Off-Road Accessory Manufacturer Hits High Gear

By Lee McWhorter

 If you’ve ever been on an off-road adventure, you likely shared the experience with a friend or two. It’s an adventure best experienced with others, not only for safety, but because teamwork and collaboration are often needed for a successful outing. Those tenets are also crucial in manufacturing, where suppliers often act as spotters, guiding their customers through rough terrain, ensuring precision and protection from obstacles.

Rock Slide Engineering designs and manufactures high quality parts and accessories for various four-wheel drive platforms including Jeep, Ford, Toyota, and the Mercedes- Benz G-Class. They are popular among 4x4 enthusiasts with standout products such as the Step Slider, which is known for its quality and dual functionality. This unique product not only protects vehicles while navigating rocky terrain, but also serves as a fully integrated power step, providing easy access for drivers and passengers in lifted vehicles with oversized tires. When the car door is opened, the Step Slider extends a full 12 inches down for seamless entry. Once the door closes, the step automatically retracts to sit flush with the body of the Slider, ensuring smooth access for all users.

The Step Slider is protected by a robust, textured black powder coat that adheres to acid etched 11-gauge steel. The internal components are made from stainless steel and aluminum to prevent rust and enhance durability. Designed for easy installation, this plug-and-play system utilizes factory mounting points, requiring no drilling. Its standalone wire harness eliminates the need for splicing or rewiring, allowing customers to retain their manufacturer warranty after installation.

Navigating Production Inefficiencies Through Partnerships
In 2019, Rock Slide Engineering was primarily operating with a traditional batch style powder coating system. This manual push-and-pull method required substantial labor and was becoming inefficient as the company grew, particularly when running extended shifts. Rock Slide was facing rising demands and needed a solution that could boost production without breaking the bank. They knew they needed to invest in automating their systems if they were effectively going to capture this opportunity.

With this in mind, Rock Slide Engineering partnered with TITAN Catalytic, NIKO Conveyors, and a California-based system integrator to address production line needs with new equipment and automation to streamline processes. This collaboration led to the integration of several key components designed to optimize efficiency and enhance product quality, while reducing labor needs associated with the manual handling of parts. A project such as this can be a significant undertaking for any manufacturer, but Rock Slide Engineering was committed to doing what was necessary to improve processes and set the stage for future growth.

First, a TITAN Catalytic dry off oven was integrated into the line to remove residual water from parts after a three-stage wash process spanning 40 feet. This ensures parts are completely dry before reaching the booth for powder coating.

Following the dry off phase, parts move into the automated powder booth for a fresh application of powder. Here, robotics have now replaced manual labor, significantly reducing human intervention, while ensuring consistent part quality across the production line.

Next, the parts enter the TITAN Catalytic pre-gel oven, which preheats the powder coated components to achieve proper gel consistency before they are transferred to the convection oven. This pre-gel process essentially starts melting the powder with enough gelling to withstand the air movement the parts are subjected to in the cure oven. Without this crucial pre-gel step, the airflow in a typical convection oven could negatively impact the coating’s final finish, making this a vital part of the overall process.

The NIKO Conveyors overhead conveyor system played a key role in Rock Slide’s new system, optimizing material handling through a combination of manual and automated processes. Rock Slide selected an enclosed track and trolley system to fit their part handling profiles. These trolleys and load bars are capable of handling load capacity up to 352 pounds while requiring nominally only 1-4% of the load’s weight when moved manually. When there is manual intervention needed, the ease of part handling with this conveyor is a major ergonomic benefit for the staff.

In addition to the manual system, the new setup also includes nearly 200 feet of automated chain conveyor. This feature ensures consistent speed and precision part handling throughout the powder coating process, meeting Rock Slide’s manufacturing demands. The variable speed control of the automated conveyor provides flexibility, allowing for the handling of parts with varying sizes and metal thicknesses without compromising efficiency.

A standout feature of their system is the custom-built conveyor drop lifts, which are designed to lower and raise sections of track during the loading and unloading processes. This ergonomic innovation helps reduce the strain of manually lifting heavier parts, benefiting all involved.

Together, this 50/50 system streamlined the movement of parts through the powder coating and curing processes, minimizing the need for manual intervention while maximizing throughput.

Transforming Production through Automation and Efficiency
The integration of TITAN Catalytic ovens and NIKO conveyors led to a significant transformation in Rock Slide’s production process. The company graduated from a labor intensive, batch-based system to an automated, streamlined operation. The new system allowed Rock Slide to process parts more efficiently, reducing the need for additional shifts and labor all while boosting overall production capacity.

Improvements in production capacity, quality control, and labor efficiency have afforded Rock Slide Engineering the opportunity for sustained growth and enhanced profitability in a competitive landscape. “We anticipate our production to rise to about 3,000 Step Sliders a month,” says Dave Luman, CEO of Rock Slide Engineering. Colton Schenk, a mechanical designer with Rock Slide Engineering, adds, “Upgrading to an automated line has minimized scrap and reduced manual handling of parts. The improved automation chain has drastically enhanced our operations.”

Increased Production Capacity: Rock Slide Engineering tripled their production capabilities. Previously, their batch system handled 120 units per day; but with the new automated line, they were able to increase their capacity to approximately 360 units daily. Remarkably, they now operate only four days a week, and the plant achieves in approximately a week and a half what previously took the entire month to produce. Doing more with less is an advantageous approach which has been nicely achieved with this project.

Enhanced Quality Control: With automation reducing the amount of manual handling necessary on the plant floor, the incidence of defects has dramatically decreased. The streamlined process improved the consistency and quality of the finished products, while delivering higher production volumes.

Labor Efficiency: The automated system led to a 60-75% reduction in the need for additional labor. Instead of increasing their workforce to handle higher production demands, Rock Slide maintained the same number of employees while significantly boosting output, bringing those important dollars down to the bottom line.

Rock Slide Engineering’s investments to update equipment and processes have transformed their production process beyond expectations. Moving from a labor-intensive batch system to an automated line, Rock Slide not only met but was now in position to exceed the demands of their major clients. This strategic collaboration has significantly boosted production efficiency while improving product quality, enabling Rock Slide to scale while maintaining their high standards. With a continued focus on innovation and operational excellence, Rock Slide Engineering remains a leader in the off-road industry, empowering enthusiasts across the country to tackle new adventures with confidence.

Lee McWhorter is technical sales specialist for TITAN Catalytic.