2018 Fall Newsletter

Meet the Team!

Two of the newer members of the MJ Engineering team, Corey Caldwell and Shripal Bhavsar, both agree that a few of their favorite things about working at MJ Engineering are the variety of projects and industries they get to work with and the assistance and knowledge they gain from the helpful, more experienced engineers.

Corey Caldwell is a controls engineer responsible for programming the automation equipment that MJ Engineering designs and develops. He is currently working on a project for DuraShield, an Ohio-based company that creates paint protection film. Corey is helping to create a barcode scanning system for bakery pans to determine when they need to be recoated. The Ohio native earned a Mechanical Engineering degree in 2014 from Cedarville University near Dayton. He says his background in mechanical engineering helps him on the job, and he is learning some of the electrical side as well. Corey, who started at MJ Engineering last April, says he enjoys working as a team and the challenge of figuring out how to make things work for new applications he has never done. “I am excited to be here, grow in my role, and learn some new things,” says Corey. Fun fact: Corey enjoys woodworking and playing basketball—he does skills coaching with a group in Columbus!

“Most of the time, I am trying to analyze something,” says Shripal Bhavsar, a mechanical engineer with a passion for finite element analysis (FEA). Shripal recently worked on MJ Engineering’s latest amusement ride project (see the next article for details), doing hand calculations to confirm whether the ride setup was sufficient to handle a particular load. Shripal helps with platform certifications, and he is also involved in design. Shripal earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering (ME) from India and a Master’s in ME from California State University, Fullerton. “I wanted to be in a field in which I can give the answers to engineering issues that we face in day-to-day life,” says Shripal, who likes to use creativity and precision to solve challenging engineering problems. Fun fact: Shripal comes up with his best answers in the shower!

MJ Engineering Helped Create a Frenzy This Fall!

MJ Engineering has a decade-long relationship with amusement ride manufacturer A.R.M. (USA) Inc. This fall, A.R.M. put the finishing touches on the second evolution of its popular pendulum-style thrill ride, Frenzy (original version pictured at left), which MJ Engineering has been involved with from the beginning.
Hundreds of hours of engineering go into these rides. In fact, they must meet a federal code that is hundreds of pages long, taking into account everything from patron (rider) safety, ride dynamics, storage, transport, and anything that could possibly affect the ride related to its structure, controls, performance, life, or environmental conditions like wind and ice.
“In a nutshell,” says MJ Engineering’s Phil Snyder, who worked on the original Frenzy as well, “it needs to be designed to sound engineering principles.” Safety is one of those principles. “Safety is extremely important to us,” says MJ Engineering President Richard Wand. “If we think that the safety of the patron has been compromised in some fashion, we’re required to say something and shut that ride down.”
“The Amusement industry is held to very high standards, and manufacturers understand this better than anyone,” says Mike Gill, of A.R.M. “Generally, we approach MJ Engineering with a task, whether it be a conceptual design, a design change of an existing ride, or a repair. Then we collaborate on the task until it meets all requirements.” (See the next article to find out how the new Frenzy did at its recent debut.)

Trade Show News—IAAPA in Orlando, FL

“Excellent show—it made my feet hurt!” said MJ Engineering President Richard Wand about the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) trade show he attended last month in Orlando.
The show encompassed more than 10 miles of displays, booths, and rides—not the least of which was the new Frenzy, which was located outdoors and giving rides every day during the expo. “It was a pleasure listening to the squeals of patrons once they got above 90 degrees from vertical,” said Richard.
Trade shows are a great way to meet current and potential clients and learn about what’s happening in the industry. MJ Engineering employees are encouraged to attend, when possible.
While at the IAAPA trade show, Richard spent a significant amount of time talking to other ride manufacturers, including one for whom MJ Engineering helped get a ride approved for the Chinese market. Another satisfied customer Richard ran into was Majestic Rides (https://www.majesticrides.com/back-spin-roller-coaster—mini.html) who reported that their customer was extremely happy with their new ride—one that MJ Engineering assisted with in the past.
Other good contacts at the expo were an Italian manufacturer, Moser Rides, who wants to bring another of their rides to the U.S., and a major manufacturer of U.S. trampoline parks and soft play activities. In addition, Richard talked to several other engineering firms, inspectors, fabricators, family entertainment center (FEC) manufacturers, and owners. So the possibilities are seemingly endless for MJ Engineering to help make the world safer and more fun!

