Even the best equipment doesn't last forever. Whether your process changes as your business grows, or you've simply used your equipment to the point of breaking down, eventually you're going to need an upgrade. Tuff Automation can help with that.

Engine manufacturer Cummins found themselves in need of just such an upgrade. Their 20-year-old equipment was no longer meeting the task of moving their product.

"[Our equipment] was never upgraded to handle a heavier product," said Cummins Mechanical Engineer Michael McLaughlin.

So they contacted Tuff, and we worked together over a long and changing schedule to design, build, and install brand new equipment

Our design

The sum of what we worked together to create included heavy-duty CDLR with 3.5" diameter rollers, drip pans, custom frames, and guiding. These were much better equipped to move the heavier goods. We also mounted some new CDLR on a lift table the customer provided. In addition to the CDLR, Tuff also built a walkway and railing around the conveyor, mounted spring-loaded steps on the sides of the conveyor, and replaced the sensors on their equipment.

A long and challenging installation schedule

Over the course of four weekends in February, Cummins and Tuff worked together around an extremely demanding production schedule to put the new equipment in place. Tuff Mechanical Engineer Tony Truong traveled to the Cummins facility in New York to work with a team to facilitate the installation.

"Working with Tony Truong was the best part about using Tuff," said McLaughlin. "Not only was he great on the engineering side, offering solutions to all of our requests, he was a one-man installation crew."

Flexibility is the key

Even when brevity is out of the question, efficiency is of utmost importance. Though the circumstances made for a difficult schedule and an ultimately longer project process, Tuff and Cummins both exercised flexibility to ensure a satisfactory product.