The Problem
The customer had a requirement to lift a painted sheet steel fabrication which exceeded their specified manual handling limit. The component needed to be lifted horizontally from a delivery stillage to the production line using an overhead crane.
The Challenges
The component wasn’t designed with integral lift points which could be used, and the painted finish must be protected.
The sheet steel was too thin to be able to safely use a conventional lifting magnet and the component had a narrow profile, limiting options for standard vacuum lifting cups.
The Solution
EDS designed and manufactured a special lifting bar which was able to achieve the safe working load and packaging requirements by using two narrow suction cups attached to a bespoke lifting beam fabrication. This allowed for a more stabilised lift rather than a single vacuum cup, whilst keeping the footprint of the beam away from any curved edges which would have made it difficult for the cups to seal.
The solution made it easy for the operators to locate the lifting tackle onto the face of the component presented in the delivery stillage without the need to screw in any lifting bolts, resulting in the only contact with the component being the rubber feet of the suction cups and ultimately protecting the painted finish. These suction cups are designed to use a self-sustaining vacuum and indicator, clearly visible to the operator and only allowing a lift to be achieved once a suitable vacuum has been met.