We Have Moved!

We just wanted to let you know that we haven't forgotten about you!

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As always, thank you for reading and have a great day!!

The History of Conveyor Belt Systems

Although Conveyor Belt Systems have been used in businesses to transport heavy materials for over a century, conveyor belts have been around since the late 1600s. In 1795, conveyor belts first started being used for conveying large materials like heavy sacks of grain. The first conveyor belts were made out of rubber, leather, or canvas that moved over a level wooden bed.  These belts were used to transport large amounts of heavy materials from one location to the next.

In the 20th century conveyor belt systems began to progress. In 1908 Hymle Goddard got the first patent for the first roller conveyor belt, but this system failed to take off.  With the development of the first moving assembly line by Henry Ford in 1913 conveyor belts became more popular in the mass production of bulk goods industry. In 1919 and into the 1920s conveyor belts were being used in automobile industries and other mass producing manufacturing factories.

The first long conveyor belt systems were created in the 1920s. One long conveyor belt was used to transport materials in an underground coal mine and was 8 kilometers long. This conveyor system was made out of cotton and rubber.The longest conveyor belt system being used today is located in the phosphate mines of the western Sahara and is over 6 miles long.

A major development in the history of conveyor belt systems was the creation of synthetic conveyor belts. These systems were first developed after World War II because of the scarcity of materials like canvas, rubber, and cotton at the time. Synthetic conveyor belt systems are still popular today in some industries.

Today many types of fabrics and synthetic polymers can be used to produce a variety of different conveyor belt systems. Materials that can be used currently to create a conveyor belt include “cotton, canvas, EPDM, leather, neoprene, nylon, polyester, polyurethane, urethane, PVC, rubber, silicone, and steel.” Conveyor belt systems can be customized to any requirements and are used in any industry that dispenses, stores, or handles materials.

Short Run Pro is here to help you with your conveyor needs. We produce custom industry brackets for all types of industrial applications. We produce stainless steel industrial brackets, galvanized brackets, and custom metal fabrications for in-plant and outdoor applications.Custom fabrications include OSHA fan and belt guards, post protectors, coupling guards, machine guards, chain guards, industrial brackets, OEM brackets, custom machine fabrications, conduit hangers, conveyor brackets and much more. For more information on our industrial brackets or to create a design online and receive a quote, please go to our website at
http://www.shortrunpro.com/industrial_brackets_s_vhv9ytw_vhv1ytw_vhv1ytw.aspx.

For more information on the history of conveyor belt systems please check out my sources at
http://EzineArticles.com/353910 or http://www.themhedajournal.org/content/3q04/conveyors.php.

My Dad Ran a Production Floor

 








 When I was a boy my dad ran a production floor. 250,000 square feet of big machinery making all kinds of loud noises and bending metal like it was paper. I loved it. When going to the floor with my dad the first step was to put on the safety glasses. For some reason, I always thought of James Worthy whenever I put those things on.

My dad kept me close to his side whenever we went in – I know now this was for my protection as well as the protection of his workers. There were painted lines that you did not cross unless you had business beyond them. The big machines were absolutely off limit. You could stand at a distance and feel the floor shake when they hit. I was in awe of the guys who worked those machines. They were on par with astronauts.

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The fantastic things the workers in that production plant could do to metal was inspiring. They would take a raw sheet of steel and make 1,000 shiny metal parts that were used to attach some part of a car to another. The hubcaps were my favorite. I would take the rejects home occasionally and use them for target practice or run around with them on my head like an early version of Devo.

Production formed as a meaning in my mind during those times at the plant. I began to understand what it is to produce something – to take a raw product and produce a useful tool or part out it that others would buy because it was important to them.

I believe now that production or the capacity to create something important to others is the foundation of our economy. It is vital and a building block of all other facets of our country’s business structure to make something useful to people. If we lose this capacity the other areas will fail and fall. Bankers can’t bank when no one buys. Service providers cannot service without these components. There is no sale without products to sell.

So here is to all those men and women involved in production. By the way, did I tell you that my dad has always been a hero to me? How could he not be? He ran a production floor.­ -- by Scott Toal.

How to Provide Excellent Customer Service.

"It all starts with truly wanting to help people." At Short Run Pro we are proud of our excellent customer service. When you contact us, you will not be stuck in the everlasting loop of doom in automated phone system. We hate those things! You'll be speaking to a knowledgeable customer service professional whose main goal is to satisfy your needs as a Short Run Pro customer.

