Recent activity in Oliver’s R&D department included further testing of two uniquely designed gravity separators.  “We have built two Voyager Class gravity separators” reports Dave Knudsen of the Oliver engineering design team.  First is a multiple fan unit adjusted using variable frequency drives, while the second incorporates a common shaft through the multi fan machine.   Each has distinguishable differences in form and function and each is performing beyond expectations.  In total there are more than a dozen design improvements to the Voyager series, incorporating ideas from Oliver’s engineering team, and customer input.

Products being tested range from small vegetable seed to larger commodities.  All separation results produced by the Voyager gravity table, including bulk density, capacity rates, and machine performance are being recorded. 

While Oliver prepares to launch the Voyager series, data being collected will help in discovering where this machine will be best suited in the market and what the benefits will be to our customers.  Work will continue with better manufacturing methods with design ideas flying off the drawing board weekly.  When this machine hits the market it’s going to be reliable and it’s going to be the best gravity table available. 

Thirty Three conditioners attended the first of two processing clinics at Oliver on February 17^th.  President Oliver Manufacturing Brian Burney opened the meeting by welcoming attendees to the Oliver factory.  “We think that the program we’ve put together will help you to get the most out of your equipment” Burney said.  John Thomas of Universal Industries started the program by discussing screen air cleaners, indented cylinders, and material handling.  Jon Moreland Sales Manager for Oliver presented gravity separator theory, and best practices, while Engineer Shane Pritchard reviewed precision sizers, including equipment demonstration.  Later Dean Coffee reviewed maintenance parts and upgrades for the equipment.  There was also a breakout session with Dave Knudsen reviewing Oliver’s newest line the Voyager gravity table.  Demonstration of Oliver’s latest development allowed attendees to interact with the machine’s Allen Bradley touch screen and witness firsthand the quality of separation that can be achieved on a gravity table.

There were good questions from attendees, who came from various regions representing bean, wheat, quinoa, sunflower, soybean and vegetable seed producers. 

Sessions concluded for the day with a tour of vegetable seed producer Hollar Seeds. 

“This was worthwhile, we learned a lot”  Terry Hillis, Southwest Seeds.

Next Clinic will be held March 10^th at the ARDEC facility in Fort Collins, Colorado.

ARDEC address:

4616 NE Frontage Road

Fort Collins, CO 80524

Agenda is as follows:

Registration – Name Tags, Sign in, Coffee, Pastries

9AM - 9:15 Opening Welcome – Brad Erker, Director of Colorado Seed Programs

9:15 – 10:30 Screen Cleaning, Indented Cylinders, Material Handling – John Thomas (Sales Manager, Universal)

10:30 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 11:45 Gravity Separation 101, Operation, Examples, DeStoners, Dryers, Voyager Overview – Jon Moreland (Sales Manager, Oliver Mfg) 

11:45 – 12:00 Parts, Maintenance, troubleshooting, - Shane Pritchard, (Engineer, Oliver Mfg.)

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 – 3:00  Hands on training ARDEC facility.  Q & A on specific issues

        Aaron Brown Facilities Manager ARDEC

        John Thomas, Universal Industries

        Jon Moreland, Oliver Manufacturing

        Shane Pritchard, Oliver Manufacturing

The Colorado Seed Growers Association, http://seeds.colostate.edu/CSGA/csga.html and Colorado State University http://www.colostate.edu/  are teaming up with Oliver Manufacturing to bring you two conditioners clinics. 

The first will be held on February 17th at 27151 Harris Road, La Junta, CO. The second will be held on March 10th at the Agricultural Research Development and Educational Center (ARDEC) – I-25 Fort Collins, CO. Attendance is free! However, we would very much like to have head counts 3 days prior to each Clinic. For more information or to RSVP for either Clinic, please contact the CSGA Office at 970-491-6202 or call Oliver’s Office toll free 888-254-7813.  Both programs will begin at 9AM and conclude by 3PM with Lunch provided.  

Topics to be covered during each of these training sessions will include: air screen cleaning, indented cylinder, gravity separation, de-stoning and precision sizing (theory, settings, operation, etc.). Programs will incorporate cereal grains, vegetable seeds, alfalfa, corn and beans.  Each session will be a mixture of discussion and hands on activities.  The La Junta clinic will feature an afternoon tour of local vegetable seed producer Hollar Seeds.  This family owned company has specialized in the breeding and development of cucurbits since 1950 www.hollarseeds.com

Neighbor to Colorado?  You’re invited too.  Oliver and the Colorado Seed Growers Association wish to extend invitations all those that are interested in attending.  Additional mailings are going to members of the Nebraska Crop Improvement, Kansas Crop Improvement and surrounding states seed producers.  All are welcome to attend this valuable workshop.

