Automation, why is it so important

Why is it so important?

75 Years of Serving You Better

Norco began in 1948 as the welding supply division of the Nordling Auto Parts Company. Now in our 75th year, we are an employee-owned family company providing gases, supplies and equipment to the welding, safety, medical and janitorial industries. “Serving You Better” has been our mission since the Kissler family purchased Norco in 1968.

Starting with just two small stores in Southern Idaho, Norco has grown to more than 70 locations; serving customers in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Nevada and Wyoming. Our continued growth stems from finding a need and filling it. We excel through innovation, ethical management and first rate customer service provided by our dedicated employee owners.

Welding Division: We began as a welding supplier in Boise and Twin Falls, Idaho. Today we are a leader in the industry with key team members serving the welding industry’s top national and regional associations. Norco provides customers throughout the Western U.S. with gases and supplies from our branches as well as regional gas fill plants.

Safety Division: We entered the safety supply market as it emerged. Our safety team members have extensive training that qualifies them to advise on an organization’s safety needs. We can equip your staff, plus provide training to meet state and/or federal regulations.

Bulk Gases: We supply bulk gases to a wide variety of customers for many different applications. Switching

from cylinders to bulk gas can be a cost-saving alternative depending on your need and usage. With years of experience, highly-skilled staff and best in class service, Norco is prepared to grow with you and your business.

NorTECH and Automation: the NorTECH Automation and Training Center is our most specialized location and is the only facility of its kind west of the Rockies. With more than 13,000 square feet, it is one of the largest distributor operated training facilities in the U.S. There we have the latest in laser and robotic welding solutions, large scale welding manipulators, advanced process submerged arc welding stations, leading edge high definition plasma cutting equipment, weld fume extraction and dust collection equipment, as well as the latest safety products and training.

Medical Division: Medical gases were a natural fit for Norco because of our experience with welding gases. Our clinically-trained therapists and clinicians support many of our branches along with skilled staff members who provide home oxygen, sleep therapy solutions, complex mobility options, along with home medical equipment and supplies to our medical customers.

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

NorLab: We entered the specialty gases market as NorLab, our calibration standard gas division that produces and distributes calibration and specialty gases nationally and internationally. They are ISO 9001 Quality Management System certified.

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The future is now are you ready?

Don’t go it alone. Choosing a strong strategic partner while developing your automation strategy is key.

Recent advances in industrial automation technology are transforming operation, manufacturing and output in numerous industries. Advantages include enhanced product quality, lowered production cost, a reduction in routine manual tasks and improved safety.

Replacing dangerous assembly operations with automation minimizes human involvement and increases safety while giving you control.

In addition, with the ongoing high demand for skilled workers and not enough people to satisfy the need, automation is perfectly suited to fill that void, now and into the future.

While many new tools are currently being used in the field, now is the time to adopt the right automation technology to increase productivity and revenue.

Automation in Action

Start at NorTECH, Norco's state-of-the-art automation center. It is the most specialized of Norco facilities and with more than 13,000 square feet, it is one of the largest distributor operated automation and training facilities in the U.S. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, NorTECH is home to the latest in laser and robotic welding solutions, leading edge high definition plasma cutting equipment, advanced process submerged arc welding assembly stations, large scale welding manipulators, weld fume extraction, dust collection equipment and more. Starting with an in-person visit

NorTECH provides invaluable understanding and insight into which technology is right for YOUR job.

First step, contact your local Norco representative to arrange a NorTECH visit. Can't make it to Salt Lake? Ask us about regional demo opportunities.

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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IPG Photonics handheld laser welding and cleaning systems are fast, easy to learn and operate, producing high quality, consistent results on a range of materials and thicknesses.

Vectis Automation empowers production with a fully integrated, ready-to-weld cobot with DIY programming and setup that provides leverage to boost shop productivity.

Arclight Dynamics leads the industry in versatility at a competitive price. Experience production growth with CNC cutting tables backed by Hypertherm plasma cutting technology.

