Forklift Theory: How to make the most of the fabricator’s best friend.
04 May 2021
Published via LinkedIn by Bruce Thomas, May 2021
Depending on the size of your workplace, you likely have one or more forklifts or other industrial trucks at your disposal in order to keep your profit centers running efficiently. Even if you only need the one, there are some rules that prove universal when it comes to making the most of your machine and its efficiency in your job shop, saving you time and money. Here’s tips we’ve gathered from the team at Tempus Tools and their decades of experience to find out how you can easily make your forklift even more efficient.
Your forklift is useful, but is it accessible?
Your forklift is far less useful to you if you struggle to access it within your workplace. Make sure that your forklift is always returned to the same designated area when you finish using it. You can mark this out with brightly colored floor tape. Make sure that this area, as well as the walkways the forklift regularly uses, is never blocked off by pallets or other equipment.
If fetching your forklift seems to take longer than it should, or if it’s in such high demand that you or others have to go into downtime, this is also an issue of accessibility. In this scenario, it might be wise to consider getting a second forklift and setting up an additional parking space on the opposite end of the floor. If the functions of the areas are different enough (e.g. one area is production-based while the other focuses on incoming and outgoing deliveries), segregate each forklift to its own operation zone so that each area can have sufficient access to a machine.
Are you using your forklift safely?
Although it is easy to get used to your forklift operating around you, as the only mobile heavy machine in the job shop it is easily the most dangerous, and should not be underestimated. On average, forklift accidents cause 85 deaths, 34,900 serious injuries, and 61,800 non-serious injuries in the US annually.
On the shop floor, it’s every employee’s job to keep themselves and others safe. This includes a safe environment, systems of work, well-maintained machinery, proper training and supervision, and complying with all safety rules and regulations. Here’s some of the ways that you can maximize safety around your forklift:
- Keep a log of employees that are licensed to use your forklift. Only licensed operators should be allowed to use the machine, and unlicensed trainees should be supervised at all times while operating. Inexperienced operators are far more likely to mishandle heavy loads, or to misjudge stopping distances and safe turning speeds.
- Establish a safe speed limit in your workplace. Reckless speeding shortens reaction time; even an experienced operator can get too comfortable. Place signs around operating areas, and ensure that operators stick to the speed limit.
- Keep the safety of pedestrians in mind at all times. Clearly mark out walkways for them to use with floor tape and/or safety barriers. Forklifts should be equipped with both audio (alarms and horns) and visual (flashing lights) warning signals to alert pedestrians to nearby forklifts. On their part, pedestrians working near forklifts should wear high-visibility clothing in order to stand out to drivers.
- Maintain your forklift, and make repairs through a reputable maintenance company. Due to the weight of the forklift and the loads it handles, a mechanical failure at the wrong moment can be catastrophic. Having your forklift properly repaired reduces the potential risk of accidents, and your insurance company may not cover you if you’re not adequately maintaining your equipment. Go through a safety inspection checklist at the beginning of each shift to make sure that the machine is in safe working condition.
Remember, be responsible. Training workers, understanding loads and the capacity of your forklift, and being careful does take time and money, but disregarding these practices could ultimately be more costly if an accident were to occur.
When do you need to replace your forklift?
At a certain point in a forklift’s life, it’s more expensive to keep using it than it is to replace it. Not only will maintenance costs continue to mount, but there is also the hidden cost of its decreasing productivity, resulting in a loss of income as time goes on.
Total cost of a forklift VS Age of forklift
A forklift’s economic lifespan mainly depends on the kind of use it’s seen – harsh environments, heavy use, and a lack of regular maintenance will wear a machine down over time.
Maintenance is fairly self-explanatory—only fixing problems as they arise will allow smaller problems to be ignored and escalate over time.
The average forklift’s economic lifespan tends to range between 12,000 and 14,000 operating hours, or 2,000 hours annually. A well-maintained machine that sees less than 2,000 a year will last roughly 7 years before it needs replacing. In excess of 2,000 gives you closer to 6 years.
A forklift that works in a harsh environment or with less than regular maintenance can lose as much as 2,000 operating hours of its maximum lifespan, leaving a sparingly used forklift with 6 years of use, and an heavily used one with only 5.
As the purpose of a forklift is, essentially, to maximize profit, one has to weigh its profits (hours of use) against the ownership and maintenance costs. If a forklift was to operate as new, with little to no maintenance costs, the profits would pay back the ownership costs easily over time. It’s only with the accumulation of maintenance costs over time that the forklift starts to operate at a loss. It’s up to you to calculate when your machine has reached the end of its economic lifespan, before its expenses outweigh its profits.
How has your job shop changed since you first got a forklift? What do you wish you’d known before getting one? What safety precautions do you have in place to prevent accidents?
Bruce Thomas,
Executive (Product), Tempus Tools
https://www.mccue.com/content/forklift-accident-statistics
https://rmh.com.pk/the-optimal-time-to-replace-your-forklift/
See how Tempus Tools helps fabricators quote faster and smarter.