Robots Are Here to Enhance—Not Replace—Your Jobs

Quality control, improved efficiency, and increased throughput are all good reasons for companies to automate their processes. Look at MJ Engineering’s Oral Syringe Filling Machine, for example. Automation takes over repetitive, mundane, or dangerous tasks (thereby increasing precision and consistency), while freeing its human counterparts to do safer or more fulfilling jobs.

Perhaps you have been considering bringing more automation—robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), or autonomous processes—into your manufacturing production, but you are finding resistance with your employees. Or maybe you’ve seen the recent statistics of robotics in the workplace, the typical rant being something about robots replacing good workers. And, depending on whom you talk to, you’ll find advocates for both sides of this conversation.

What do we, as automation experts, think? That doomsaying needs to stop.

Automation is ambivalent

The first thing to remember when dealing with any automated process is that it does not think for itself—yet. Therefore, the AI you might be adding to machines in your production processes to “think” like a human or even mimic human actions can only do what it has been programmed to do by a human. And most manufacturers have no interest in programming an uprising. The point is that automation isn’t an evil waiting to be unleashed on our economy; it’s a tool just like any other in getting things made and inspected more efficiently.

“Robotic integration is not about reducing head count; it’s about repurposing your head count,” says MJ Engineering President Richard Wand. “And being able to produce more with the same number of people.”

Often, as is the case with many of our customers, robots and automation are a welcome addition to a weary and beleaguered team. In fact, once it is up-and-running, employees often rave about the enhancements brought about by automation. Fears of job loss or technological overthrow are long gone within the first few weeks of installation.

On the website “Save Your Factory,” MJ Engineering robotics supplier FANUC discusses how robots allow businesses to remain competitive without offshoring.

The truth about automation is in the potential

Since the Industrial Revolution began more than 250 years ago, we have been putting tools to work for us in assembly processes—and we’ve come a long way since the Luddites destroyed machinery in the textile industry that they believed was threatening their jobs. These days, the term “Luddite” is used to describe anyone who is opposed to increased industrialization or new technology—and it is typically not a compliment.

Despite all of the technological advances since the first Industrial Revolution, more people are working than ever before. Assembly lines have become more efficient and more automated. Just think injection machines, CNC routers, and even conveyor belts, at their core, are all automated systems. And what have those automations brought us? The Industrial Age, mass manufacturing, and nearly everything you use every day. But, most importantly, it has brought us to a greater level of potential than ever before in human history. Automation enhances human potential.

The way this plays out on an assembly line, for instance, is best represented by automation working side-by-side with humans. The robot or automation handles the processes it is best suited for, and the person does the rest. This system takes physical strain off the worker while enabling that worker to handle the process they are given with more focus, maximizing their potential for output.

The future is now

Another advantage of adding automation to your manufacturing process, which you might not have considered, is that of hiring more specialized staff. If anything, adding a robot will increase the number of higher-level jobs within your company. Robot mechanics, automation experts, and CNC programmers are some of the positions for which you will likely be hiring, once your automation has been installed.

This idea may seem daunting now, but keep in mind the metrics of adding automation. Precision, quality, efficiency, output quantities, safety, and order fulfillment (all profitable elements of your business) increase almost exponentially with the appropriate addition of automation—which brings us to the caveat.

Robots are brutally honest

Just because robots will make your production line faster, better, and safer, while adding higher-level jobs and freeing up employees to do other work, it does not mean you should just slap any old robot onto your line. A thoughtful, intentional evaluation of your process is absolutely necessary before adding automation. And MJ Engineering is the perfect partner to help you create a system or line that incorporates robotics and automation. If the right machine does not already exist, MJ Engineering can custom-design it to suit your company’s needs.

The reason you need to put time and thought into your automation is two-fold: first and most obviously, it costs money to set up automation. It’s an investment you will see repaid in dividends, but a hefty sum nonetheless. Second, whatever problems you have in your current process—no matter where in relation to the automation they exist—can be exacerbated by adding automation. So, you want to get it right. In fact, if you struggle with your internal process, robotics can help because they expose weaknesses in your upstream process. Robotics perform the same exact action over and over again, so any variance will stand out.

This is a good thing when dealing with manufacturing. And it makes sense, because robots enhance potential. No other investment will give you the guaranteed results time and time again as adding automation. But you will want to think of how to integrate the automation as an augmentation of the process and people you currently have—not as a replacement. Only then will your addition be met with enthusiasm from everyone in your company, and your robots will automatically be welcomed with open arms.