One and Co

One and Co

Archives for May 2021

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How to Reduce Lead Times and Improve Business Performance

In the manufacturing industry, production is all about efficiency and speed. However, there comes a point where basic tactics no longer work and you’re stuck with lead times that just won’t cut it in order to stay competitive. That’s when you have to look for new ways to reduce lead times. This can come in the form of new techniques, new suppliers, or even technological advancements.

Regardless of the method in which it is done, reducing lead times is crucial to business performance and stay competitive in the marketplace. In this post, we’ll explain some ways to reduce lead times in various industries that go beyond just improving workflow. Hopefully, these tips will be just what is necessary to put your business on top.

Focus on Your Supply Chain

Your supply chain is pretty much the lifeline of your business. The better acquainted you are, the more you can reduce your lead times. There are numerous performance enhancements to your supply chain that you can make to improve production speed and reduce lead times. One of the most simple changes is to embrace automation where you can. This means automating inventory management, ordering, shipping, and transport.

You should also consider consolidating suppliers down as far as you can and focusing on domestic suppliers to speed up order times. Increasing order frequency can also help in this regard.

Develop Complex Molds That Can Create More Detailed Products Quickly

This tip is exactly as it sounds. The more complex items you can manufacture from molds, the faster you can get from manufacturing to shipping to customers. Investing in complex molds for products can shave weeks off of your lead time and increase your business by a significant amount because of it.

To think of it logically, if you can think of a routine way to create something complicated and the process speeds up significantly as a result, then you are able to do more business because you are not stuck on the same project for a long period of time.

Focus On Streamlining Operations Outside of Production

Essentially this final tip is about going over your business practices from the moment an order comes in up until production starts. What are some common-sense steps you can take to improve lead times?

This can be anything from reducing or eliminating the number of errors in the production process to increase the actual capacity of products you can create at one time. The important part is that you evaluate all your processes, not just your manufacturing to see where you can shave time.

This will ultimately give you the edge you need to stay ahead in business.

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4 Ways To Cut Back On Business Costs

Especially over the last couple of years, many business owners are struggling to stay afloat and are looking for ways to cut back on costs more than ever before. Running a business is expensive no matter what type of industry you’re in, but there are ways to keep costs down so that you can increase profits and watch them soar. There are many different things you can do to save money within your business. Here are some of the best ways for you to consider.

Implement Energy Solution Strategies

Being more energy conscious will help to lower your business energy costs exponentially. Make sure to do simple things like keeping lights off when not in use or when the business is closed, and replacing light bulbs with bulbs that use less energy, but it would also be smart for you to look into solutions such as solar power and installing smart power strips. Reducing your carbon footprint will not only be good for reducing costs but it will also help attract energy conscious people to your business and is great for the environment.

Treat Employees Well

Treating your employees well by offering a great work environment, a good benefits package, and time off may not seem like it will directly help you to cut back on costs, but. It absolutely will. If you treat your employees well and they enjoy working for you they will be less likely to seek employment elsewhere and more likely to continue working for you for a longer period of time.

This cuts costs because constantly having to hire and train new employees costs a ton of money! Keeping your employees happy will also ensure that they will work hard which will help your business to grow even more.

Reduce Supply Expenses

You can save money on supplies by contacting your current vendors and letting them know you are shopping around for lower prices. They may offer you special deals or reduced rates if they are afraid of losing your business. This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it often works!

Narrow Your Business Focus

By narrowing your focus and only offering a few select types of goods or services, you have much less to take care of and therefore can put your best efforts into everything you do. If you only offer two different types of services for example, you can really focus on perfecting those two services.

On the other hand, if you offer ten services, there are always going to be a couple that you are known for and better at while the others fall to the wayside. Stop spending extra money by limiting your business to only those things you know you can do best.

By trying out a few of these simple tips, you will be well on your way to lowering your business costs and increasing profits.

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Looking for Renewable Home Energy? Consider These 3 Options

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In the United States in 2018, renewable energy made up 17% of the total electricity generated.

If you want to harness some of that renewable home energy to power your home, you may be wondering which energy-saving technology you should go with.

Thankfully, we have the best home sustainability tips to lower your bill and save on power, so make sure you keep reading!

1. Wind Power

Wind power normally comes from one of the huge wind turbines that you’ve probably seen, but you don’t need one of those to power your home. You can normally find a grid-connected wind system.

These are cheaper to install because they’re a smaller system. However, you may also need a small wind turbine as well, depending on how much power you use and how big your house is.

One of the benefits of using this type of energy is that if you generate too much electricity that you don’t end up using, the utility company will normally give you cash back as well. Wind turbines also qualify for the tax rebate from the United States as well.

2. Solar Power

Harnessing the power of the sun can also give you great potential solar savings. You’ll harness the sun by installing solar photovoltaic panels onto your roof.

These panels absorb the sun’s rays, and then they’ll turn the rays into energy that you can use to run your home.

They’ll power your home even when it isn’t sunny outside. This happens because on the sunny days, the panel will generate more electricity than needed, and then it will store some as a backup for when the sun isn’t shining. If you don’t end up using any of that extra power, you can sell it to the national electricity grid and make some extra cash.

While sustainability is great, you’ll also be able to cut down on your electricity bills.

3. Hydropower

If you live near a river or a stream that is always flowing, you could harness that energy to power your home as well.

You should call a professional to come and help you, but it’s actually not that hard to set it up yourself. You should find the deepest stretch of the river or stream and channel that through a generator.

The water flowing into the generator will create more energy for your home, and some people find this source more stable than wind. So as long as your water is running, your home will be powered.