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New integration: Tempus Tools + ECI M1 – from quote to order to ERP, seamlessly
At Tempus Tools, we know that speed and accuracy are everything in a laser cutting job shop, and today we’re announcing a new integration that makes both even easier.
We’re now fully integrated with ECI Software’s M1 ERP system.
What does that mean for your job shop?
It means you can now send quotes, order details, and production-ready drawings directly from Tempus Tools into your M1 ERP — no more double handling, no more data entry errors, no more jumping between systems.
This integration eliminates any “dead zone” between quoting and production. You get the specialist laser quoting power of Tempus Tools (like lightning-fast nesting, material cost accuracy, and margin control) combined with the operational backbone of M1.
It’s quoting that talks to your shop floor.
We’ve talked about how integrations like Google Drive can supercharge job shop workflows, and this M1 integration is another great example.
Want to learn more or set it up? If you want to avoid the limitations in the generic quoting functions in ERP/MRP software, but still use the rich planning and production features in ERP/MRP software, then get in touch today.
Book a demo or email us at support@tempustools.com and we’ll help you get connected.
Tempus Tools + M1 = quoting to production, finally in sync.
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Tempus Tools’ Google Drive integration: 6 ways to supercharge your job shop efficiency
Tempus Tools’ new Google Drive integration automatically saves your quote data and part files to Drive, opening the door to faster, smarter workflows. In this post, we highlight six clever ways job shops are already using it to boost efficiency.
Last month Tempus Tools released a powerful new feature: seamless integration with Google Drive.
Since then, we’ve heard from lots of customers about the innovative ways they have implemented this integration in their job shops, and we wanted to share the best six with you to inspire you to use the feature in your shop.
First, a quick recap: with the Google Drive integration, all your quote data (in CSV format) and production-ready part files can be automatically saved to your chosen Google Drive folder. From here, they can be exported to any number of programs or that data can be manipulated for many use cases, opening up a world of automation, reporting and connectivity for your job shop. We’ve also put together a quick video to show the integration in action.
1. Automate quote data collection for reporting
With every quote automatically saved, you can easily compile and analyse your quote performance over time. Use Google Sheets or your favourite analytics tool to track:
- win/loss rates
- performance across material types
- average order size
- breakdown of secondary processes contributions
This data-driven approach helps you identify trends, optimise pricing and improve customer response times.
2. Connect with ERP/MRP and other business systems
Some apps have native integration with Google Drive, which makes taking in quote data and parts easy, but many need a formal API. Luckily, Google Drive comes with its own API.
Some users have used the Google Drive API to build automations that push quote data directly into ERP, MRP or order management systems. This can streamline order processing, reduce manual data entry and ensure your production schedule is always up to date.
3. Organise your orders by material type
Use the exported quote data to create a parts planner that groups jobs by common material type. This enables you to:
- batch similar jobs for more efficient material usage
- reduce changeover times on machines
- optimise purchasing and inventory management
A simple Google Sheets script or integration with a dashboard tool can make this process nearly automatic.
4. Integrate with project management tools
Connect your quote data with popular tools like ClickUp, Monday.com or Airtable. Build custom dashboards and planners for your factory, visualise job statuses and assign tasks to your team-all based on real-time quoting data. These tools don’t require coding or a developer and anyone can work wonders. These types of projects boost collaboration on the shop floor and keep everyone aligned on priorities.
5. Create a scheduling calendar from time calculations
Use the time estimates in your quote data to automatically populate a production calendar. With a Google Calendar integration, you can:
- visualise machine and operator workloads
- identify bottlenecks before they happen
- easily adjust schedules as new jobs come in
This proactive scheduling helps you deliver on time, every time.
6. Enable automated notifications and workflows
Set up Google Drive triggers (using tools like Zapier or Google Apps Script) to notify your team when new quotes are confirmed as orders, or to kick off downstream processes-like updating CRM records or ordering materials.
Getting started is easy
- Go to Settings > Organisation settings > Integrations in your Tempus Tools Tempus Tools account
- Connect your Google Drive and select your preferred folder
- Choose the quote statuses that will trigger automatic file saving
- Start building automations and workflows that fit your shop’s needs
This integration is designed to be flexible-whether you want to automate reporting, connect with business systems, or simply keep your files organised, Tempus Tools and Google Drive make it possible.
Ready to enhance your job shop efficiency? Try the new Google Drive integration today.
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Is expensive, non-dedicated software holding you back from effortless laser cutting quoting?
Many laser cutting job shops still rely on generic or overly complex software, slowing down RFQ response times and creating bottlenecks that hurt profitability. Tempus Tools offers a fast, intuitive, and purpose-built quoting solution—with powerful features, simple setup, and transparent pricing—to help shops quote accurately, streamline production, and stay competitive.
Laser cutting is a precise task, requiring machinery tailored to specific requirements. Profitability is significantly boosted by the ability to be able to respond quickly to customer requests for quotes (RFQs), and efficiently deliver the product.