LightWELD Handheld Laser Welders

Vectis Cobot Welding Tool

Arclight Dynamics CNC Plasma Cutting Tables

Ironworker by the Numbers

1. Punching Station: The punch cylinder is machined and faced to assure proper alignment of the cylinder shaft. Cylinder stroke length is adjustable both top and bottom with two easily set limit switches. The seethrough stripper provides a full view of the punch for ease of alignment and operation and is adjustable for varying thickness of material. Punches and dies are easily interchangeable with both round and shaped tools usable in the machine.

1. Die Holder: The die holder accepts standard tooling and has two hole sizes (D and DX series only). It slides in and out on two t-slots for ease of alignment and makes tooling changeover quick and trouble-free. The overhanging feature allows for punching channel legs.

1. Punch Table: The punch table provides support for the workpiece and incorporates a worktable scale and an adjustable back stop for gauging. It is segmented and the front can be removed for punching angle iron and channel legs.

5. Notching Station: Ideal for notching on either flat bars or angles. The gauging table has adjustable stops for precise positioning and the safety guard is electrically interlocked for maximum safety and visibility. Notching needs are met with a rectangular tool, standard on each machine. A v-notching tool is available for a variety of applications.

2. Bar Shearing Station: Allows for shearing various sizes. T-bar and channel shear blades are available with some models. Rounds and squares can be cut from ⅛" to 2⅛" (larger size holes on larger machines only). Changing the blades allows cutting t-bars, h-beams, and channel iron.

3. Angle Shear Station: Allows for both straight and miter cuts of varying size of angle material without a drop-out slug. Two wear guides assure the squareness of every cut, while the adjustable holddown minimizes distortion. Allows the option to cut angle iron at 90°, and smaller angle iron at 45° and can be done with the top and bottom leg.

4. Flat Bar Shear Station: Has a cast iron support table with guides for accurate positioning and scribe marks at 90 and 45° for miter cuts. An adjustable holddown and a upper blade, with an anti distortion feature keeps deformation to a minimum. A lower blade with four usable sides and a special feature on the flat bar shear allows variable degree miter-cutting on the bottom leg of the angle iron.

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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Amada Machinery America, Inc.

Adjustable Height

Weld Tables

Table height is fully adjustable from 33 to 48 inches

All steel construction with ⅜ inch steel tabletop Six-inch grid pattern accepts ⅝ inch and 16 millimeter fixture clamps and tools

Select sizes available at select locations! Contact your Norco representative for more information.

$6499

60" x 36" Welding Table 2100# Capacity

ITD-21930

The Ergonomics of Welding

Ergonomics, the science of arranging or designing things for efficient use, is also called human factors engineering. It involves making the workplace fit the needs of workers instead of trying to make workers adjust to the workplace. In a properly designed workplace, the worker feels comfortable.

Welding introduces many ergonomic challenges as it often requires awkward body positioning. Both body position and time are key factors in causing injuries. Evaluate your current situation and apply ergonomic principles, many situations can be improved to reduce hazards and prevent injury.

Ergonomics focuses on changing things, not changing people.

