A creative solution for heavy lifting

When business increases, that’s a good thing. But for a manufacturer of solar panels in Mississauga, Ont., increased production demands resulted in the need for a second processing centre. However, the floor area was very congested, and there was an overhead venting obstruction associated with a new machine installation that could not easily be modified. The company was in need of a solution.

Considerations

The most important consideration was that the solution had to improve the way workers loaded 1,000 pounds of vinyl into a process machine. A standard bridge crane layout was not an option because of the venting obstruction. The team considered two jib cranes; however, that idea was disqualified because it would mean a two-step lifting operation to handle the rolls.

The solution

After careful consideration, the manufacturer selected a floor-mounted Gorbel workstation crane from Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment (ELS). The crane included a runout bridge beam that cantilevers out approximately one-third of the bridge length beyond the runway span. The runout beam’s travel allows for reaching around the duct obstruction and achieves a single pick and place lifting operation. This streamlines the operation and covers considerably more floor space with only one lifting device. The crane’s support columns are positioned beyond the lifting area to keep from obstructing the space near the machine. To operate the crane, workers manually push/pull to position the bridge and reach extension. Then, an electric chain hoist vertically lifts the beam.

A leading provider

ELS was selected because of its reputation for coming up with creative overhead lifting solutions using Gorbel crane systems. The company also offers P.Eng certification for use in Ontario.

To learn more, contact Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment.

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