How We Helped: Stories from our Customers

Summer is project season, and Ultimation customers are doing it all, with help from our in-stock, quick-ship solutions. Here are a few examples:

Cutting Edge Lawn Solution

No more “scalped grass” for this customer! Replacing the casters of this 1970s-era King O’ Lawn reel mower with Ultimation’s Polyurethane Coated Roller with Bracket resulted in a envy-inspiring yard. The spring-retained, galvanized roller covered with a thick orange polyurethane roller cover is rated for operation within -80°F to 200°F (-62°C to 93°C) and has a 250-pound max. load capacity.

Ultimation Polyurethane Roller on Lawn Mower

Lawn after use of Mower Roller from Ultimation

Other customers tried the two-pack of rollers for other projects, and had this to say:

“Easy to install for whatever project you use it on” and “This product is exactly what I needed for my DIY wheel rollout stand and saved me a ton of $$… The poly coated rollers protect my expensive wheels. Very glad I found the rollers!”

A Concrete Solution

Concrete Bag Moved on Ultimation Gravity Conveyor

A rural home builder needed a quality steel ramp to move 94-pound bags of Portland cement to a mixing station. This Light-Duty Gravity Conveyor from Ultimation fit the bill. The 12-inch wide, 5-foot-long steel frame has a maximum load capacity of 900 pounds when the conveyor frame is fully supported.

“Tip: buy the support stands, also,” says the customer.

 

For more solutions, visit Ultimation’s online store.

Prototypes Built Using New 3D Printer

Ultimation’s new 3D printer is now building prototypes that will help the company quickly design, test and develop specialized plastic parts for conveyor systems.

Ultimation won the industrial 3D printer in a pitch contest hosted by Michigan Economic Development Corporation by showing how it could help solve a business problem and support their company overall. Tommaso Helwig, Ultimation’s engineering manager, made the winning pitch.

“Working with the Photocentric LC Magna 3D Printer has been a great experience because it can handle complex designs and large formats,” said Tommaso.

 

He added that the new printer also allows the company to implement design changes more quickly and cost-effectively than outsourcing prototype work.

Engineer in front of 3D printer for prototypes

Once the new printer was delivered, the Ultimation team ensured it was set up in a proper temperature- and light-controlled environment. Extensive staff training using a variety of materials yielded several learnings. For example, the team discovered that shorter parts can be printed in stacks or layers, making for a more efficient build.

One of the first applications was the design and development of a sleeve for Ultimation’s motor-driven conveyor rollers to provide added protection when shipping the sensitive electrical components.

According to Tommaso, having the on-site capability for parts prototyping is helping Ultimation attract new conveyor projects—especially for proprietary containers for vertical farming.

“Our ability to quickly design and test designs in-house is a big advantage, especially when coupled with Ultimation’s extensive knowledge of the industry,” he said.

A next step for the team is to continue exploring the printer’s capabilities. Tommaso explained that the Photocentric LC Magna is used widely in the dental industry for mouth guards and other items. The Ultimation team is exploring options for using the 3D technology for conveyor parts in food preparation and handling environments which have similar high safety standards.

“This printer really opens up the options for us to continue to innovate for our customers,” said Tommaso. “We are just starting to scratch the surface of its capabilities.”

Ultimation introduces three new controls packages that integrate conveyor and material handling systems for warehouses, industry

New offerings facilitate seamless connections for a more efficient production line

ROSEVILLE, Mich. (April 27, 2023) – Ultimation Industries today announced the addition of three new controls packages including two programmable logic controllers (PLC) and one variable speed controller to its portfolio of on-line, ready-to-ship material handling products. The controllers can seamlessly integrate a variety of material handling systems within industrial facilities for greater efficiency. Ultimation is the leading direct-to-consumer conveyor manufacturer, specializing in solving productivity challenges with fast-to-deploy solutions for the vertical farming, food processing, automotive, heavy equipment, warehousing, fulfillment and delivery sectors.

“Ultimation’s new programmable logic controllers are specially designed to enable continuous monitoring and control of input and output devices between our various lines of conveyor equipment such as motor driven roller conveyors, belt systems and lifters for a more efficient production line,” said Kali Cresent, general manager for Ultimation.

Cresent explained that moving materials within an industrial facility often requires different material handling solutions to load, move, lift, buffer, and offload parts and products as they move their way through the production process. PLCs can provide seamless connections between a variety of conveyors while reducing or eliminating the manual work involved in transporting products from one system to another.

The new controllers available through Ultimation include:

  • PLC Panel Package for 24V MDR Conveyor Systems. Motorized-driven roller conveyors (MDRs) are the workhorse of warehouses and distribution centers around the world, providing fast, smooth movement of packages, tote bins, pallets, tires, cartons and more. The PLC panel package adds to the efficiency, with its six-module 24VDC CompactLogix L16 Controller and a 5.7” PanelView Plus with touch-screen capability. It’s designed to work with Ultimation, Interroll or Itoh Denki 24V MDRs. The PLC package is contained within a wall mountable NEMA 1 enclosure with manual lock.

