Workstation cranes, lifters ease handling
Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 10/2/2001
A multimillion-dollar facility in the Southeast for manufacturing refrigeration equipment needed a solution to handling sheets of steel.
One of the steps in making this equipment involves handling flat sheets of steel measuring 4 feet x 8 feet and weighing up to 275 pounds each. An operator at the plant transfers the steel sheets from a cart to a press machine.
After evaluating the application and reviewing many kinds of materials handling equipment, a supplier came up with this solution: Use a free-standing workstation crane equipped with a vacuum lifter.
With crane/lifter equipment, an operator picks up the steel sheet, transfers it to the press, and then cuts it to size.
Once the sheet is cut into pieces, the operator uses the crane and lifter combination to pick up pieces and transfer them to a finished goods cart.
Previously, two operators performed these handling, cutting, and transferring steps. But with the crane/lifter combination only one operator was necessary.
"Originally we had planned on using two operators for this process," says the facilities manager at the plant. "Once the crane/lifter system was in place, we realized that only one operator was needed." That saved time and the labor costs of a second operator.
"Using this combination of equipment," he continues, "not only made things easier and safer, it increased production. The crane has proven to be reliable and easy to operate."
The two-degree taper in the bridge crane's runway rails along with the taper of the nylon wheels running in those rails allow the operator to move the bridge crane with extreme ease. This manually operated system enables the operator to position the crane in the exact spot needed to transfer the steel sheets.
Free-standing workstation cranes are also used on two other production lines in the facility. These cranes are in operation at various points such as frame lay-in, compressor mount, electrical panel mount, and unit pack out.
Gorbel (workstation cranes)
800-821-0086
Anver (vacuum lifters)
800-654-3500
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