Nord Gear added a new gearbox assembly center and a new paint booth to its newly expanded facility in Waunakee, WI. The large gearbox assembly area allows assembly of the complete line of units, including the large SK12382 unit. According to a company press release, this will allow the company to reduce lead time on large gearboxes. The assembly area consists of three traditional work cells with a fourth cell consisting of a large swivel press to assemble the largest bevel and clincher units. Each of the cells was designed around the team concept to build the units, which can sometimes take a full day to assemble. Inventory is strategically staged close to each cell, and high- capacity bridge cranes and conveyors complete the large gearbox assembly area. Once assembled, units are taken to a new paint booth and drying tunnel. Painters prime and then apply a durable, stainless steel solvent-based coating that, once cured, achieves 2H hardness. A new overhead conveyor feeds the paint booth and is designed to handle 6,000-lb. units. The paint booth itself consists of a painting stage, heated drying tunnel and cooling tunnel. Nord expects the new booth, which will be fully operational by mid-2007, will increase painting capacity by 200 units per day.