3M is a global leader in manufacturing, producing a wide range of products, including ultra-strong abrasives, adhesives, and advanced materials used in various industries from automotive to healthcare.
In 2024, the company was adding two new production lines at its production facility in New Ulm, MN and needed conveyors for these new lines. This plant location manufactures a diverse portfolio of products that include electrical terminations & splices, injection molded components and personal protective equipment. The production process in scope includes plastic injection molding and assembly.
Back in 2009, 3M bought two DynaCon conveyors that to this day “run like a charm” says 3M Sr. Manufacturing Technology Engineer, Aaron Anderson-Walker. With such remarkable success with the current conveyor systems, the decision to work with Dynamic Conveyor again for conveyance needs was an easy one.
Challenge
The production lines would need to have finished product meet the worker’s operating height to eliminate ergonomic risk for operators. 3M has a strong and active Environmental Health and Safety organization that requires the operator’s work process meet ergonomic specifications, including but not limited to reach angles and lengths. If a process requires workers to reach and/or lift outside these safety approved specifications, it is the responsibility of the engineers to address the issues and provide controls or automation to minimize the issue and meet the specified requirements.
Solution
DynaCon modular conveyors in a Z configuration offer the ability for the finished product to be raised 4–5 feet from the assembly machine output and meets the height of the worker and the required safety specifications.
Results
The company not only achieved a more ergonomic work process for its operators, but also saw significant improvements in throughput. The extended conveyor length ensured a continuous flow of products, allowing the semi-automated packaging process to run seamlessly. This minimized packaging changeover time and maximized overall efficiency.
In the 15 years since the first purchased conveyors were commissioned, Aaron can’t remember the system being down. He says maintenance costs on the conveyors are extremely low and preventative maintenance is easy to perform.
“The after-sale support was outstanding. At one point, a conveyor didn’t have the elbow that was needed, when customer service at Dynamic Conveyor was called the response time was excellent, and we had the part in just a few days” said Aaron. “We were able to take what we knew about the previously bought conveyors to enhance the new conveyors to meet all height requirements to omit the worker safety issues” Aaron continued.
When asked if Aaron would recommend the conveyors to other manufacturers, he said, “Absolutely! The increased efficiency, output and minimum interruptions to operations have been impactful to the company. Our Engineering, Maintenance team and Operations teams all like the equipment very much.”
