Product category:
Handling and automation equipment
News Release from: The Brixworth Engineering Co | Subject: Benco overhead rail-mounted scissor lifts - BE
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 07 May 2008
Scissor lifts raise safety and
efficiency levels
Overhead rail-mounted scissor lifts fitted with rotating lift platforms serve five resin transfer moulding cells to make the production of aircraft seating parts safer and more efficient.
BE Aerospace said that Benco overhead rail-mounted scissor lifts fitted with rotating lift platforms have made the production of aircraft seat components safer and more efficient Designed and manufactured by Brixworth Engineering Co, UK, the Benco equipment is being used in the resin transfer moulding (RTM) section at BE's Kilkeel plant in Northern Ireland
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 2 Oct 2008 at 8.00am (UK)
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There are five RTM moulding cells operating at Kilkeel and the individual cells are equipped with overhead rail-mounted scissor lifts fitted with rotating lift platforms.
The lifts are hydraulically operated and controlled through pendant controllers.
The rail mechanisms have horizontal movements of up to 4.5m x 7.5m, either fore and aft or side to side, for the supported loads.
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The scissor lift movement provides a total lift of 1.25m (at heights of 1m to 2.5m above floor level) with a 360 deg rotation of the lift platform.
All operations are carried out with maximum safety and minimum operator effort, said Brixworth.
* Operation - each RTM tool requires two lid lifts, with these loads then being rotated and positioned at a safe working height on support trestles to provide easy access for the removal of finished moulded products.
The mould lids are also transferred into storage and cleaned prior to the next production run.
With individual lids weighing either 0.5 tonne or 1 tonne, and each of the handling processes cycled eight times/day for each of the five RTM tools, then the load handling logistics within the RTM section become quite daunting, said Brixworth to manufacturingtalk, with safety being a paramount requirement.
Previously forklift trucks were used for the RTM lid lifting procedure.
This was a time consuming process with lids then transferred to temporary turnover fixtures for rotation and cleaning, etc.
The forklift trucks were also used for reinstatement of the tool lids.
This method of handling very heavy loads on a virtually continuous basis was both time consuming and cumbersome, said Brixworth.
The potential for accidents was an ever present danger.
* Lid transfer savings - the Benco scissor lift equipment realised a 300% saving in the RTM lid transfer times, and helped to maintain production schedules without further increases in equipment or labour force.
As the Benco scissor lifts undertake all the lift/lower, transfer and turnover operations, the areas of potentially hazardous handling operation have been eliminated.
The results are much higher levels of safety combined with good working practice.
Colm McKeown of BE Aerospace said: "We have been very impressed with this unusual application of scissor lifts to handle heavy loads.
It has resulted in a very efficient, safe, clean and more compact production area that more than meets our requirements.".
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