Optimation Blog

At Optimation we design and fabricate many skid systems. These systems are used by manufacturers for a broad variety of applications. Skids can be built as carts, in frames, in shipping containers or trailers. They can be built as prefab production lines units that can be bolted together to form larger systems. Physical layout can be tailored to the complexity, geography and environmental conditions the skid needs to perform in. Some are mounted indoors in factory conditions, others may ultimately be located in the arctic, or on an offshore oil platform. Applications also vary. Some are used for chemical delivery or small scale chemical processing. Others have been used for hydrogen distribution, high pressure test systems, food processing or testing medical devices. Skid systems have the advantage of being built in a shop in controlled conditions and then installed in remote or challenging locations.     

One of the most important factors for a successful project is being able to specify the requirements up front. Many times, the customer doesn’t know exactly what he needs. More preliminary engineering is required to get the project requirements specific enough for suppliers to offer a fixed price bid for the project. But often, clients don’t realize they need to budget for this and therefore don’t want to pay for this service.

The introduction of collaborative robots (cobots) in manufacturing has presented some unique safety challenges for production workers, engineers, managers, and safety professionals. In my opinion, cobots represent the ingenuity driven by continual process improvement for sustainable and safe work.

What a fabulous week of celebrating Apprenticeships! If you've been following along, we've shared an interview with a journey worker and an apprentice at Optimation each day. Each one gave a different answer to the same questions I've been asking all week. We had a breakfast with our apprentices on Wednesday, celebrating them for making an investment in themselves, Optimation's future, and manufacturing's future. We're truly fortunate to have the best group of apprentices out there. Happy National Apprenticeship Week!

We're celebrating National Apprenticeship Week all week long here at Optimation! As a part of our celebration, we're featuring interviews from one Optimation apprentice and one of our skilled journey workers each day this week. It's a chance to get to know some of our employees a little better, learn about the apprenticeship experience firsthand, and learn some wisdom from the folks who are fully immersed in their careers.

We're celebrating National Apprenticeship Week all week long here at Optimation! As a part of our celebration, we're featuring interviews from one Optimation apprentice and one of our skilled journey workers each day this week. It's a chance to get to know some of our employees a little better, learn about the apprenticeship experience firsthand, and learn some wisdom from the folks who are fully immersed in their careers.

We're celebrating National Apprenticeship Week all week long here at Optimation! As a part of our celebration, we're featuring interviews from one Optimation apprentice and one of our skilled journey workers each day this week. It's a chance to get to know some of our employees a little better, learn about the apprenticeship experience firsthand, and learn some wisdom from the folks who are fully immersed in their careers.

We're celebrating National Apprenticeship Week all week long here at Optimation! As a part of our celebration, we're featuring interviews from one Optimation apprentice and one of our skilled journey workers each day this week. It's a chance to get to know some of our employees a little better, learn about the apprenticeship experience firsthand, and learn some wisdom from the folks who are fully immersed in their careers.

November 11-17, 2019 is National Apprenticeship Week.  National Apprenticeship Week was established four years ago by the US Department of Labor, and we’re glad to see more formal recognition of starting careers in the skilled trades. Optimation has a strong apprenticeship program that was established twelve years ago and accredited by the New York State Department of Labor.  While we may have been ahead of the curve in the recent drive to promote skilled trades, apprenticeships have been around for a very long time.

I’ve been struggling to write this post without it sounding like an intro to a prize on The Price is Right. Perhaps the easiest thing to say is, “Look ma, new website!” But after working on the new www.optimation.us for many months, I wanted to give a little insight into what we wanted to achieve.