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Ergonomics is more than a buzzword today - it is a movement. Nationally, our demographics confirm we are aging and in deteriorating physical shape. This impacts the workplace, and good employers must think of their businesses in terms of ergonomics. EASE is the group within MHI focused solely on making work easier for people by improving the work environment. EASE members promote the practice of good ergonomics in the workplace by providing solutions across a broad spectrum of applications and industries. Activities include presentations at various industry events and development of non-commercial training materials. EASE also engages and collaborates with NIOSH and the academic community to enrich the group and enhance presentations and training materials. Mission To be the authoritative resource for industrial ergonomics. Vision Establish the EASE brand as the definitive source for industrial ergonomics information. Be engaged in the industry conversation about ergonomics, particularly where it can suggest available solutions provided by member companies. Serve as a resource to the academic, governmental an industrial communities for solutions to ergonomic challenges that provide better human results and increased productivity.
Institute of Caster and Wheel Manufacturers (ICWM) members are the Industry's leading suppliers of casters, wheels, and industrial trailer trucks, platform trucks and towline trucks. They supply caster and wheel solutions worldwide and in virtually every major manufacturing and distribution sector. The association was formed in 1933. Mission: Deliver exceptional value to the caster and wheel market through standards development, educational materials and market intelligence. Vision: Connecting the right casters and wheels to the right application. ICWM members meet regularly to: Develop and promote guidelines and standards for casters and wheels Prepare and distribute educational and promotional materials Collect and disseminate reliable industry statistics
Mobile Automation Group (MAG) members are the Industry’s leading suppliers of automatic guided vehicle systems. They supply systems worldwide and in virtually every major manufacturing and distribution sector. Mission: To promote the market awareness, growth, and effective use of driverless industrial vehicle systems (e.g. AGVS, AMRs, and AGCs) Vision: To be the trusted, independent authority on driverless industrial vehicle systems The MAG group is a collaboration of trusted industry leaders that provide: Market Intelligence Market Awareness and Clarity Leadership Safety Advocacy Market Access By Coordinating Statistical Programs Delivering Promotional Marketing Providing Education Influencing Industry Standards Overcoming Barriers to Adoption Both Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are computer-controlled wheel-based load carriers (normally battery powered) that run on a plant or warehouse floor (or, if outdoors, on a paved surface). The main difference between AGVs and AMRs is how the path they follow is determined. Most AGVs follow predefined paths, although there may be areas of the plant or warehouse where they have more freedom. AMRs can determine their own path, although they will attempt to follow suggested paths if they exist. This difference leads to differing methodologies for ensuring safe operation for the two types of vehicle. AGVs follow the ANSI B56.5 Safety Guidelines There is a standard under development for AMRs MAG member companies meet regularly to review, discuss and revise the standards for design, performance and safe operation of automatic guided vehicle systems. MAG members are committed to the development, maintenance and publishing of industry standard specifications for these systems. MAG programs include: The development of educational and training materials; A voice in the development and maintenance of national standards; The confidential exchange of market statistics and publication of industry data to the public; The communication of the benefits of AGVS solutions via trade shows, educational forums, and other national and regional seminars.
Friction is the resistance to sliding, rolling, or flowing motion of an object due to its contact with another object and plays a major role in the industrial world. Whether loads will be towed or pushed manually, proper wheel selection will significantly impact the results. Using the principles described in this paper will enable good choices.
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When a major international engine manufacturer needed better carts for delivery of parts to an assembly line, the local distributor recommended Hamilton. Working closely as a team, the distributor, engine manufacturer, and Hamilton engineers designed a cart to meet multiple needs. Parts must be placed in the proper sequence for eventual use on different models, and are loaded in one facility, transported to the assembly facility, and then delivered via power towing to specified points on the line. Operators must be able to maneuver the loaded carts into position, then access the 48 parts while matching the part to the assembly on the line.