When you’re ready to order you have the option of placing your order on-line or giving your information to a Short Run Pro team member. We view communication with our customer as a key to getting the order right the first go around. When your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email that the order has been placed. Once the order is ready to ship you will receive an email that your parts are shipping, and you will receive a third email giving the shipping and tracking information. At any point in the process you are able to discuss the progress with Short Run Pro.

Reliability is important to any good relationship, and customer service is no exception. We will do our best to get your product out in a timely and efficient manner. If a problem does arise with your order we attempt to learn about it before you do! This helps us keep you updated on the status of your products. So in most instances when a job is delayed Short Run Pro will notify you before you have to call us to find out what is going on with your order.

We pride ourselves on listening to our customers needs. When complaints arise we look at how best to alleviate your burden. If there is a way that we can assist in making a bad situation better, we work to make it happen. Our goal is to be helpful, courteous, and knowledgeable, 24/7.

Short Run Pro desires to give the customer more than expected, excellent customer service and a great product. Having one without the other is not achieving our goals in the Short Run Pro book. Our hope is that once you receive the product that will see that you have chosen the best on the market from the best company around.

You will find us always in our continue endeavor of providing excellent customer service. Here's to great service.

Uncomfortable Support

At a recent customer meeting we were made aware of the fact that our product shelves were being supported by cheap foreign made metal brackets. This was especially discomforting to us since we are custom metal parts producer and an advocate of USA based manufacturing.

It seems that our office furnishings has escaped our detailed review and we ended up with wood shelves support by the box store shelf brackets that come over the seas by the millions. We did not install them but we sure as heck were going to "un" install them.

So we proceeded to give our company's product shelf area a complete over haul including removing the cheaply finished, white, thin gauge support brackets with our Forma Steel support brackets made of 1/4" thick stainless steel diamond plate metal. It was like removing Formica and putting in granite!

Our Forma Steel supports are made with a laser form process that makes for an extremely durable and heavy duty support. The diamond plate adds the touch of "Grrr" to the appearance of the bracket and finishes the whole product display area off nicely. Parts that used to be on the ground due to weight now are placed on the shelves and supported by substantial shelf brackets.

Note in the pictures the difference between the two styles and makes of the brackets. The thickness of the Forma Steel provide substantially greater strength for the bracket. The finish on the parts are polar opposites with the paint on the cheap brackets barely able to cover the sloppy weld and the formed nature of the Forma Steel support allowing for a smooth face and no distraction from the diamond plate finish.

Check out how the shelf in this image is bowing away from the wall. This is due to a heavy parts box being inadvertently placed on the shelf and the shelf deflecting on the brackets. The replacement of the cheap brackets with our Forma Steel supports we were able to stand on the shelf without deflection. There is no substitute for outstanding design and craftsmanship.

Bottom line, when you see a cheap bracket used to do a job that it can't do and in a place where it does not belong - get rid of it. Replace it with something that belongs and that can do the job. Also, remember that when you purchase products that are made in the USA you are supporting some one's job. It is not simply a part. That part reflects the manufacturing base within the United States. When we can support that base we should.

For more information or to find the right bracket for the job visit Short Run Pro ( http://www.shortrunpro.com/). The pictures taken for this entry were from my iPhone. Please have mercy.

The Custom Nation

I am generally not one to put people out. You won’t find me ordering things not on the menu. I cringe when I hear a customer ask their waiter to hold the normal house dressing, place the peppers on the side and, oh yea, is there any way to get that served cut into sixteen individual pieces each on its own chilled plate. Just order it the way they make it!

While I may not be one to put others out, I am a person who likes to give people exactly what they desire. Along this line of thinking – ever noticed the growing trend of customizable products available these days? Application of new technologies and advanced manufacturing processes allow consumers to get almost anything customized or personalized. From coffee mugs with personal pictures on them to cars designed particularly to individual automotive desires, consumers have customizable options on almost any product.

Now, to be accurate there are levels of custom. There is the Organic Custom which refers to getting an apple grown the way that best suits your personal preference. There is the Mini Custom, as in the name of the favorite pint sized vehicle, which refers to customizing a product within certain parameters or select options. Then there is the Short Run Pro Custom or the slightly longer name – Dude, What Are You Thinking!? Custom. This level of custom basically states that if you think it up and if it is humanly possible within production capabilities we will make it exactly as you think it.

Dictionary.com notes that “ization” is “a combination of ‘ize’ and ‘ation’”. I would suggest a slight adjustment - “ization” is the “appending of the word custom used by customers to get exactly what they want, when they want it, at their door step.” I think that works a lot better.

So here is a toast to the custom future – I raise a custom imprinted crystal fluted glass filled with organic champagne. Cheers to custom.