BENEFITS OF PROPER ERGONOMICS

• Reduced injuries and disorders

• Ensured worker health and safety

• Enhanced worker productivity

• Reduced absenteeism

• Regulatory compliance

$6999

84" x 36" Welding Table 2100# Capacity

ITD-21929

POTENTIAL PROBLEM ACTIVITIES

• Reaching and bending

• Heavy lifting

• Using continuous force

• Working with vibrating equipment

• Repetitive motions

• Awkward postures

• Temperature

PROBLEMS RESULTING FROM POOR ERGONOMICS

• Musculoskeletal disorders

• Repetitive motion injuries

• Lower quality and reduced productivity

• Employee dissatisfaction

SYMPTOMS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER

• Decreased grip strength

• Reduced range of motion

• Loss of muscle function

• Painful joints, tingling, or numbness

• Shooting or stabbing pains

• Stiffness or a burning sensation

• Swelling or inflammation

WAYS TO AVOID INJURY

• Eliminate work positions that reduce blood supply

• Keep elbows close to the body and support them

• Avoid positions where arms are raised above shoulder level

• Use lighter hand tools, suspend them and utilize jigs and fixtures

• Ensure sufficient rest

FACTORS TO CONSIDER

• Position of the work

• Physical ability of workers

• Tool design and weight

• Body mechanics of the operation

• Person protective equipment used

• Workspace environment (size, lighting, vibration, noise, temp)

• Physical requirements of the job (lifting, turning, reaching)

• Mental requirements (motivation, alertness, concentration)

Adapted from AWS Safety and Health Fact Sheet Number13. Norco makes no guarantee as to the accuracy or completeness of this information.

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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Torch Outfits & Regulators

Keep Your Equipment Job Ready

There are few experiences in life more frustrating than landing a job and finding out that your equipment is not ready to go.

This is multiplied by the number of employees on the clock not producing because of the damaged equipment.

Keeping your equipment in good working order typically costs far less than wasted man hours or the delay on a job because of equipment.

What can go wrong with a torch?

• O-rings dry out and will no longer seal (even if unused)

• Extreme heat warps the head, causing a leak around the tip

• Over-tightening the torch to the handle loosens internal components

• Contaminants work their way into the torch and obstruct gas flow

Testing procedures

• Open oxygen cylinder valve

• Open oxygen valve on handle

• Place torch in bucket of water – look for bubbles

• Close oxygen valve on handle

• Open acetylene cylinder valve

• Open acetylene valve on handle

$318 Deluxe VHD Combo V-Series Ironworker Kit

• Place thumb over tip and place under water Testing your torch periodically can eliminate potentially dangerous situations as well as the risk of lost revenue associated with broken equipment. What can go wrong with regulators and flowmeters?

• Crushed or dried out o-rings

• Seats crack and dry out

• Contaminants can enter regulator through the cylinder

• Gauges get damaged

$89 25GX Single-Stage Pressure Regulators

$258 Deluxe VMD Combo V-Series Ironworker Kit

Testing procedures

• Hook regulator to cylinder

• Turn adjusting screw all the way out (left)

• Open cylinder valve

• Close cylinder valve

• Needle should not move

• Open cylinder valve, add small amount of pressure by turning adjusting screw

• Block outlet (can be done with your thumb)

• Close cylinder valve, needle should not move Regularly testing your regulators and flowmeters can prevent unexpected fires and save money in lost gas.

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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What’s in it for you?

Cost savings. Upgrade your existing reusable respirator facepieces for free.

Support. Whether it’s your Norco sales representative, the 3M technical service team or 3M online resources, we’re here to help you along the way.

What do you do to make it happen?

1 Contact your Norco representative to order and process a trade-in request, or call 3M customer service at 1-800-328-1667.

2 Must order cartridges and filters from a 3M Authorized Distributor.

3 3M will ship free facepieces to Norco or the end-user.

4 End user and/or Norco collects and appropriately disposes of competitive facepieces.

Protect your team from

$421 each COOLING TOWEL

Provides hours of cooling relief

$321 each COOLING NECK WRAP

• Reusable for lasting heat stress management

Antimicrobial treated material to help avoid mold

• Machine washable

• Quick activation and reactivation

• Reusable packaging for proper storage

Recognizing Different Types of Heat Stress

Heat Stroke is the most serious heat-related health problem. Heat stroke occurs when the body’s temperature regulating system fails and body temperature rises to critical levels (greater than 104°F). This is a medical emergency that may result in death! The signs of heat stroke are confusion, loss of consciousness, and seizures. Workers experiencing heat stroke have a very high body temperature and may stop sweating.

