Custom solution meets manufacturer’s ergonomic needs

A manufacturer of roofing materials was realigning its assembly lines to better utilize floor space, upgrade its production area and improve its processes. It was in search of a system that could do all of this, plus meet its ergonomic demands and reduce the risk of worker injury. It turned to Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment (ELS) for help.

The challenge

Before the facility was upgraded, workers manually moved rolls of roofing paper of varying sizes, lengths and weights up to 75 pounds. The process involved moving rolls of roofing paper from a vertical position to a horizontal position, and then placing them onto a conveyor. Ergonomic demands, however, were pressing the company to find a better solution. The first attempt involved a homemade core gripper that allowed for vertical-to-vertical transfer of a roll, which was then manually tipped onto the conveyor. This proved to be slow, and it did not meet all of the application needs. The company also considered a scissor lift table and a floor-mounted manipulator; however, both used up valuable floor space.

The solution

The company decided to improve upon a previously supplied workstation crane system by ELS. This crane was re-sized for the work area. In addition, ELS recommended the company purchase a new Gorbel workstation jib crane with a custom-built lift assist for the roll handling application. The customer agreed with this recommendation, so ELS developed a pneumatic lift assist with manual pitching to grasp rolls of various diameters and multiple lengths.

The result

Thanks to this solution, which is perfectly sized for the work area, a single operator can now grasp hundreds of rolls per day without fear of lower back or repetitive strain injuries.

To learn how ELS can help solve your material handling challenges, contact Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment.

• Tweet