Kimball Midwest Blog

How to Build a Maintenance Efficiency Center

March 5, 2019 | by Kimball Midwest

Organization is critical when it comes to the smooth, efficient operation of your shop. When you have a place for every part and every part in its place, you don’t have to stop what you’re doing to search for what you need. Having everything organized also allows you to see when you need to restock.

Tags: Organization, Maintenance, How To, Shop Supplies, Storage Equipment

Protecting Your Electrical Systems with Heat-Shrink Tubing

February 27, 2019 | by Kimball Midwest

It’s a cruel truth that even the most complex and heavy-duty machinery can be rendered useless because of a single damaged wire connection, and these connections serving as the energy-pumping arteries of your electrical systems are constantly under attack by high operating temperatures, corrosion, abrasion and many other stressors.

Tags: Electrical, Insulation, weather-proof

How to Pick the Right Grease

February 18, 2019 | by Kimball Midwest

Lubrication is critical for the operation and maintenance of most equipment and machinery. Lubrication reduces friction in areas of metal-to-metal contact. Greases can be used in non-sealed systems, as it will not run out like liquid lubricants can.

Tags: Products, How To, Tips, Quality Products, Grease

Keep Your Team Moving In The Cold

February 14, 2019 | by Kimball Midwest

When most people think about weather extremes getting in the way of workplace productivity, they probably think about summer’s extreme heat. For construction workers, roofers and others who work outdoors, hot conditions do slow things down and raise a variety of potential issues, including health risks.

Tags: Safety, Quality Products, Cold-Weather, Thermal

The Cost of Disorganization: It Will Shock You

February 8, 2019 | by Kimball Midwest

Imagine this: You walk into your shop before the sun rises. You turn on the lights and maybe trip over a couple parts. You start your first job of the day, and you can’t find the right part. Sound familiar? Most would agree this is not the best way to start your day.

Tags: Organization, MRO, Inventory

The Basics of Electrical Connectors

January 24, 2019 | by Kimball Midwest

Electrical connectors are critical to the functionality of nearly all vehicles, industrial equipment and electrical and electronic devices. It’s important that connectors perform properly to prevent electrical shorting and arcing that may damage your equipment and cause failure.

Tags: Electrical, Insulation, weather-proof, Quality Products

Disorganized Small Parts Cost You Time and Money

December 31, 2018 | by Kimball Midwest

It’s a problem that may occur frequently in your shop. You need a small part, such as a screw, heat-shrink terminal or O-ring, and you must stop everything to look for it. Maybe it’s in a box or drawer, mixed up with other small parts that need to be sorted and organized. Maybe it’s been misplaced, or you used the last of your stock and didn’t replenish it. Perhaps the part was improperly stored and no longer usable. You find yourself running out to a brick-and-mortar store to buy parts more often than you’d like.

Tags: Vendor Managed Inventory

Prepare Your Fleet for Winter

December 26, 2018 | by Kimball Midwest

Winter is here, but many parts of the United States already have seen wintry conditions, in some cases for months. But even if winter’s cold, ice and snow already have made an appearance in your area, it’s not too late to take some precautionary steps to prepare your fleet for the winter months ahead.

Tags: Fleet, Winter, Tips

Rodents Damaging Your Engine? It May Be The Wire

December 20, 2018 | by Kimball Midwest

It’s a fact of life that rodents are relentless chewers. They don’t discriminate, chewing on practically anything. When it comes to vehicles and farm equipment, rodents love to crawl up into dark engine compartments, particularly in cold weather, and make their nests. This often results in extensive damage and a hefty repair bill, not to mention safety issues and downtime caused by equipment failure.

Tags: Electrical, Prevention, Liability

How Technology Enhances Old-Fashioned Customer Service

December 13, 2018 | by Kimball Midwest

In a world where you can get nearly anything at the click of a mouse, old-fashioned customer service is rare. If you’re a current Kimball Midwest customer, you likely get regular visits from your sales representative to check inventory, reorder needed items and stock your drawers and bins, among other things. However, we also understand how convenient it is to order products online when you need to.

Tags: Culture, Service, Technology

How to Thin Our Oil-Based Paint

November 26, 2018 | by Kimball Midwest

Kimball Midwest’s line of Ultra Pro-Max Paint is formulated to be a direct-to-metal finish or can be used with a primer. This paint can be applied by brush, roller or sprayer. It’s designed to provide better coverage than standard paints and is available in gallon cans or spray cans.

Tags: How To, Paint, oil-based paint, Quality Products

Electrical Chemicals

November 14, 2018 | by Kimball Midwest

Chemicals for Your Electronics

It’s such a frequent problem in vehicles, it’s practically a cliché. It usually happens in winter, but the moment can strike anytime, ruining your day.

You turn the key and … nothing. Nothing happens other than a series of clicking sounds.

You’ve got an electrical problem, and your vehicle isn’t going anywhere until it’s solved.

Tags: Products, Safety, Preparation, Electrical, Chemicals, Insulation, weather-proof

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