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Ventilation Automation HVAC Supplier Takes It to the
Next Level People can’t help but look up to the products DuctSox manufactures - their fabric duct systems hang from the ceiling for all to see. But when people first see a DuctSox, they aren’t sure just what it is they’re looking at. “We recently showed at the GreenBuild Expo. It was held in the new David L. Lawrence Convention Center, where they installed one of our systems. It was fun to see architects and contractors look up at the DuctSox. You could see them wondering, ‘What’s that? It looks like something for air ventilation,’” says Rob Brown, Engineer with DuctSox. This convention center has a suspended roof that flexes constantly in the weather. Heating and cooling the 236,000 sq. ft columnless space could not have been possible without DuctSox. The center represents the largest and most complex project undertaken by the firm, with nonstandard materials throughout. But as Brown observes, “That job has provided invaluable PR for us. At GreenBuild we had non-stop interest from the attendees.” Fabric ducting is not a new concept. Since the early 1980’s, DuctSox has provided its products to the food processing industry, and was the first company in the U.S. to do so. Fabric ducting has improved efficiency, lower installation cost, and better indoor air quality when compared to metal ductwork. These advantages, plus recent increased use of open ceilings, have brought attention to fabric ducting, and new business to DuctSox. Today DuctSox can be found in schools, offices, gyms, retail businesses and pools. The Dubuque, IA company has been experiencing double-digit growth for nearly five years. DuctSox wants to continue this robust growth in sales, as well as improve their quality, so they are turning to Union Special Machine Company for help. As Brown says, “DuctSox is the biggest manufacturer in the U.S., and we plan to stay the leader. It’s our drive for quality that keeps us ahead of our competition.” In December of 2002, Brown visited The Needle’s Eye website when he saw the Union Special automated DNHTC Knit Hemmer. This unit has a large work area with conveying belts that feed the material into the needles. Brown realized a potential fit, and knew automation was the direction DuctSox needed to go for the future. It was a case of working smarter, not harder. “We can add workstations, or we can automate,” explains Brown. “As we reviewed our manufacturing process, we saw a lot of need for increasing our workflow efficiency. And these automated units from Union Special will do that by simplifying our manufacturing.” The first operation DuctSox is asking Union Special to automate is the overedging of the panels that form the duct tubes. “Currently, these long runs are subject to human error - puckering and wrinkling - that automation will improve,” says Brown. An amazing feature of the duct seamer is its ability to insert plastic hanging clips into the seam just before sewing. These clips need to be located at specific intervals along the length of the duct, and within a particular distance from the end. Software on board the unit takes care of all that, further eliminating human error, and production bottlenecks. Brown has great expectations, saying, “We’re anticipating tripling capacity versus manual operation.” Even as the finishing touches are still being made to the duct seamer, DuctSox is planning on automating other operations. Brown gives high compliments to the automation engineers at Union Special Machine Company: “Working with those guys on this project has been great. They have expertise; they have knowledge. Throughout, their approach is ‘What can we do to help you?’” |
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