October 30, 2024 – Hamilton Caster, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters, wheels, and material handling solutions, is thrilled to introduce its latest innovation to enhance workplace safety —the Field Installable Toe Guard. Affectionately known as the Swiss Army knife of toe guards, this versatile solution not only enhances workplace safety by protecting feet from injury but also offers support for two brake styles—heavy-duty contact brakes and ergonomic brakes—and floor brushes, all of which are field-installable.Heavy-duty contact brakes ensure steady support for larger loads, while ergonomic brakes minimize operator strain and fatigue. Optional floor brushes sweep away foreign objects and debris during operation, protecting casters from damage and keeping pathways clear. These features enhance operational efficiency and contribute to a safer work environment, making this an essential upgrade for safeguarding employees across various environments.Constructed from robust 3/16” steel and finished in a sleek platinum gray, this toe guard ensures long-lasting durability and protection. With an industry-standard 1/2” clearance from the floor, the toe guard integrates seamlessly with existing casters, eliminating the need for drilling or modifications. Customers can opt to have the toe guard assembled onto a new caster or order it separately for easy installation on existing casters. This multi-purpose toe guard replaces Hamilton’s previous model, providing a more adaptable and customizable option available for wheel diameters 4” – 12”.“Our field installable toe guard is designed to significantly enhance safety without the need for replacing entire caster assemblies,” said Mark Lippert, president of Hamilton Caster. “Its customizable features allow users to modify protection levels to specific needs, ensuring comprehensive safety in various operational settings.”What truly distinguishes this toe guard is its versatility, offering a range of options to suit different safety needs. Key features include:• Enhanced Safety: Made from 3/16” steel and designed with a standard 1/2” floor clearance to prevent costly injuries and protect workers• Comprehensive Kit: Includes a replacement axle, 2 lock clips, and 4 nuts for a complete and hassle-free installation.• Compatibility: Available in 8 different caster sizes, accommodating 4” - 8” diameter wheels with 2” tread widths and 6” - 12” diameter wheels with 3” tread widths.• Customizable Options: Enhance functionality with 2 heavy duty brake styles that can be mounted on the front or back, and floor brushes“Staying true to Hamilton’s legacy of quality, our field installable toe guards are manufactured in-house, ensuring exceptional durability and faster delivery,” Lippert added.“This streamlined production process reduces lead times and enhances customer satisfaction.”For additional customization, upon request we offer a unique height-adjustable skirt, allowing adjustments up to 1” off the floor, tailoring the level of protection in special cases, such as up-slope travel of casters.Whether you’re seeking a straightforward safety upgrade or a highly customizable solution, Hamilton’s field installable toe guard is the ultimate tool for workplace safety. For complete specs and product details check out the all-new Field Installable Toe Guard Landing Page or contact our team to learn how the Field Installable Toe Guard can elevate safety in your facility.About Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co.Founded in 1907, Hamilton Caster is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing stock and custom-engineered heavy-duty casters, wheels, carts, and trailers. Family-owned since its inception, the fourth generation remains as committed to quality as the company’s founder, John Weigel. For more information visit www.hamiltoncaster.com.ContactJodi FritschDirector of MarketingJodi.Fritsch@HamiltonCaster.com513.896.3540Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co.www.HamiltonCaster.comwww.CartsAndTrailers.com(800) 733-7655
Hamilton, Ohio - Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co., a 117-year-old manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters, wheels, carts, and in-plant trailers, proudly announces the appointment of Andrew D. Stamp as its new Director of Sales & Business Development. In this role, Andrew will lead a dynamic team of outside and inside sales professionals, driving innovation and business development to enhance sales performance and elevate the customer experience.Andrew brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served in senior executive positions at companies such as Pacteon Group, Syntegon Processing and Packaging, and Valco Cincinnati. His expertise in revenue generation, profit maximization, strategic partnerships, and market expansion will be invaluable as Hamilton continues to grow and innovate."We are thrilled to welcome Andy to our team," said Mark Lippert, President of Hamilton Caster. "His expertise and vision will be instrumental as we continue to expand our market presence and achieve our strategic goals."Andrew holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from The Ohio State University and is an active member of professional associations such as AICC and PMMI. He is also a patent holder for innovative adhesive dispensing technologies."I am thrilled to join Hamilton and be a part of such an innovative team,” said Andrew. “I am committed to driving growth and delivering unparalleled value to our customers. With our focus on innovation and customer satisfaction, I am confident that together, we will achieve new heights of success."Andrew joins Hamilton’s accomplished and experienced leadership team that includes: Lester Jones, Operations Manager; Lee Burroughs, Lean Manager; Mark Lohmann, Chief Financial Officer; Thomas Raley, Director of IT; Patrick Lippert, Supply Chain Manager; John Yater, Cart & Trailer Value Stream Manager; Kellie Krieger, Director of Human Resources; and Jodi Fritsch, Director of Marketing.About Hamilton Caster & Mfg. CoFounded in 1907, Hamilton Caster is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing stock and custom-engineered heavy-duty casters, wheels, carts, and trailers. Family-owned since its inception, the fourth generation remains as committed to quality as the company’s founder, John Weigel. For more information, visit www.hamiltoncaster.com.
