Solar-energy company finds the right solution with ELS workstation crane

ELS helped a solar-energy company move heavy vinyl rolls with a workstation crane.

It seems as if there is no lifting challenge that Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment (ELS) cannot handle. For nearly half a century, this supplier has helped businesses make difficult jobs seem easy, with its wide range of lifting and handling solutions. A manufacturer of solar panels in Mississauga, Ontario has reaped great benefits after ELS recommended and installed a freestanding workstation crane for a challenging lifting application in their production area.

A congested floor area

Employees of the solar company were tasked with loading 1,000-pound rolls of vinyl into a process machine. Production demands had increased enough that a second processing centre was required. However, the area dedicated for use had congested floor space and overhead venting obstructions that could not easily be modified.

The solar company considered different lifting solutions. A standard bridge crane layout was out of the question because of the venting obstruction. They dismissed using two jib cranes because that would have resulted in a two-step lifting operation to handle the rolls.

The solar company turned to the ELS team, due to their past experience in devising creative overhead lifting solutions with Gorbel crane systems. ELS had also provided the P.Eng certification for their use in Ontario.

ELS suggested a floor-mounted workstation crane with a runout bridge beam that cantilevered outward approximately one third of the bridge length beyond the runway span. The beam’s travel allowed for reaching around the duct obstruction and accomplished a single pick-and-place lifting operation. This streamlined the operation and covered more floor space with only one lifting device, and the crane’s support columns were positioned beyond the lifting area to prevent obstruction of the space near the machine. An electric chain hoist provided vertical lift for the beam, and workers could manually position the bridge and reach extension.

ELS successfully installed the workstation crane, which fully integrated with the existing specialized processing equipment in the brimming workspace.

To learn more, contact ELS.

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