Crush every job. This is the company mission of Screen Machine, a company that designs and manufactures heavy equipment like portable rock crushers, screening plants, and conveyors.

Ryerson plays an integral part of this mission, supplying cut and machined AR400 liner plates and supporting Screen Machine's replacement parts business. For years, the relationship was straightforward: Ryerson would supply plate out of its Columbus, Ohio service center to Screen Machine's assembly plant, roughly 20 miles away in Etna. This is where both first and second-stage processing, kitting, and assembly would be completed by Screen Machine.

But that all began to change in 2017.

Lean and Mean

New leadership took over for Screen Machine in 2017, with an emphasis on lean manufacturing. They recognized an opportunity for improvement in the assembly of the machines. The emphasis would be on finding a partner that could take on processing and kitting and was strategically located close to the company's Etna, Ohio facility.

Two aces up its sleeve (and in the area)

Through the Ryerson Family of Companies, Ryerson was able to help:

 

Falling in Love with Laser

One of the first steps in the relationship involved Ryerson evaluating current manufacturing methods being used at Screen Machine in order to identify any opportunities to reduce time and streamline cost. One such opportunity arose immediately.

For years, Screen Machine had been plasma cutting its parts in-house. But the company wanted to explore new efficiencies that could be gained through a method like laser-cutting its parts. As advised by Ryerson, laser offers a high-cut quality and tighter tolerances compared to plasma. In addition, laser offers such peripheral benefits as superior edge finish for subsequent paint or coating operations.

Screen Machine instantly fell in love with the idea of switching to laser and moved forward.

Screen Machine began sending Ryerson packages of parts for many of its most popular machines. From there, it was a three-stage process:

1. HR stretcher-leveled sheet and plate are supplied by Singer Steel.

2. HR plates are laser cut at Laserflex Hilliard.

3. The fabricated parts are picked up and delivered by Ryerson to Screen Machine’s facility in Etna.

Continuous Improvement

Regular check-ins between Ryerson and Screen Machine help identify new areas for improvement. The focal point of one such check-in was Screen Machine’s 4043TR machine. This unit makes up a third of the company’s overall business, with production that involves roughly 651 component parts, 275 formed parts, and 135 kits.

Ryerson took on full production and assembly of this machine. All the material continued to be sourced from the Singer Steel location, except for A656 Gr 80, which would be sourced from Central Steel & Wire, now part of the Ryerson Family of Companies. But the improvements didn't stop there:

Ryerson Advanced Processing

Need processing and fabrication expertise for your next project? Check out all that we can offer through Ryerson Advanced Processing. 

Want more information? Check out these three related blogs below:

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