Kendall Thompson Bike's The Mississippi

One for the Grey Hairs (in their sixties)

 

Just after school started this fall, I took a six day bike trip. As you can see in the picture below it was a peddle bike - a 95 Schwinn. A couple of years ago I started at the head waters of the Mississippi River and rode for 6 days. I picked up where I left off and rode for another 6 days. This trip started a day's journey above the twin cities in Minnesota and ended up above the Iowa border. I took my sleeping gear and slept out each night. I did not take any matches for fire, but I got one hot meal a day and carried a few treats to hold me over. I went by myself so I could peddle at my own rate, stop and take pictures where I wanted to, and enjoy nature when and where I could. I rode on bike paths and side roads that followed the Mississippi River Trail. Part of the trip that was a little overwhelming was a section of the road that continued to climb up and wind around forever or at least it seemed that way. I ended up stopping about 25 times to rest or push my bike until I made it to the last climb. Of course cars and trucks were whizzing by, but there was an 8' shoulder that was paved. To say the least, going down I did not peddle very much! Then unknown to me, the camp site that night had another long winding road that went up, up, and around once again! I did not take an air mattress with me, but I slept very well that night. I met a number of people along the way: one guy was walking around the world (Andrew’s Adventures), another was riding a unicycle and it looked like he had more gear then I had, I had breakfast with two guys and a dog that were canoeing down the Mississippi, then I had missed one of my campsites and as it was getting darker I asked a grey hair gentleman if I could put my tent up in his yard. He was cutting his grass and he said okay. Later his wife invited me in for warm tea and hot apple crisp with ice cream.  I had checked my bike out mechanically before I made the trip and there were no issues on this trip. I ended up taking more gear than I needed as the trip before, but maybe next time I will lighten the load. By the fifth night I was kind of glad that my wife would meet me later the next day to end of my journey for 2014. I would encourage you to take short or long bike trip this next year.

Kendall Thompson

Thierica Equipment introduces automated CO2 cleaning as a viable solution to plastic part cleaning prior to coating.

Thierica Equipment Corporation (Grand Rapids, MI) has introduced an automated solution to reinvent the cleaning process for plastic components in the automotive industry. Thierica is teaming with Cool Clean Technologies (Eagan, MN) to implement CO2 cleaning systems for automobile manufacturing in the cleaning of plastic parts prior to coating. Thierica is the world leader in paint finishing, product decorating and automated equipment technologies. They excel in automating systems to a wide range of applications. Cool Clean Technologies is the global leader in CO2 engineered solutions. They bring the innovation of incorporating CO2 into precision cleaning systems. The two companies work together for installation, design, and service of the machine.
Cleaning plastic parts prior to coating presents a difficult challenge for automobile manufacturers. Current cleaning methods include using expensive, aqueous power washing systems or manually hand wiping the part clean. Power washing requires large floor space and can leave water spots on the plastic part. Hand wiping is very monotonous for employees, and inconsistent. One way that companies are improving their cleaning process is by automating with CO2 cleaning systems. BMW and VW have implemented systems and greatly improved efficiency and cleaning efficacy.
Specifically, using the OMEGA™ CO2 precision cleaning system from Cool Clean Technologies effectively removes dust and light oils from the plastic part prior to coating. By cleaning the surface, the paint is able to adhere better, resulting in fewer defects. Companies have seen increased productivity and lower labor costs after implementing with Cool Clean Technologies.
The spray nozzle concentrates CO2 particles that are sprayed at the part removing dust and contaminants left from manufacturing. CO2 is harmless to employees and the environment. It's nonabrasive and won’t cause any damage to the part.
Watch the brief video highlighting the cleaning process and contact us with any questions. We'd love to help you improve your process and save you time and money!