Plan your line.
Practical help for engineers and operations teams scoping an automation project: where the payback comes from, what we need to quote it, and the questions worth answering before you spend a dollar.
Where automation
pays back.
No two lines return the same way. These are the levers that usually do the work. Where each one lands depends on your product, volume, and shifts.
Labor reallocation
Automating the repetitive lift-and-place work frees people for jobs that actually need judgment, and helps when you can't fill those positions in the first place.
Throughput at peak
A line that holds rate during your busiest run is worth more than one that only looks fast on a good day. Sized correctly, automation protects your peak.
Scrap & rework reduction
Consistent handling means fewer crushed cases, dropped product, and mispacks. Every unit you don't throw away or re-run is margin you keep.
Uptime & fewer stoppages
Jams, manual transfers, and ad-hoc fixes cost you in minutes that add up. Integrated controls and proper guarding cut the small stoppages that drain a shift.
Safety & ergonomics
Taking strain and pinch points off the floor reduces injury risk and the cost that follows it. Safety guarding and emergency stops are built in.
Consistency & traceability
The same result every cycle, with counts, weights, and run data captured at the PLC. That makes audits, recalls, and reporting far less painful.
What to have
ready before
you call.
You don't need every answer to start a conversation. The more of these you can pin down, the faster we can put a real layout and number in front of you.
- The product itself: what it is, plus case or unit dimensions and weight.
- Target rate or line speed: units per minute, cases per hour, or feet per minute.
- Available footprint: floor dimensions, ceiling height, or a layout drawing.
- Environment: dry, wet, washdown, or high-care, and any sanitation requirements.
- Upstream and downstream equipment the new line has to feed or take from.
- Controls and data: existing PLC platform, network, and any reporting you need.
Don't have a drawing or firm rate yet? That's fine. We field-measure existing lines and work from photos and rough numbers all the time. Send what you have and we'll fill the gaps.
Guides &
references.
Plain-language references our engineers put together for the people scoping a project. Ask for the one you need and we'll send it over.
Conveyor spec checklist
The dimensions, speeds, frame materials, drives, and guarding details we need to spec a conveyor right the first time.
Request the guide
UL 508A control panel basics
What the UL 508A listing means, what goes into a code-compliant panel, and why an in-house panel shop keeps your schedule honest.
Request the guide
Integration planning guide
How to phase a line from concept to startup: scoping, design reviews, build, install windows, and what to expect at each step.
Request the guideCommon
questions.
The questions plant engineers and operations managers ask us most when they're planning a project.
Do you handle design, build, and installation?
Yes. Engineering, fabrication, the UL 508A panel shop, PLC and HMI programming, robotics, installation, startup, and operator training all live under one roof in Joliet. One company is responsible from the first concept sketch through the day your line runs, so there is no hand-off between vendors and no finger-pointing when something has to be sorted out.
What service and support do you provide after startup?
We support what we build. After startup we are available for service, spare parts, controls and PLC changes, and adjustments as your product mix or rates change. Because the same people who designed and wired the line answer the phone, you are not re-explaining your system to a stranger. Our service line is (815) 641-0663.
Can you retrofit or upgrade an existing line?
Often, yes. We field-measure the existing line, match transfer heights and belt speeds to the equipment upstream and downstream, and design new sections to drop into your footprint. We can tie into existing controls or add a section panel that talks to your PLC, and we schedule installation around your production windows to limit downtime.
Where do you work and do you travel for installation?
We are based in Joliet, Illinois, and handle inspection and installation, start-up, and continued support. We have built and started up lines for clients including ARYZTA, Kellogg's, Loders, SupplyOne, and PIM Brands. Tell us where the line lives and we will plan the install and travel around it.
Ready to put performance first?
Tell us about your line. We'll get you a custom quote, typically within one business day.