Thompson Machine & Tool Blog
A Simple Tool Reduces the Risk of Injury on the Plant Floor
The problem: A bladder that holds raw product has a plug that is difficult to remove creating the risk of injury and inefficiencies on the line. The solution: Manufacture a tool to assist lab technicians with the safe and efficient removal of the plug. The result: The...
Ice Cream Manufacturer Climbs New Heights
Central Smith Creamery is a leading manufacturer of premium ice-cream, sherbet, frozen yogurt and frozen desserts. Their products are shipped and enjoyed across Canada. Central Smith is a co-packer for some of Canada’s most recognized brands. The problem: Rooftop...
Increasing Quality of Finished Parts at Ritz Plastics Inc.
Ritz Plastics is an ISO 9001: 2015 certified producer of plastic components and assemblies primarily for the automotive industry. As a custom contract manufacturer Ritz Plastics does plastic injection moulding from concept through component production to final...
Ministry of Labour Focus on Workplace Respiratory Hazards
The Ontario Ministry of Labour has identified that their focus on inspections for October through until December 2019 will be musculoskeletal disorders and respiratory hazards. Inspectors will be focussing on the following industries: Construction Health Care...
The Challenges with Designing in Metric Instead of Imperial
Relationship Status: "It's Complicated" Canadian's have been in a slow and lengthy breakup with imperial measurements. After a significant industry-led lobby, the (Pierre) Trudeau government adopted the metric system in Canada in 1970. Thus beginning a painstakingly...
Material Sourcing and Production Costs
We once had a customer ask us to make a truck box out of stainless steel. The material costs alone made the customer decide the project wasn't worth pursuing. The fact is, sourcing the right material for the job, has a critical impact on costs and we routinely are...
Tolerances on drawings can influence production costs
Manufacturing costs are influenced by a number of factors: material, finish, whether or not the welds need to be certified to name a few. When we look at drawings to manufacture a part, we often don't know anything other than what is on the drawing so we cost and...
Check Your Machine Guarding
Earlier this month, the Ontaio Ministry of Labour announced that their focus on inspections for February and March 2019 will be machine guarding. We work with many different types of equipment that require guarding and lockouts. Each presenting their own unique...
Maintaining Industrial Brakes
Brakes play an essential role in most industrial machines. How Brakes Work Many different types of brakes exist, but they all provide the same function: to slow down or stop movement. Brakes use friction to halt rotating inertia loads and to hold movable parts in...
Maintaining Gearboxes
Industrial equipment powertrains are critical for keeping operations running and product flowing. The costs and reliability of powertrains are important factors to consider for any company using equipment in their production. One common component found in industrial...
