Caterpillar, Inc. is the world\u2019s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, engines, gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. Caterpillar, Inc. operates multiple manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S., including a 275,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Sumter, South Carolina, where they produce hydraulic cylinders.<\/p>\n
For years, their hydraulic facility was used to manufacture small hydraulic cylinders, but a 2012 expansion allowed them to increase their plant operations.
\nBefore the expansion, Caterpillar, Inc. used manipulators in their machining centers. The machining centers take up a large fraction of their overall production space and are equipped with everything from barring machines and vertical machines to wash stations and friction welders. Workers used the manipulators to pour materials into mixers and to transfer heavy parts from one machining center to another.<\/p>\n
The 2012 expansion allowed Caterpillar, Inc. to develop an entire facility dedicated to hydraulic manufacturing. This transition also provided the opportunity to update old systems and prepare their production space for a large operation. The expansion meant adding 175,000 square feet to their facility, rendering their old material handling system useless. While manipulators can be used to lift bags and pour their contents into mixers or for precise movements required for small measurements, Caterpillar, Inc. realized that they needed a solution that would cover a much larger work area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-1523","case_study","type-case_study","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n