Linear motion automates hoist assembly

Heavy duty linear motion system and an aluminium profile system have automated manual handling in the assembly of the drives for rope and chain hoists reducing time by 75%.

In the past, the assembly of the drives for rope and chain hoists at mechanical handling specialist, Stahl, was a manual operation.

Drives weighing up to 200kg were lifted onto the workbench with the help of a crane but from then on it was a hands-on affair.

The cost of this manhandling was significant, both to the assemblers and the company.

Sickness due to pain and injury was mounting and valuable man-hours being lost.

The company resolved to automate the process but the heavy weights involved demanded the careful choice of system components.

The HepcoMotion HDS Heavy Duty linear motion system and MCS aluminium profile system both proved equal to the task and cost competitive.

A year on, the system is working well, bringing unexpected benefits and also reported to be a source of considerable work motivation.

The HepcoMotion Heavy Duty system was chosen to accommodate the substantial combined loads of both the drive and the stabilising device.

Typical load is 200kg.

The linear slide system is mounted directly onto the HepcoMotion MCS frame, as is the hydraulic cylinder responsible for lifting and rotating the drives.

A special in-house designed carriage plate to accommodate the drives is fitted to the slide system.

The resultant bespoke system has been configured to handle a variety of drive types to which a range of electric motors are fitted.

The drives are now lifted from a height of 700mm - 1000mm and turned through 360 at a typical rate of 6/h over a 16h shift.

As this operation is both smooth and efficient by comparison with the manual procedure it replaced, the drive can be positioned precisely to suit each stage of the operation.

The process of filling the drive with gear oil is now easier and far more efficient and the identification number of the drive can now be printed onto the top of the unit rather than on its side, greatly improving legibility.

Key to the performance of the HDS system and therefore an important factor in Stahl's choice of the system, is its V-guide principle.

The proven benefits of this principle over recirculating alternatives are quiet operation, very low friction, immunity to dirt ingress, and low maintenance.

It is the ideal choice for harsh environments.

The added benefit of the HDS system is that its 95mm V-slot bearing offers a load bearing capacity of up to 20kN.

All linear rails are supplied in one piece up to a length of 4m.

Above that length, the rail sections can be butted together but with no loss of accuracy.

Stahl estimate a time saving of 75% in the construction of the machine's framework by opting for a modular system such as the HepcoMotion MCS.

The HDS and MCS systems are fully compatible, and the latter comprises a wide range of aluminium profiles and connecting components making it easy to tailor the frame to the application precisely.

An important benefit of the MCS programme is that its components can be used again for other purposes after they have been dismantled.

The semi-automated assembly system at Stahl has considerably reduced sick leave and downtime and testimony to its success is the company's commitment to equip further workstations.

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