Vol. 32 December 2000
    Contents:
  1. TrackbotTM Unveiling
  2. Big success for PL2 Bag Palletizer
  3. OSHA’s new Ergonomic Standards....great for robot sales, terrible for American Industry
TRACKBOT’STM UNVEILING
 The prototype TrackbotTM performed well at the PMMI show in November. Our show’s goal was not to sell one, but to get attendee’s feed back for potential applications. They suggested and I am passing these along to you to discuss with companies with similar applications and so that you can brainstorm ideas back to me:
  1. Assembling parts to games (i.e. Monopoly’s© bags and cards)
  2. Putting together "K Ration" kits for the army
  3. Assembling first aid kits
  4. Assembling hair dye kits
  5. Removing plastic molded products from multiple machines and depositing into common cases or onto conveyor(s)
  6. Assembling "sampler" kits
  7. Assembling "rainbow" packs of cookies, brick-pack drinks, etc.
  8. Singulating pouches, cookies, etc.
  9. Assembling multi-toy packs, (ie a Silly Putty© egg, 6 packs)
  10. Handing venetian blinds from the extruder to a common stacking or case location
  11. Picking promotional products from multi-lines to a common point (ie "_____
    of the month club")
  12. Taking any product chaotically arranged on a conveyor(s) and orienting them onto a take-away conveyor
  13. Filling orders for CD or tape clubs
  14. Making up sheet-pillow case packages
  15. Assembling after market auto component kits (ie brake – clutch blister package)
  16. Etc.
Testing for different products is scheduled for January and work on vision is moving on schedule. You can see the TrackbotTM running on our web site, www.apgllc.com

BIG SUCCESS FOR PL2’S
BAG PALLETIZER
 Last month we just installed a PL2/auto stretch wrap system in America’s largest whey plant. It was a challenge because the 50# bags of product had up to a 5"-7" over lap between bags which are stacked 10 high, 5 on a layer. They are very difficult to handle and the load easily pyramids and destabilizes. Also, product density, dust factor and captivated air continually changes and dramatically effects the bags’ shape and stacking characteristics. Even though the production rate was only 6 bags per minute we were tested at 9 per minute. Within the first week the production manager realized that the robot was so successful that their production rate doubled and they could also eliminate the three Sunday shifts. Our agent, was Art Perry and his personal, always-on-top-of-it performance made for the success. Thank you, Art for a great job!

OSHA’s NEW
ERGONOMIC STANDARDS
 Unless businesses’ suits can kill it the new Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) Ergonomic Standards go into effect on January 16, 2001. It is very important for you and your customers to understand them. For you it means very large business opportunities.
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American Productivity Group, LLC, 224 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004-3581
 Phone: 973-244-1995     Fax: 973-244-9020     E-mail: info@apgllc.com     Dwight Carey, Managing Member