April 3, 2024 – Hamilton Caster, the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters, wheels, carts, and trailers, proudly announces the expansion of its Nylast® wheel line to include sizes up to 24 inches in diameter, tripling its current load capacity of the series. This expansion not only broadens the scope of its offerings but also allows for the enhancement of several caster series for heavy manufacturing industries. Hamilton Nylast® wheels, crafted from solid-cast high-performance nylon, have long been synonymous with durability and resilience. Unlike conventional injection-molded nylon wheels, Nylast® boasts superior impact strength, making it the top choice for industries requiring robust performance under demanding conditions. Hamilton’s Nylast® material is meticulously formulated with finely divided particles of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), enhancing load-bearing capability while preserving the impact resistance inherent to nylon. Every aspect of Nylast® wheels, from the face to the bore, undergoes CNC machining to strict tolerances, ensuring consistency and quality in every product. With the introduction of larger Nylast® wheel diameters, Hamilton is even more poised to cater to the evolving needs of heavy manufacturing industries such as aerospace and defense, ship and bridge building, and construction. The larger Nylast® wheel sizes enable Hamilton’s Super Duty and Extreme Duty Caster series to handle heavier loads, provide enhanced versatility, and perform in demanding industrial environments. “This expansion allows us to provide our customers with more solutions to tackle even the most demanding tasks with confidence,” said Jodi Fritsch, director of marketing. “We are committed to continuously innovating and improving our product offerings to meet the evolving needs of our customers." Nylast® wheels are more desirable in specific applications over forged steel and polyurethane due to their ability to withstand a higher load capacity without damaging floors. Because Nylast® wheels are much lighter in weight than forged steel or polyurethane, the overall PSI on the contact area of the floor is significantly less. Nylast® also has a higher degree of chemical and moisture resistance. Chemical resistance of wheel materials depends upon many variables including the manner and length of exposure, temperature, and chemical concentration. Check out the Nylast® Chemical Resistance Chart to learn the chemicals that play nice with Nylast®. Nylast® wheels have very low rolling resistance while moving heavy loads. This feature enhances energy efficiency and minimizes friction, which in turn can extend equipment lifespan and improve overall performance. Low rolling resistance not only saves energy and ensures smoother workflows, but it can also contribute to a more sustainable and cost-effective operation. Last year, Hamilton introduced its new U-Grooved Industrial Track Wheels, offering Nylast® as a wheel option due to its ability to withstand chemicals and moisture. Nylast® U-Grooved Wheels provide a great alternative for customers in industrial environments where crane cables, pulleys, rolling gates and doors are prevalent, and sanitary and wash-down conditions are imperative. About Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co. Hamilton Caster is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing stock and custom-engineered heavy-duty casters, wheels, carts, and trailers. Family-owned since its inception, the fourth generation remains as committed to quality as the company’s founder, John Weigel. Hamilton is proud to be a Lean manufacturer in the USA since 1907. For more information visit www.hamiltoncaster.com.
