What Kind of Tasks Is Lifting Gear Useful For?
When early humans observed that it was easier to roll down logs, it led to the discovery of the wheel. They attached two circular pieces of the tree trunk to a sled and used them for carrying heavy loads.
Today, there are many devices for carrying out lifting and lowering operations. The aim is to avoid manual lifting and automate the process. In large-scale industries, lifting gears make equipment handling efficient. Often the organizations need to ensure the safety of workers, and installing lifting devices becomes necessary. Below we discuss the various types of lifting gear and their applications.
Vacuum lifters:
Vacuum lifters are an integral part of lifting gear supply. They can handle various loads such as boxes, tires, barrels, passenger baggage, large PVC tubes, concrete slabs, etc. They are customized to pick and transfer delicate and sharp objects like glass sheets, metallic surfaces, etc. They use suction cups or special pads and pumps. The pump sucks the air between the suction pump and the object. Now the load sticks to the surface of the suction cup. The advantages of vacuum lift are ease of handling, portability, and object integrity.
Cranes:
It is common to see tower cranes at construction sites, accident zones, etc. Cranes are lifting equipment with cables and pulleys. These had existed since the time of ancient Greeks.
They rely on liver pulley mechanisms and are operated manually, electrically, or pneumatically. The cranes often use accessories like hoists and hooks for lifting purposes. It is possible to attach cranes to vehicles and use them to lift loads at various locations. These have adjustable booms and lifting gear like buckets, pallet forks, winch, or muck grabs.
Portable lifting devices:
Lifting equipment is not for industrial purposes alone. New generation, lightweight, and portable devices can lift a load up to 250 kg and fit inside a car. Therefore, they are suitable for household activities. One can use them for lifting and relocating large kitchen appliances, heavy furniture, cylinders, casks, etc. There is no need to avail external help for transporting or rearranging goods. People in delivery businesses find portable lifting gear very handy. There are customized devices with extended forks, trolleys, drum holders, etc.
Patient hoists:
People can suffer mobility issues due to accidents or old age. At times, routine tasks like getting in and out of bed can be a struggle. Patient hoists or Hoyer lifts help to move and lift patients and the elderly from one place to another. There are two models based on the operation mode. These are manual lifts with a hydraulic pump system that helps you move a person. The power source-operated lifts have an electric motor that activates the hydraulic system and is fully automatic. Another category is the ceiling Hoyer lift. It helps the person move from one room to another without any help from a caregiver. It needs a track system on the ceiling, and a handheld remote controls its movement along the track. The hospital authorities give training and ensure that the patient lifts comply with the safety guidelines.
Bucket elevators:
Bucket elevators are customary in heavy industries like mining and construction and in sectors like pharma and FMCG, where accuracy is a priority. These are applicable where long-distance vertical or horizontal transit is a requirement. They are highly efficient in batch processes.
The buckets come in various sizes and are of durable and washable nature. Depending on the application, it is possible to enclose them and fit them with tracking systems. In general, the buckets come mounted on a conveyer belt. The process of product pick-up and discharge is automatic. Industries like pharma and FMCG also have a cleaning in place (CIP) system. It makes it possible to send the buckets for dedusting and ensure the safety of the products. Large applications require a temperature and pressure monitoring system to prevent explosion hazards.
Passenger lifts:
Passenger lifts are the most well-known application of lifting gear. They are becoming an absolute necessity in high-rise buildings. Even buildings with few floors have platform lifts for the convenience of elderly and disabled people. The best part with passenger lifts is one can customize them with designs and glass surfaces.
In passenger elevators, the electric motor moves the lift up and down with the help of thick metallic cables and pulleys. They also have braking systems, and in large buildings, implementation is by using elevator algorithms. The aim is to ensure people get the lift to move up or down at the quickest time.
Final Thoughts:
The lifting gear has numerous applications. The need for lifting equipment arises where large-scale and frequent movement of goods or products is routine. It can be in restaurants, bars, or hospitals. Here the speed of delivery is an essential factor for using lifting mechanisms. There can be specialized applications like emergency exits and fire-safe service lifts. Thus, industry experts are constantly looking for ways to make the transit process sophisticated, automatic, and economical.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
