automation, Inc. Precise Automation to Present the Only Full Line of Industrial Collaborative Robots at Automate 2019 Fremont, California — March 25, 2019 – Precise Automation will present the only full line of industrial collaborative robots April 8 1 1 at Automate 2019, booth 6565 in Chicago, IL (https://www.automateshow.com/). These products […]
Automate 2019 – Free Pass
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… Spring is here and we are gearing up to go to Automate 2019. This year it will be from April 8 thru the 11th at McCormick Place in Chicago. Sure Controls is excited to be partnered with 5 robotics partners, the booth numbers are listed below. “You […]
Selecting a Regenerative Blower for Process Heater Applications
Selecting a Regenerative Blower for Process Heater Applications Regenerative blowers are portable, low-pressure air sources that are ideal for use with many Tutco SureHeat Air Heaters. They provide inexpensive, clean, oil free air, and can be easily mounted on equipment. A blower must be able to provide your desired amount of flow even with the […]
The Great Wisconsin Chili Cook-Off
Each year, with the Super Bowl well in the review mirror, the good people of Sure Controls switch their attention from football to the hottest game in town, the Annual Chili Cook-Off. When we say hot, we mean spicy and competitive. This year no fewer than 15 people entered. The chilies ranged from white chicken chili to […]
Ensuring Safety and Efficacy in Fluid Infusion for Medical Procedures
Ensuring Safety and Efficacy in Fluid Infusion for Medical Procedures In a broad spectrum of medical procedures, infusing normothermic fluid is the key to better patient outcomes. That’s particularly true in trauma situations when quick delivery of blood products to patients is essential for their survival. In many of these instances, medical professionals rely on […]
Micro-Automation six axis Robot
How much space do you need for a Micro-Automation six axis Robot? If you intend to use a micro-automation six axis robot arm, such as Mecademic’s Meca500 used in this tutorial as an example, you are most probably interested in positioning and orienting the robot’s tool (end-effector) in various locations. Therefore, you’ll certainly want to know […]
How to choose the Right Gearhead
Provide more Torque at Lower RPMs How to choose the Right Gearhead: The appropriate use of gearing in your motion control application can make it run at lower rpms and provide more torque. Should you decide to use a gearhead, available configurations include an in-line or a right-angle gearhead. You must and also decide whether […]
Sure University – Continuing Excellence
At Sure Controls, we pride ourselves in being current. The DNA of our company and services is a continuum of excellence. Any project, from very small to large strategic initiatives is worked on and managed by educated and excellent personnel. Our know-how, attention to detail, and professional acumen bring smiles to our customers every time. […]
Plant Intelligence…and Beer!
It is a (not so) well kept secret that we have a homemade beer machine at Sure Controls. The beer machine is always the highlight of any facility tour we give to our customers. I thought it could also be a very cool way to demonstrate some of our Plant Intelligence capabilities! A few weeks […]
Automation is Everywhere
Fully-Automated Cheese Brine System You might expect a fully- automated cheese brine system when you see a horse pulling a little black buggy like in the picture above the last thing that may come to mind is industrial automation. That was a true statement for me also, until I was involved with a fully automated cheese brining […]
Temperature Control Success Story
Temperature Control Success: Film Tech, a company in Stanley, WI, purchased a used 3 layer blown film line from a company in Ohio. The machine was disassembled and brought to their facility in the spring of 2015. Film Tech requested that a complete controls upgrade be completed on the line due to lapses in documentation […]
Gearing in Motion-Control Designs
What are the Advantages of Using a Gearhead? Estimates say that only about one-third of the motion control systems in service use gearing, although there are good reasons for doing so. For example, when your motion control system must run at 1,000 rpm or less, the use of a gearhead is advantageous. It’s also wise […]
Single Loop or or Multi-Loop Temperature Controllers?
How to Choose the Best Temperature Controller for a Systems Project What works best… Single Loop or or Multi-Loop Temperature Controllers? In our experiences as a systems integrator, we use many different types of process controllers, including discrete single-loop controllers (such as the Eurotherm 3216), multi-loop controllers (such as the Eurotherm Mini-8 or RKC SRZ) […]
Christmas Spirit at Sure Controls
Give a Smile to Get a Smile At Sure Controls our mission is to deliver smiles to receive smiles. We take great pride in our customer service and our ability to go above and beyond. Each year, at Christmas, this mission becomes a little more personal. We look to deliver smiles to families and children […]
Real Time Enterprise Interoperability
OPC-UA Technology Delivers Real-Time Enterprise Interoperability OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) has been a protocol for industrial automation since its release in 2006. It is considered one of the most secure and versatile communication technologies for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). A unique feature is that it is operating system (OS) is agnostic. It […]
Pairing Gearheads with Servo Motors
Pairing Gearheads with Servo Motors Machine designers are increasingly turning to gearheads to take advantage of the latest advances in servo motor technology. Essentially, a gearhead converts high-speed, low-torque energy into low-speed, high-torque output. A servo motor provides highly accurate positioning of its output shaft. When pairing gearheads with servo motors, they enhance each other’s […]
Extreme Industrial Ethernet Switches
Industrial-Grade Ethernet Switches to the Rescue Real life Problem The news this summer has been dominated by the story of the boys soccer team from Thailand that was trapped in a cave. Happily, they were all rescued and are safe now. Now that we know there is is a happy ending, it’s fun to figure […]
Definition of Delivering Smiles!
By Jenni Hansen At Sure Controls, we strive to ensure our customers are smiling! The following are the Webster definitions of two very important, yet simple looking words that we strive to provide to our customers every day! Delivering: Bring and hand over (a letter, parcel, or ordered goods) to the proper recipient or address […]
What is the Best Ethernet Switch for Harsh Environments?