Title: Conditioners Clinic
Location: Agricultural Research Development and Educational Center (ARDEC) – I-25 Fort Collins, CO.
Link out: Click here
Description: Topics to be covered during each of these training sessions will include: air screen cleaning, indented cylinder, gravity separation, de-stoning and precision sizing (theory, settings, operation, etc.). Programs will incorporate cereal grains, vegetable seeds, alfalfa, corn and beans. Each session will be a mixture of discussion and hands on activities. The La Junta clinic will feature an afternoon tour of local vegetable seed producer Hollar Seeds. This family owned company has specialized in the breeding and development of cucurbits since 1950 www.hollarseeds.com

Start Time: 9:00
Date: 2010-03-10
End Time: 15:00

Title: Conditioners Clinic
Location: 27151 Harris Road, La Junta, Colorado
Link out: Click here
Description: Topics to be covered during each of these training sessions will include: air screen cleaning, indented cylinder, gravity separation, de-stoning and precision sizing (theory, settings, operation, etc.). Programs will incorporate cereal grains, vegetable seeds, alfalfa, corn and beans. Each session will be a mixture of discussion and hands on activities. The La Junta clinic will feature an afternoon tour of local vegetable seed producer Hollar Seeds. This family owned company has specialized in the breeding and development of cucurbits since 1950 www.hollarseeds.com

Start Time: 9:00AM
Date: 2010-02-17
End Time: 15:00

The Voyage series processed Onion & Carrot seed this week.  Utilizing the newly designed deck, improved air distribution and fan control, Oliver engineer’s produced excellent density separation. 

Product testing of Oliver Voyager series continues to include further analysis that will allow its Launch to Market in summer of 2010.  With data being collected, Oliver will be able to provide machine pre-sets and recipes that will insure that quality standards set by management are adhered to.  The next phase of testing will be comparison alongside a second prototype and comparing Oliver’s new design against results produced using the original design found in the Hi-Cap series.    Oliver’s introduction of the Voyager series represents one of the biggest advancement since the invention of the gravity separator. 

PRESS RELEASE

Oliver Manufacturing, Inc. Achieves Its First OSHA SHARP Award

On November 4, 2009, Mr. Brian Burney, President, and Mr. Jeffrey Fawcett, Purchasing Control Manager, and Ms. Barb Romjue, of Oliver Manufacturing, located in LaJunta and Rocky Ford, received their first SHARP award from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Washington, D.C.  OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, or SHARP, is the Department of Labor’s premier national recognition program for small business safety excellence. The Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor-OSHA, Jordan Barab, signed their SHARP certification followed by letters from Federal OSHA Region VIII, Denver, acknowledging their award and granting OSHA inspection exemption for the company until August 2010.

Through management commitment, employee involvement, and perseverance, Oliver Manufacturing was able to earn its first SHARP award. The facility incorporated a state-of-the-art welding ventilation system, installed significant machine guarding, maintained a superior spray booth, and involved all employees in its safety and health program.

SHARP is difficult to earn and harder to keep as it requires onsite audits and documented, sustained safety performance well above OSHA compliance. There are only 1100 active SHARP companies in the entire country (out of 9 million businesses) and just 46 in Colorado. Companies engaged in metal fabrication have been a focus of OSHA due to the potential exposures to amputations, welding fumes, and noise.

Oliver Manufacturing partnered with Colorado State University’s OSHA Consultation Project in 2006 in order improve their safety and health programs. OSHA’s Safety and Health Consultation program is a voluntary and cooperative service between OSHA and small business in all 50 states and 4 territories. Through engineering and administrative controls, Oliver Manufacturing was able to reduce employee exposure to the hazards associated with their industry.

Oliver Manufacturing POC: Mr. Jeffrey Fawcett (719) 254-7813

CSU POC:  Del Sandfort, Colorado OSHA Consultation Project Manager (970) 491-6151

                    Patty Jeffries, Health Consultant (970) 491-6151

Title: ASTA 65th Corn & Sorghum Seed Research Conference
Start Date: 2010-12-07
End Date: 2010-12-10

Title: ASTA Farm and Lawn Seed Conference
Start Date: 2010-11-07
End Date: 2010-11-08

Title: US Dry Bean Convention
Location: Hawaii
Start Date: 2010-07-17
End Date: 2010-07-20