You don’t need any fuel to use this electricity either, because this is very earth-friendly.

Discover More About Renewable Home Energy

These are only a few of the renewable home energy options that you have available, but there are many more of them out there.

We know that keeping up with the latest trends in suitability can be overwhelming, but we’re here to help you out.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one.

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How Your Diet Can Affect the Quality of Your Sleep

A good night’s sleep isn’t just the best way to recharge your batteries after a long day, it also has many additional benefits for your health. People who don’t get enough sleep are more prone to gaining weight, have difficulty shaking off illnesses, and can be less productive during the day. A lack of sleep can also have a profound effect on your mood, increasing anxiety, frustration, and even depressive tendencies.

Everyone knows that sleeping well is important, but we’ve all lain awake in bed at night, unable to settle regardless of how welcoming we make the bed. What people don’t often think about is how much our sleep is affected by the things that we eat – not just immediately prior to going to bed, but also throughout the day. If you’re struggling to enter the land of nod, here are some dietary hacks which might just be the ticket you need to get those extra zzzzs.

Reduce Caffeine

This one might seem obvious as caffeine is a well-known stimulant, but that’s also the reason many people turn to coffee to keep them going through an evening, especially if they’re working late. What a lot of people don’t know is that caffeine can stay in the bloodstream for up to 6 hours, so if you’re a fan of a coffee on your commute home, it might still be stopping you from feeling sleepy well into the night. Try switching to decaf or limiting caffeine-rich drinks like coffee and cola to the morning.

Watch the Alcohol

Although a drink before bedtime can help you fall asleep, it has long-lasting effects which can mean that the quality of the sleep you do get is not as good as it should be. During the night, we cycle between deep sleep and light sleep, with the former being where we get the most rest. Drinking too much alcohol before bed disrupts this cycle, sending you into a deep sleep straight away but then your brain stays in light sleep for the rest of the night. That means when you wake up you feel more like you’ve only had a nap than a full night’s slumber.

Aid Digestion

The last thing you need before bedtime is indigestion, so make sure you stay away from foods which will keep your stomach working overtime. Fatty foods, processed foods, and anything with a spicy kick will keep your stomach gurgling away long after you’ve started counting sheep. Try and eat them earlier in the evening to give your body plenty of time to process them.

But it’s also not helpful to go to sleep feeling hungry. Sometimes we need an extra evening snack to avoid a different kind of stomach gurgle! There are foods which contain chemicals like serotonin, melatonin, and tryptophan, which your brain makes to help you fall asleep, so snacking on these before bedtime will give it a head start. Good choices include bananas, berries, turkey, and tart cherry juice. Just make sure you don’t add extra sugar, as this will have the opposite effect.

Create a Calming Environment

Of course, it won’t matter what you eat if your bedroom atmosphere isn’t conducive to sleep. While you might not be able to do anything about traffic noises and streetlights, you can adapt the room to make it as comfortable as can be. Investing in a good bed, like one of these from Divan Beds Centre, will help your body to relax. Blackout blinds and curtains will deal with any unwanted light sources, and you might want to consider using a sound app to create a relaxing ambience. What could be more soothing than the sound of waves lapping on the shore?

Conclusion

Preparation for a good night’s sleep starts long before you make it to the bedroom. If you’re having trouble nodding off or waking up unrested, try moderating your diet and see if that makes any difference.

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Great DIY Projects for Amateur Welders

Nothing is more satisfying than completing a do-it-yourself project. The feeling of accomplishment you get when you know that you have truly built something from the ground up is hard to match. In fabrication and manufacturing, welding is the ultimate way of bonding two surfaces together. There are plenty of great DIY projects to take on that involve welding. It is important not to jump into a welding project without the proper training and equipment. Always wear gloves, overalls and a mask and weld in a properly ventilated environment. Now that the safety talk is out of the way, let’s get down to business. Here are some great DIY projects to keep the amateur welder occupied.

Fire Pit

Every backyard can be improved with a fire pit. Luckily for the amateur welder, a good fire pit is one of the easier projects that can be taken on and is suitable for a first fabrication. Steel is the best material for a fire pit as it is relatively heat resistant no matter what quality it is. This project guide helpfully takes you step by step through the process of building a welded fire pit using sheet steel.

New Car Bumpers

Modern car bumpers are made of a highly resistant plastic known as ABS. Few people know that ABS can be very easily welded. Companies like Hot Air Tools sell silicone welding rods and hot air welding machines designed specifically to fuse plastics at a molecular level. Building cool (and safe) new car bumpers is a great way of improving your plastic welding skills.

Wine Rack

Combine your twin loves: drinking wine and welding steel. All you need to create a great DIY wine rack is some sturdy steel chains or rods and your trusty arc welding kit. There are plenty of different designs you can go for that will fit in any home. Check out the great Mediterranean wine rack design detailed by Popular Mechanics. Popular mechanics’ website also contains some great guides that can be of great use to the beginner welder.

Car Inspection Ramps

If you need to lift your car to inspect your exhaust heat shield, change the oil or make minor repairs, you’ll want to have a more sturdy lifting device than your regular jack. While a jack is fine for changing a tire, it is nowhere near safe enough if you are going to be spending any time underneath the body of the car. Car inspection ramps are a great project for the beginner welder. Make sure to use high-quality steel and to thoroughly inspect the integrity of all of your welded joints before rolling your car onto your new project. There are plenty of schematics for car inspection ramps online that will help you get a grasp of how the project should be completed.

Any kind of car lifting is inherently dangerous when the wrong precautions are taken. Always test your ramps before getting under the car and always raise your car on a flat surface.