When it comes to industrial automation, any kind of downtime can have a significant impact on operations. When an Iowa manufacturer experienced a fire that brought production to a halt, it turned to Baker Group to get it back up and running as quickly as possible.
The fire at the manufacturer, which specializes in making parts out of polyurethane for use in the material handling and logistics industries, destroyed critical components of its assembly line. Baker Group, which had been selected to install a next-generation assembly line for a different project in the facility, quickly turned its focus to replacing the damaged line.
"We were in the early stages of a completely separate project with them, and then they had the fire on a part of their existing production line," Baker Group Automation Team Leader Brandon Umscheid says of the incident that occurred in November 2022. “Our expertise in automation and electrical systems made us a perfect fit to get them back up and running as quickly as possible. We faced the challenge head-on, understanding that time was of the essence.”
Embracing the Challenge
The event significantly damaged the oven and conveyor system. The incident required a complete shutdown and presented some major challenges as Baker Group assembled a plan to get the line back up and running—notably a lack of documentation on the configuration of the line that was damaged.
"They had just had the fire, and we were preparing to jump in, but we didn’t know exactly what we needed," Umscheid says. “The water damage from the sprinkling system made critical information scarce. But we embraced the challenge and put our problem-solving skills to work to reverse-engineer the existing system in designing a new control system.”
Throughout the project, Baker Group’s electrical, mechanical and automation teams were forced to think outside the box.
The line they were charged with rebuilding include controls for a mechanical table used to pour the polyurethane parts. The table holds molds that rotate, with one new part being poured every 12 seconds. The process is time-sensitive, as a plastic substrate mixed with hardener and color needs to be poured soon after mixing.
“When the line is fully functioning, around 4,000 parts are poured each day,” says Nick Juelsgaard, Baker Group Project Manager. “Our approach was to rebuild it from scratch, while modernizing it.”
Working Together
Baker Group worked closely with the manufacturer to break the project down into subsystems, such as the heating system, table rotation, and working with the robot.
"It was a unique mechanical design for our team,” says Nick Juelsgaard, Baker Group Project Manager. “It was more of a machine-building mechanical design than we typically work with, but our team did a great job. Not only did they get the line back up and running in a short timeframe, but they were able to add some innovations that addressed safety concerns in a way that went beyond traditional mechanical systems.”
The design was just one of the challenges the Baker Group team faced. Supply chain disruptions required flexibility from everyone involved in the project.
“We had a hard time getting all the product and equipment that we needed in a timely manner,” Juelsgaard says. “It required us to identify alternative channels to secure the required parts, but we found a way and got it done.”
Umscheid notes that obstacles come with the territory, and he was confident Baker Group would deliver.
“We share a commitment to delivering a high-quality solution on time, and we knew that we would get it done no matter what it took,” he says. “It is impressive to watch our team work to ensure every aspect of the project met the highest standards.”
Back in Business
All it took was a commitment to collaborate, a dash of innovation, and a tireless work ethic from the team for Baker Group to completely rebuild the production line and get it operational in just more than six months. The tentative restart began in early July, reaching an impressive 99% capacity by mid-July.
With the damaged line back in operation, Baker Group turned back to the original project, installing a new assembly line that employs the latest automation technology, significantly increasing output.
“Being able to pivot to address their immediate need is what Baker Group is all about,” Juelsgaard says. “We have the in-house expertise to be able to shift on the fly and deliver the expertise needed for a project this complex. The success of this project is a testament to our ability to navigate complex challenges and deliver exceptional results.”