November 2008 Edition

ACCESSORIES

Magnetic Lifts Provide an Attractive Alternative

A steel supplier turned to magnetic lifts for quicker turnaround

Time can be saved in every aspect of machining. Smart companies know it is not only the machine that does the process that can be improved, but also how the product gets to the machine to be processed. When a steel supplier sought to increase its turnaround time, it was drawn to magnetic lifts to move its product.

Peterson Steel Corp. is a full line metal service center located in Worcester, MA. It supplies the steel to shops and original-equipment manufacturers that goes into the making of all kinds of machinery.

"If you look around your office right now, look at everything you see that has steel in it. A company that probably buys from us made it. Shafts, pulleys, any number of components in the machinery, the possibilities are endless," Doug Peterson, the president of the company founded by his father, said.

Peterson Steel is a family-owned business that has always put the focus on service. It knew it couldn’t "out big" the large national chains. But, the company could beat them in service. Maybe that’s why it’s been in business for more than 43 years. Quick turnaround on orders is a critical part of providing better customer service. That means moving steel. And lots of it.

With thousands of customers across the country and some around the world, filling orders was challenging even for men of steel. Filling customer orders involves lifting, moving, and cutting pieces of steel that can weigh as much as 10,000 lb. In the past, that meant using chains or nylon slings.

Using chains takes a lot of time: securing, lifting, moving, and unloading. Which means orders take longer to fill. Chains can also scratch or cut, damaging the product. Safety is also a priority.

Jobs once done by chains and slings are being done with lift magnets in half the time

"We strive for safety, we don’t want anyone hurting their back or spraining something. I have guys that can pick up and carry 200 lb but I don’t want them doing it. These guys are interested in getting the work done, so in the past, they sometimes put their own safety on the line. I’d have to get out there and stop them," Peterson said.

The answer to the company’s lifting problems was just minutes away. The solution came from a Worcester neighbor, Walker Magnetics, in the form of a lifting magnet. It provided Peterson Steel with a CM Series permanent lift magnet to handle products and fill orders. Peterson Steel found lifting magnets faster, safer, longer lasting, and easier to use than chains or nylon.

An Accessory Brings Better Safety and Ease of Use

The CM lift magnet proved suitable for flat handling. It’s a compact, self-contained, lifting magnet that uses permanent magnets to maintain holding power. Within the steel housing, there are ceramic magnets whose field is controlled by the On/Off position of the handle. No electric power is required, so CMs can operate free of power cords, and can be used where electric power is not available.

For Peterson Steel’s lifting, handling, and cutting needs, Walker application engineers worked to provide different lift magnets.

The NEO Series was used for smaller jobs. The compact units use neodymium magnetic material instead of the ceramic material, making for a stronger magnet. The NEO magnets operate with the throw of a handle.

The WBM Series material handling magnets are used for quick movement of heavy steel objects. Cordless and remote controlled, these magnets are compact, mobile, self-contained, battery-powered units. Operating on their own power sources, they also have the added advantage of being usable in areas where electricity is not available.

Sort of Like a Meat Market

"Say you want a piece of 25" diameter bars, 2" long. We would take the forging out of our holding rack and that 25" bar may be 10' to 12' in length. We put that bar into one of our saws and slice off a 2" piece," Peterson said.

He compared it to the deli counter at a local supermarket.

"If I want a half-pound of salami, they take that large piece out of the case and slice off what I want and put the piece back," he said.

Customers don’t always want the whole bar of steel that Peterson Steel has. They might want a piece or two cut off.

"We have to use our overhead crane and that’s where the lifting magnet comes into play to pick up these items, put them into the saw, cut off what we need and put the bar back again. That’s moving anywhere from a 5 to 10,000 lb bar of steel from one place to another. That’s where the magnetic lifts earn their keep."

"Our biggest magnet is in use all the time, it has an 11,000 lb capacity and it has a remote control clicker, similar to a TV set," Peterson said. "We direct this magnet with the crane to one of the blocks, lower it down and with the remote hit the On button. The magnet turns on and places it on the saw. It cuts the time in half. No question about it, these magnets work well. Time is critical and we’re trying to get as much done in a day as possible. We don’t compromise safety. If heavy pieces of materials are crashing to the ground, someone’s going to get hurt."

Peterson Steel has 10 lift magnets helping to fill customer orders. Jobs once done by chains and slings are being done with lift magnets in half the time. Walker Magnetics

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What do you think?
Will the information in this article increase efficiency or save time, money, or effort? Let us know by e-mail from our website at www.ModernApplicationsNews.com or e-mail the editor at pnofel@nelsonpub.com.