If a worker shows signs of possible heat stroke, get medical help immediately, and call 911. Until medical help arrives, move them to a shady, cool area and remove as much clothing as possible. Wet the worker with cool water and circulate the air around them to speed cooling. Place cold wet cloths, towels (e.g. Majestic cooling towels), or ice all over their body or soak clothing with cold water.

Heat Exhaustion is the next most serious heat-related health problem. The signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion are headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, confusion, thirst, heavy sweating and a body temperature greater than 100.4°F. Workers with heat exhaustion should be removed from the hot area and given liquids to drink. Cool them with cold compresses to the

head, neck, and face or have the worker wash his or her head, face and neck with cold water. Encourage frequent sips of cool water. Those with signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion should be taken to a clinic or emergency room for medical evaluation and treatment. Make sure that someone stays with the worker until help arrives. If symptoms worsen, call 911 and get help immediately.

Heat Cramps are muscle pains usually caused by the loss of body salts and fluid during sweating. Workers with heat cramps should replace fluid loss by drinking water and/ or carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement liquids (e.g., Sqwincher beverages) every 15 to 20 minutes.

Heat Rash is the most common problem in hot work environments. Heat rash is caused by sweating and looks like a red cluster of pimples or small blisters. Heat rash may appear on the neck, upper chest, groin, under the breasts and in elbow creases. The best treatment for heat rash is to provide a cooler, less humid work environment. The rash area should be kept dry. Powder may be applied to increase comfort. Ointments and creams should not be used on a heat rash. Anything that makes the skin warm or moist may make the rash worse. Adapted fromOSHA DTSEM FS-3743 08/2014

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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Key Signs of Dehydration

Strenuous tasks, especially in hot and humid environments, can cause the body to lose fluids quickly. If they aren’t replaced, dehydration can set in. Mild dehydration is defined as a 1.5% loss in the body’s water volume, and symptoms gradually get worse as it progresses. A loss of 15% can be enough to cause death!

We lose an average of 2.5 liters of water each day through normal bodily processes, like breathing, urinating, and sweating. But those who engage in hard, physical labor can experience greater fluid loss.

Unfortunately, most people wait until they’re thirsty to take a drink. The truth is that if you’re feeling thirst, you’re already slightly dehydrated.

Catching dehydration early is key, before it has an impact on cognitive and physical function. Read on for signs to watch for.

Headaches are an early sign of potential dehydration. They are often accompanied by tiredness and light-headedness, and can be remedied within about 30 minutes by drinking the right fluids like Sqwincher elctrolyte replenishment beverages.

Urine color is one of the easiest ways to assess hydration level.

Clear to pale yellow urine is a sign of proper hydration. A light honey color suggests that you should rehydrate soon, and darker yellow is a sign that your body needs water immediately.

Excessive perspiration isn’t a symptom of dehydration, but a sign that you are losing fluid and may be at risk for dehydration. If you’re sweating heavily, use it as a reminder to stay hydrated and drink replenishing fluids. Inability to focus is a key indicator that your body is running low on fluids. The brain requires sufficient hydration to run at capacity, and those who are dehydrated may notice short-term memory lapses and poor levels of concentration and focus.

Bad breath is a little known, but important sign. A lack of fluids can prevent your body from producing enough saliva, which leads to bacteria growth in the mouth and bad breath. Food cravings arise for a variety of reasons, one of which could be dehydration. Dehydration can make it difficult for organs like the liver to produce glycogen, and this can lead to food cravings.

Adapted from "Before Thirst: 6 Key Signs of Dehydration Workers Should Know (And Often Miss)" courtesy of Sqwincher.

ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 STANDARD FOR HIGH VISIBILITY APPAREL

Type O Class 1 Off-Roadway

Add your logo for FREE!

