Composites
We were asked to design, supply and install a handling solution for loading/unloading rolls of carbon fibre material
Project Description
A leading material manufacturer, specialising in the process of prepreg carbon fibre using a hot-melt production method, identified the need for a material handling system. During operations, the client recognised that the high-valued product was being damaged, while loading and unloading, from the production machines.
Aware of the significant costs this issue was causing their business, the client contacted Metreel for a solution.
Industry
Composites
Location
United Kingdom
Products Supplied
Custom Design – Twin Metrack Freestanding Workstation Bridge Crane
Metreel conducted a site visit and identified several opportunities for health and safety improvements, utilising a Met-Track® workstation bridge crane system. Alongside protecting the product against damage caused by manual handling, the system can reduce operator fatigue and injury, improving overall operational efficiency and productivity.
Originally, two standard cranes were designed using Metreel’s craneBUILDER® online portal, which provided instant crane drawings and quotations. However, a bespoke solution was needed due to the space and handling requirements for the two process machines.
Metreel’s expert design team collaborated with the client and produced a twin crane system using one free-standing structure. The singular structure supports four columns and two I-beam headers with separate bridges enabling the full use of the work area.
Each bridge boasts a 250kg safe working load (SWL) and is supplied with a 4Ductor™ to supply power for a radio remote-controlled electric hoist. The system structure offers a 1000kg SWL, allowing the bridge cranes to be operated individually at any time.
As part of the bespoke solution, Metreel designed specially balanced manipulators to handle the rolls of material smoothly and safely. This eliminated the need to touch the completed product.
With the tailored solution, the client reaps the benefits of their rolls of carbon fibre effortlessly lifted from the machine, using the crane and the manipulators, and placed directly into the client’s bespoke box, ready for dispatch.
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