PLC Control Package Qimarox MK1

  • Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Package for Belt Conveyors. Belt conveyors come in a variety of lengths and widths, and are great for transporting regular and irregular shaped objects, including totes, packaged goods and bulk boxes. The VFD Control Package consists of an enclosed AC micro drive with mounting plate, a VFD to motor power cable, and 10-foot AC power cable, which allows for easy adjustment of speed and torque of the gearmotor to match the requirements of the BS100B Series belt conveyor system from Ultimation.

DuraPulse GS-10 Variable Frequency Drive

  • PLC Package for Qimarox ProRunner MK1 Vertical Conveyor Systems. This package contains everything required to integrate the Qimarox ProRunner MK1 vertical conveyor into a warehouse application. The ProRunner MK1 has a small footprint and requires minimal maintenance. The PLC automation controller package monitors the lift system and its various components, such as the sensors and motors. It senses when there’s an object that needs to be lifted and uses pre-programmed logic to determine height and other factors before starting the lifting sequence. It uses this information to control the operation of the lift and ensure safe and efficient operation.

Qimarox MK1 Vertical Conveyor PLC Control Package

All Ultimation PLCs are engineered with an e-stop to keep operators safe, according to Cresent. The 240W 3-phase 380-480V AC input power supply is fitted with a rotary disconnect to ensure that the panel is de-energized while the enclosure door is open. The enclosure itself includes a locking door to ensure that only the intended people are accessing the inside of the enclosure.

“The Ultimation team can assist customers in configuring and quoting the correct control package for their application, whether it’s a ‘turn-key’ solution or a shipped-to-order configuration,” said Cresent.

For more information about Ultimation Industries conveyor solutions, visit https://www.ultimationinc.com.

Ultimation Adds Curved Conveyors to its Quick-Ship Offerings for Greater Material Handling Flexibility

Motor-driven roller curves allow manufacturers and distributors to easily create full-loop systems for better space utilization

ROSEVILLE, Mich. (Mar 30, 2023) – Conveyor technology has literally turned the corner, thanks to Ultimation Industries’ latest offering of curved motor-driven roller (MDR) conveyor segments for on-line quick-ship customers. Ultimation is the leading direct-to-consumer conveyor manufacturer, specializing in solving productivity challenges with fast-to-deploy solutions for the vertical farming, food processing, automotive, heavy equipment, warehousing, fulfillment and delivery sectors.

 

“Curved conveyor sections have always been available for our custom-built material handling projects, but the introduction of curved MDR conveyors in our quick-ship line affordably brings this technology to small- and medium-sized businesses,” said Kali Cresent, general manager for Ultimation.

 

MDRs operate with 24-volt DC power and use motorized rollers within the conveyor frames to move products from location to location. They use zero pressure accumulation, which means loads continue moving along the MDR conveyor until they get close to (but do not touch) the product unit in front, ensuring there are no gaps in the assembly line.

Powered Roller Conveyor Curve 24V 90 Degree 43" R

Motorized curved conveyors from Ultimation can help fast-growing small businesses scale quickly and maximize use of facility space.

Curved sections allow manufacturers and distributors to create a full-loop system or configure conveyors around warehouse obstacles or other equipment. The MDR curved conveyor section comes in a variety of lengths to meet customers’ needs.

 

Cresent says MDRs are a great choice for energy efficiency because they only use electricity when they are actively moving cargo. They’re also quiet and can handle a multitude of products such as packages, tote bins, pallets, tires, cartons and more.

 

“MDR curves can help fast-growing small business such as distribution centers or those involved in e-commerce to scale quickly and maximize use of facility space,” said Cresent, adding that they seamlessly plug into straight MDR conveyor sections.

 

Replacement parts for curved conveyors are also available through Ultimation’s online store. The powered rollers are universal and can be used in curved or straight MDRs.

 

For more information about Ultimation Industries conveyor solutions, visit https://www.ultimationinc.com.

How We Helped: Stories from our Customers

It’s springtime and that means outdoor and recreational projects for Ultimation customers. Here are three examples of how some of our in-stock, quick-ship solutions are making outdoor chores less of a chore:

Home improvement helpers

One customer discovered it’s easy to be green when using Ultimation heavy duty rollers with brackets. The customer used a homemade hoist and 15-inch galvanized steel rollers to get solar panels from the ground to the roof. The rollers move the panels up and over the edge of the roof, and “worked like a charm,” according to the customer.

Another customer used the same type of roller to move logs inside during a log cabin build project. The rollers were mounted to the sill of a window opening.

“I loaded each log onto my tractors forks, then turned toward this roller, thus inserting the log into the build area and onto the roller,” the customer writes.

The rollers are durable with a 250-pound capacity.

Roller bracket solar panels

Rolling on the river

There’s nothing like time in the water on a warm summer day, and Ultimation heavy-duty rollers can help make it easier to launch and load boats of all types. “I put these rollers on my raft trailer to make it easier for me to load my raft on the trailer on dry land and they work great,” says one customer.

Raft trailer rollers kayaks

rollers on boat dock

Another used a lightweight gravity conveyor solution to get a fishing boat in and out of the water.

“Used it on a boat dock to easily roll down and up a 15-foot jon boat without scratching the hull,” the customer says.

The conveyor costs under $100 and has a maximum load capacity of 900 pounds when the conveyor frame is fully supported.

For more solutions, visit Ultimation’s online store.