Best Ethernet Switch for Harsh Environments: Industrial IP67 Managed Gigabit Ethernet Switches with PoE+ New Models Offer Bypass Relay, PoE+ Support and Full Gigabit Performance Sure Controls is proud to offer Red Lion Controls, as they are the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation and networking. Red Lion has announced new additions […]
Ethernet – the Backbone of IoT
Ethernet – the Backbone of IoT You would have had to been living in a cave for the last two years if you haven’t heard the constant drumbeat of “Industry 4.0” and “The Internet of Things” (IoT). Admittedly the lure of “easily connectable” and “smart” devices that can be implemented at low cost is […]
What is Robotic Machine Tending?
How Does Automated Robotic Machine Tending Work? Most machine tending is done by humans. Machine shops use their human workforce to load and unload machines and to restart the program once the finished part is out of the way. The tasks are often repetitive and as qualified workers are becoming harder and harder to find, […]
How are Cartesian Robots Different?
“Until now, the collaborative robot market has been dominated by 6-axis articulated robots. These robots have complex geometries that create large workcells with significant dead space and make it difficult to teach positions. The simple Cartesian geometry of the PP100 is ideal for simple applications, and for adding process modules such as screwdrivers or dispense […]
Fast-to-Deploy Collaborative Robots
Sawyer has been designed to increase performance and adaptability What is a collaborative robot? If you look up collaborative robots on the internet, there are variations of what it is. The literal definition of collaboration is The action of working with someone to produce or create something, which is the exact purpose of collaborative robots. […]
Improved Web Handling – A Success Story
Line 5 at Film Tech Background Film Tech, a company in Stanley, WI, purchased a used 3 layer blown film line from a company in Ohio. The machine was disassembled and brought to their facility in the spring of 2015. Film Tech requested that a complete controls upgrade be completed on the line due to […]
SSD Link is Obsolete; Have you a got a plan? Don’t worry, we have a solution!
By Brian Bobbe Although your current drives and PLC system maybe be working well, do you know for how long and what you’re plan is if you do go down? We completely understand the stress it causes you when you know that your current drive systems are obsolete not to mention it’s tricky to plan […]
Demystifying Automated Data Acquisition – Part Three of Three
By Ken Gifford Have you ever taken someone to Baskin-Robbins who really likes ice cream? Invariably, whenever I take my wife there, she has a pretty good idea in her mind what she has a taste for. However, when presented with the bewildering array of choices available, she has a hard time making up her […]
What Are Collaborative Robots?
By: Roger Mahler My first experience with robots was in High School; in the mid 1980s our Industrial arts teacher had purchased a 2 axis pneumatic robot kit. It was made of machined aluminum plate and was controlled by air solenoids fired by an Apple IIe computer. The available actions were axis 0 (base)rotated horizontally […]
What is Industrial Automation?
Industrial automation is the use of control systems, such as computers or robots, and information technologies for handling different processes and machineries in an industry to replace a human being. It is the second step beyond mechanization in the scope of industrialization. Increase Quality and Flexibility in Your Manufacturing Process Earlier the purpose of automation […]
Why Calibration of Your Measuring Instruments is Important
What is calibration? Calibration is a comparison between a known measurement (the standard) and the measurement using your instrument. Typically, the accuracy of the standard should be ten times the accuracy of the measuring device being tested. However, an accuracy ratio of 3:1 is acceptable by most standards organizations. Sure Controls provides preventative field service […]
How to Select a Company for Your Stepper Motor Repair
Let us help teach you how to select a company for your stepper motor repair. What is a Stepper Motor? A stepper motor is an electromechanical device that achieves mechanical movements from conversion of electrical pulses. Rather than continuously applied voltage it is driven by digital pulses. In contrast to the conventional electric motors which […]
How Low Pressure Transducers Work
A pressure transducer is a measuring device which converts an applied pressure into an electrical signal. Generally, a pressure transducer consists of two parts, an elastic material that deforms under the application of pressure and an electrical part that detects this deformation. How Low Pressure Transducers Work Depending on the range of pressures to be […]
What to consider before you purchase a linear motion actuator
A linear motion actuator is a device that creates motion in a straight line. It has applications ranging from industrial machineries to computer accessories. These linear motion actuators are classified on the basis of how it creates the linear motion. Types of Linear Motion Actuators Mechanical linear actuator– it generates linear displacement from a rotary […]
Your profits are off and costs must be lowered, now what?
The Problem: Your profits are off – costs must be lowered Your efforts miss the mark when they focus on areas that don’t deliver the needed return on the investment. Initiatives are launched by guessing where the real problems are in your manufacturing process. Data is costly to collect. Accuracy is suspect. Bottom Line: Waste […]
RTD vs Thermocouple – What’s the difference?
What is the difference between and a resistance temperature detector (RTD) and a thermocouple? Both RTDs and thermocouples are sensors used to measure heat in scales such as Fahrenheit and Kelvin. Such devices are used in a broad range of applications and settings, often presenting people with the dilemma of choosing to use either RTDs […]
NIST Traceable Calibration
Who is NIST and what do they do? NIST traceable calibration is an assurance program that certifies that a laboratory or manufacturer is fully equipped to calibrate equipment to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards and that any products offered by that manufacturer will match those NIST-maintained measurement standards. It means that […]
Infrared Temperature Sensors
Infrared temperature sensors sense electromagnetic waves in the 700 nm to 14,000 nm range. While the infrared spectrum extends up to 1,000,000 nm, IR temperature sensors do not measure above 14,000 nm. These sensors work by focusing the infrared energy emitted by an object onto one or more photodetectors. These photodetectors convert that energy into […]