$1715

High Visibility Surveyors Vests

MAJ 75-3237 Yellow Series & MAJ 75-3238 Orange Series

• Free personalization included, add your logo with no setup fee! One color, one location*

• Meets ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 Class 2, Type R Standard

• Tough duty fabric designed for long lasting wear

• Snap front with nine pockets and grommets for tools

• Rear zippered pocket for plans or larger documents

• D-ring pass through and two radio tabs

*Restrictions, minumums, and limitations may apply.

Contact your local Norco about adding your logo for FREE!

Type P Class 2

Safety

Type P Class 3

Safety

Warehouse Workers Mining

PetroChem

Class 1: Provides the minimum amount of high-visibility materials required to differentiate the wearer visually from non-complex work environments where struck-by hazards will not be approaching at roadway speeds.

Type O provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for workers in occupational environments which pose struck-by hazards from moving vehicles, equipment and machinery, but which will not include exposure to traffic on public access highway right-of-ways or roadway temporary traffic control (TTC) zones.

Type R Class 2

Roadway and Temporary Traffic Control

Roadway Construction Workers Municipalities

Airline Ramp Personnel

Class 2: Provides for the use of additional amounts of highvisibility materials, which may allow design opportunities to define the human form more effectively.

Type R Class 3

Roadway and Temporary Traffic Control

Flaggers

Dept of Transportation Nighttime Work Municipalities

Class 3: Can offer greater visibility to the wearer in both complex backgrounds and through a full range of movements by mandatory placement of background, retro reflective and combinedperformance materials on sleeves and pant legs (if present). Regardless of the area of materials used, a sleeveless garment or vest alone can't be considered Class 3.

Type R provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for workers in occupational environments which include exposure to traffic from public access highway right-of-ways, or roadway TTC zones, or from work vehicles and construction equipment within a roadway TTC zone.

Police, Fire, EMS Sheriff, etc.

Police, Fire, EMS Sheriff, etc.

Class 2: Provides for the use of additional amounts of highvisibility materials, which may allow design opportunities to define the human form more effectively.

Class 3: Can offer greater visibility to the wearer in both complex backgrounds and through a full range of movements by mandatory placement of background, retro reflective and combined-performance materials on sleeves and pant legs (if present). Regardless of the area of materials used, a sleeveless garment or vest alone cannot be considered Class 3.

Type P provides daytime and nighttime visual conspicuity enhancement for emergency and incident responders and law enforcement personnel in occupational environments which include exposure to traffic (vehicles using the highway for purposes of travel) from public access highway right-of-ways, or roadway TTC zones, or from work vehicles and construction equipment within a roadway TTC zone or from equipment and vehicles within the activity area. Type P HVSA provides additional options for emergency responders, incident responders and law enforcement who have competing hazards or require access to special equipment.

Supplementary Class E: Pants, bib overalls, shorts, and gaiters shall be designated Class E. Class E items shall not be worn alone for the purposes of meeting HVSA PPE requirements. When a Class E item is worn with Performance Class 2 or Class 3, the overall classification shall be Performance Class 3. Adapted from Radians White Paper - ANSI 2020 Changes

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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ANSI Emergency Shower and Eye/Face Wash Survey Program

How the Program Works

This free service includes the following:

INSPECTION REPORT (PDF):

A fully detailed report on each piece of equipment and its current status.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CHART:

Comprehensive overview of survey findings.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Detailed summary of key observations, potential root causes, and recommendations.

DEBRIEFING MEETING/WEB CONFERENCE:

Interactive meeting to discuss proposed solutions and best practices.

The first 100 showers/ eyewashes are included.

In partnership with industry leader, Haws®, Norco can help bring awareness to hidden dangers of inadequate emergency response by facilitating a no-cost emergency shower and eye/face wash survey on-site at your facility.

Taking advantage of this program ensures that your facility not only meets the most recent ANSI Z358.1 Standards, but that it also provides proper functionality and appropriate first aid capabilities in the event of an emergency.

Please Note: Products and prices shown are subject to change due to manufacturer’s availability.

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Struggling with Weld Fume Extraction and Ventilation? We