“With the time and energy often spent on selecting the right laser cutting machine, it’s amazing how often software is overlooked as a driver of productivity,” says Tempus Tools Head of Global Sales, Mark Washington.
“Sometimes laser cutting companies are stuck using software that wasn’t specifically designed for job shops, but it’s all that their team is used to using. Other times, expensive software is implemented, but only a small fraction of the features are actually used,” he says.
“And in many cases, it becomes so complex that a specialist is hired to manage quoting via the software – but what happens if they leave the company?”
Tempus Tools is the creator of dedicated quoting software, Tempus Tools, which can provide fast, accurate, and consistent laser cutting quotes that are professionally presented, ready to send back to the customer.
“Using software that isn’t specifically designed for laser cutting is like using a cricket bat to play tennis. It might get the job done, but it would be far more efficient and accurate with the tools designed for the job!” says Mark (pictured, right).
“In addition to providing quotes in minutes, Tempus Tools can also produce production documents with the click of a button, to add further efficiency to running a job shop floor,” he adds.
A shift in the industry
With customers demanding faster service, the industry is shifting to tailored laser cutting quoting solutions, to enhance their RFQ response times, and Mark sees this as part of a larger global trend.
“It’s evident across a number of industries – smarter players want to utilise technologies specifically targeted to their industry to out-pace competitors. And laser cutting job shops are enthusiastically getting on board with this trend,” he says.
“Tempus Tools has been specifically designed for laser cutting job shops. It’s quick to set up, intuitive, and user-friendly, so the entire team can use it with minimal training, instead of relying on one specialist.”
Tempus Tools cloud-based laser cutting quoting software can be set up with information on material price, cutting time, labour, and other relevant information, to generate quotes quickly and accurately, with repeatability.
“The Tempus Tools team has decades of experience in the laser cutting industry, from the shop floor, through to management, and running their own laser cutting enterprises, so we know the industry inside out – and we can support through setup and every step of the journey, for no additional charges,” adds Mark.
“A major inhibitor of laser cutting quoting software has often been cost, with powerful software that can do it all costing thousands per month. But if you only need dedicated laser cutting quoting software, our plans start from US$100 per month, and are packed full of features you will actually use,” he says.
Switching software – overcoming challenges
Even with the knowledge of the benefits of dedicated laser cutting quoting software, job shops can be hesitant about the time involved in switching, says Mark. He notes some of the main concerns:
- Time – often job shops have tried other software implementations and it’s taken months, and they just cannot afford to spend that time again. But Tempus Tools isn’t like other software. For a job shop with one laser, press brake, and standard secondary processes, set up takes less than 90 minutes.
- Staff training – job shops often believe their staff don’t have the time or capacity to learn a whole new software. But again, Tempus Tools is different. It’s designed to be user-friendly, easy to learn, and staff end up doing their jobs more efficiently, and enjoying the features right away.
- Hidden costs – this is a big factor for any software, and job shops are highly alert to cheap upfront costs, followed by lots of add-ons. No one likes to be “nickel and dimed”. For Tempus Tools, it’s a monthly or yearly subscription, and that’s all. No extra charges for support, upgrades, or training. Features all have a set pricing that’s clear from the outset.
- Too many programs – some job shops have two, three, or more different software programs – why add more, especially if they don’t talk to each other? That’s a totally valid concern. Tempus Tools outputs a CSV as standard with all the quote data, making integration seamless and easy.
“The Tempus Tools leadership team has decades of experience working from the shop floor to the top floor, so they understand the pain of changing software, and have designed Tempus Tools to be effortless and simple,” says Mark.
Tempus Tools features
Tempus Tools features that have been specifically designed for laser cutting job shops include:
- 3D model extractor. Identify, extract and unfold sheet-metal parts directly from 3D assemblies without a 3D software package.
- PDF to CAD convertor. Convert a vector PDF into a CAD file instantly. No tracing, no CAD package, just click on a part and extract it into your quote.
- Tube quoting. Easily drag and drop rectangular, square or round hollow sections into the tube module. It quickly calculates highly accurate cutting time and material consumption for pricing.
- Web Store. Let your customers get instant pricing and place orders from your website 24/7 with an online quoting portal.
- Secondary processes. Get accurate and consistent folding prices quickly using the built-in folding algorithm developed by specialists with decades of experience using brake presses.
- Drawing Doctor®. Upon upload of a 2D DXF or DWG file, Drawing Doctor® automatically corrects for double lines, dimensions, and small end points that are hidden in some drawings.
- Part Library. Part Library allows you to save parts that you’ve produced for a customer for re-use. Saves time on repeat orders and quotes, by dropping an existing part straight into the quote, ready to calculate, based on the latest pricing.
“These are just a few of our most popular features, but there are lots more within Tempus Tools, and our development team is constantly listening for customer feedback to determine what new features can be added,” says Mark.
“So for effortless laser cutting quoting, don’t let software hold you back, let it be the catalyst that drives business growth. We offer an obligation-free trial of Tempus Tools so that laser cutting job shops can see the difference for themselves.”
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