Hamilton, Ohio - Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co. announced that it has named Mark Lippert as its new President. Hamilton Caster, a 116-year-old manufacturer of heavy-duty industrial casters, wheels, carts, and in-plant trailers, is in its fourth generation of family leadership. Mark succeeds his cousin, David R. Lippert, who retired in December. “As we look to the future, we are confident that Mark possesses the qualifications and expertise to continue to grow our family business,” stated Board Member, Ted Lippert. “Under his leadership, Hamilton Caster will continue to make a significant impact on the industrial market and our community.” Mark is an energetic and highly effective business leader with a strong technology background, specializing in brand and product positioning, business development, strategic planning, and process improvement strategies. “I am honored and humbled to step into this role and build upon my family’s legacy as just the 6th president in our history,” said Mark. “I’m excited to leverage our core values of integrity, continuous improvement, accountability, respect, and empowerment as the foundation for strengthening our customer relationships, investing in new technologies, and supporting employee development.” Mark joined Hamilton Caster in 1995 to lead marketing efforts that have resulted in a brand that has been ranked #1 in brand perception studies for the industrial manufacturing market. He also helped manage the business with three other family members (all cousins), Dave, Steve, and Jim Lippert. Together, they led with a vision to be the manufacturer of choice for heavy-duty and custom-engineered mobility systems. “As the company implemented its business succession plan, we knew that there would be two key positions on our leadership team to fill,” said Mark. “It was important for us to find the right individuals to complement an already accomplished and experienced leadership team.” As a result of this search, Kellie Krieger joined Hamilton in October as Director of Human Resources and Administration, replacing long-time Executive Vice President, Steven J. Lippert, who also retired in December. Kellie brings over 20 years of human resources experience to Hamilton, most recently as Human Resources Manager at Hamilton Township. Jodi Fritsch also came aboard, in November, as Director of Marketing, a position that Mark held for over 28 years before his promotion to President. Jodi brings nearly 20 years of marketing experience to Hamilton, most recently serving as Vice President of Marketing at HORAN. Kellie and Jodi join Hamilton’s leadership team that includes: Jim Lippert, VP of Sales; Lester Jones, Operations Manager; Lee Burroughs, Lean Manager; Mark Lohmann, Chief Financial Officer; Thomas Raley, Director of IT; Patrick Lippert, Supply Chain Manager; and John Yater, Cart & Trailer Value Stream Manager. “Hamilton’s success over the past several years has been possible because of the vision of our leadership team along with the collaboration and diligent performance of all of our employees in terms of engineering, sales, customer service, production, and product development,” said Mark. “We expect to see continued growth because we continuously strive to be the best-in-class in everything we do.” About Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co Founded in 1907, Hamilton Caster is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing stock and custom-engineered heavy-duty casters, wheels, carts, and trailers. Family-owned since its inception, the fourth generation remains as committed to quality as the company’s founder, John Weigel. For more information visit www.hamiltoncaster.com.
February 23, 2023 – In Hamilton’s latest line of new industrial wheels, U-Grooved Track Wheels are designed for easy rolling along straight or curvy tracks or pipes. With a capacity range of 1000 – 7000 lbs., U-Groove Wheels are a great solution when working with crane cables or pulleys, or using rolling gates and doors. They’re also common in food services, washdown, and other industries where tubed tracks are commonplace. “We saw a large volume of Hamilton customers special ordering our U-Grooved industrial track wheels so we decided to add them to our everyday product offering,” said Mark Lippert, President of Hamilton Caster. “We will now manufacture the wheels more efficiently and shorten their lead time, providing a big win for our customers.” Hamilton engineers designed this track wheel with flexibility in mind. The new U-Grooved Track Wheels come in standard sizes ranging from 4 to 10-inch diameters in three materials: steel, stainless steel, and nylon. This series of wheels offer a variety of groove depths and widths that accommodate a wide range of pipe sizes and track materials. Each wheel is fitted with precision-sealed ball bearings for easy rolling and maintenance-free operation. Hamilton's Steel U-Grooved Wheels, machined from 1045 steel, are the strongest, most durable of the series, and provides the highest load-bearing capacity. The Stainless Steel U-Grooves are machined from Type 303 stainless steel. This makes them ideal for harsh, corrosive environments such as chemical and food processing plants, and pharmaceutical operations. Hamilton's Nylast® U-Groove wheels are made from solid cast high-performance nylon, specially formulated with finely divided particles of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) to enhance its load-bearing capability while maintaining impact resistance. The U-Grooved Nylast® Wheel is resistant to moisture and chemicals while providing necessary floor protection. This results in an industrial wheel well-suited for corrosive environments or applications where sanitary conditions are important. Optional accessories include custom machined bores with keyway and/or set screws, as well as slick poly or rubber-coated treads. Hamilton can also machine custom sizes up to 25-inch diameters and other materials to match your exact specs. Should a size or configuration not be a standard, Hamilton will always custom design and build what is needed. Check out the new U-Grooved Landing Page for complete specs and product details. About: Founded in 1907, Hamilton Caster is an industry leader in designing and manufacturing stock and custom-engineered heavy-duty casters, wheels, carts, and trailers. Family-owned since its inception, the fourth generation remains as committed to quality as the company’s founder, John Weigel. For more information visit www.hamiltoncaster.com.