NEW LIFE THROUGH AUTOMATION

How about an innovative manufacturer that saved its own life by turning to automation that now builds innovative automated systems that extend the part service life on worn, heavy machinery?

Rankin Automation Company (Broomall, PA) was founded as a manufacturer’s representative organization in 1937. The founder was Walter A. Rankin and he named the company after himself. The primary products were hydraulic in functional orientation and they served the heavy industry that was then found in the Philadelphia and Baltimore markets.

After World War II, the company transformed into a stocking distributor, representing both hydraulic and pneumatic products, with offices in Broomall and Baltimore, MD. As the company grew, they added additional sales personnel serving thousands of customers from northern Virginia through central New Jersey. Over time, the business passed in to the hands of Walter Rankin’s two sons, Tom and Richard, who ran the business for more than twenty years. They decided to sell the business rather than pass the business down to the third generation in the 1980s.

The business was first sold to an investor group who tried to diversify the company into various manufacturing enterprises. This did not prove successful and the company was sold again in 1987. The new owner was Rick Ware, who still owns the business today. Under his ownership, the company reviewed its primary business and decided to go in a new direction since much of the heavy industry in its markets had either closed or moved south and there was little growth foreseen in its traditional hydraulics business.

The company decided to emphasize automation products to target the growing opportunities for the younger industries now locating in the mid-Atlantic market. The new emphasis was on pneumatic, electric, and robotic products to be supported by trained sales and technical personnel. The emerging ability to control sophisticated products with programmable solutions led the company to a complete makeover. The company was renamed Rankin Automation Company in 1998 and began promoting itself to the market as an “Automation Solutions Provider”.

Today, Rankin Automation represents some of the most innovative companies in the automation world, including Festo, Yamaha, 80/20, Balluff and other represented manufacturers that allow Rankin to provide customers with comprehensive cutting edge solutions to their need to be world competitive.

For example, the company has developed the Two-Axis Automated Welding/MIG Carbide Machine, a solution for increasing machinery part-life and slashing operating downtime. This system offers a range of processes to apply hardfacing and weld materials to extend part service life on new and worn heavy machinery such as wearplate  and others used in mining, construction, agriculture, and processing industries.

“Controlling costs using effective maintenance strategies is undeniably important in this economic climate,” says Lee Baker, director of sales and a member of Rankin Industries’ hardfacing and welding experts team. “Increasing productivity, decreasing downtime and extending part life are key strategies for operators across industries.” Special features of the Two-Axis Automated Welding/MIG Carbide Machine include:

•  Programmable weld pattern

•  Touch panel HMI (Human Machine Interface) and 6 in color LCD display

•  PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)

•  Up to five retained weld programs

•  Digital display for wire speed, travel speed, and step distance

•  Push button gas purge and One button Start/Stop

•  800 amp water-cooled torch standard

•  Auto wire stick out control option

•  Motorized vertical slide

•  Movable floor stand mounted operator control panel

•  Axes travel distances—X: 8.5 ft/Y: 2.0 ft/Z: 10 in

•  4 drive roll wire feeder

•  Touch and Teach Programming

•  Multi-process options including flame cutting, flame spray, sub arc, and TIG

Beyond this system, the company manufactures automated hardfacing and welding systems that automates  and replaces what may now be manual MIG Carbide processes with a wide-range of application options, including several automatic weld position features and programmable automatic stepover and start/stop weld points.

So what does the future hold for Rankin Automation? No one knows for sure, but if it’s half as innovative as the past has been, then it’s going to be fun. You can bet your life on it.

Rankin Automation Company, P.O. Box 190, 888 Sussex Boulevard, Broomall, PA 19008, 610-544-6800, Fax: 610-328-6594, www.rankinautomation.com.