Salford BBI Spreaders of Cornelia, Georgia, manufactures a variety of truck-mounted and pull-type spreaders, which are used for distributing everything from lime and fertilizer to rock, sand and salt. Building these spreaders, used in the agricultural, poultry and construction industries, requires Salford to work closely with partner suppliers Kurt Hydraulics and Atlanta Rubber & Hydraulics.
Quality, timing and price are all critical parts of the design equation, so today’s relationship between manufacturers and suppliers remains important. Atlanta Rubber & Hydraulics provides engineering, product assembly and kitting, along with a 3-stage inventory system to maximize just-in-time product delivery. Kurt Hydraulics manufactures a complete line of hydraulic couplings made in America and is one of six Kurt divisions. Kurt maintains local supply, as well as service, for hydraulic couplings, hose and assemblies in key domestic markets.
“BBI engineers are very demanding when it comes to the components and the assemblies they design into our spreaders,” said Beau Morrison, BBI purchasing and inventory manager. “We got to know Kurt Hydraulics and the quality of their products through our area supplier Atlanta Rubber & Hydraulics. They showed us how Kurt’s hose and coupling quality, together with Atlanta’s kitting and inventory management, would enhance our spreader product cost effectively.”
The hydraulic connections in the spreaders are key to system function and long-term quality. They incorporate components selected for their durability and efficiency, thereby reducing labor, fuel and maintenance costs. Increasingly, these systems have compact designs that are a challenge to thread a hose through to make a connection with satisfactory performance results. It is vital that the hydraulic systems facilitate a wide spread pattern to deliver a precise field application for optimum growing results.
“Our spreader engineers design and set the product performance requirements for the hose and coupling products,” said Morrison. “Atlanta Rubber responds to this with recommended hose, fittings and accessories that are tested, validated and that meet BBI cost requirements.”
As an example of this process, the BBI Pull Type and Truck Mount Hydraulic Endurance spreaders are designed to handle just about any terrain. Designed for multiple spreading tasks—litter, shavings, compost, manure and organic spreading—their hydraulics are designed to withstand virtually all field conditions.
To meet those requirements, Atlanta Rubber recommended Kurt’s Braided SAE R2S EN 853 2/SN hydraulic hose in 1⁄4, 3⁄4 and 11⁄4 in. diameter sizes. This hose is designed specifically for high-pressure hydraulic oil line applications. The hose is made of oil-resistant synthetic rubber that is reinforced with two high-tensile steel wire braids. The hose cover is abrasion-, ozone- and weather-resistant synthetic rubber that meets flame resistant MSHA designation.
Seven different Kurt W Style coupling fittings are used to accommodate hose size, length and the hydraulic configuration in the various model spreaders. Each fitting is specified according to BBI’s engineering design to ensure consistent hydraulic pressures, a leak-proof connection and smooth operation in variable field conditions. These fittings feature corrosion resistant ROHS compliant plating and are manufactured with ISO 9002 quality processes to meet SAE specifications.
The service aspect provided by Atlanta Rubber is integral to the success of the hose /coupling relationship. The company offers a simplified supply process so the correct combination of hose, couplings, screws and other small components are kitted for a particular model spreader. Each component is sized and counted prior to kitting so that assemblers have just what they need at the time of assembly.
The kitting process starts with the hydraulic system designed by BBI’s engineers. “We take their drawings, specifications and match them up with Kurt hose and fittings and then assemble according to the specifications,” said Chris Brady, branch manager for Atlanta Rubber. “We deliver the first article hose/coupling assembly to the customer for approval before starting quantity production.”
Next comes the kitting. That process often includes additional components besides the hose and fittings, such as conveyor belts, power units, and attaching devices including additional bolts and screws. All of this goes into one kit with one part number. Multiple kits are often required for multiple functions in a particular model spreader.
“Identifying kitting opportunities is an important part of Atlanta Rubber’s service to BBI,” said Brady. “We help BBI identify those opportunities. We visit their production lines, identify where we can kit, where we can preassemble, and then have those kits in inventory rather than trying to build the components on demand. Our vendor-managed inventory identifies all possible efficiencies that helps reduce costs, improves turnaround time and, as equally important, cost-effectively manages cash flow.”
Kurt Hydraulics
www.kurthydraulics.com
Leave a Reply