subject: How To Choose A Lifting Device [print this page] What is the difference between a hoist, a pneumatic gripper, and a vacuum lifting device? Why might your business need one?
Lifting device, or lift assist, is the generic term for any mechanical tool that does repetitive heavy lifting in industrial applications. The aim of a lifting device is to combine the responsiveness and flexibility of a human operator with the power of a machine.
There are two major reasons to employ a lifting device:
1. The first reason is to reduce the risk of a repetitive stress injury. Repetitive lifting of heavy loads is not natural motion for the human body. It can lead to wrist, neck, and back strain. Strains and other injuries lead to lost productivity, not to mention lost morale. A properly applied lifting device keeps your operators healthier.
2. The second reason for a lifting device is to increase speed and productivity of your industrial application. Some people think a lifting device is only necessary in situations where objects are just too heavy for a human to lift, like ovens or raw steel stock. In fact, a vacuum lifter for handling boxes as light as 25 pounds can greatly increase productivity, speed, and comfort in a work cell. By saving time and energy, lifting devices add value to many industrial applications. Over time, they pay for themselves.
Types of Lifting Devices
Lifting devices can be as simple as hoists or as complex as robotic arms. In this guide, we will cover three simple machine lifting devices. Learn your basic types of lifting devices. Then you can see what fits your needs and begin comparing brands.
Hoists, Pneumatic Grippers, and Vacuum lifters:
1. Hoist. A hoist lifts a load by means of a chain or wire rope that wraps around a drum or lift wheel. The hoist mechanism is suspended from a track in the ceiling so loads can be lifted by hook, moved along the track, and placed easily. A hoist can be manually or electronically powered, although some hoists are powered by air motors. To sum up, the four main categories of hoist are: chain hoist or wire rope hoist and electric hoist or manual hoist. Hoists range in lifting capacity from 250 pounds to 3 tons.
2. Pneumatic gripper. A pneumatic gripper is essentially an air-powered clamp. A pneumatic gripper usually uses parallel or angled gripping surfaces, called fingers or actuators, which are brought together to grip and lift objects. Later the fingers spread apart to put objects down and release them. Pneumatic grippers come in many sizes and strengths. Some are used to move computer chips, while others are used to lift engine blocks.
3. Vacuum lifter. These lifters use vacuum tubes and suction cups to grab objects. Vacuum lifters work on a variety of non-porous and semi-porous materials, like bags, cardboard boxes and glass or metal surfaces. A vacuum lifter will not mark or scratch surfaces or edges. So, they are good choices for lifting more fragile materials like glass panels and thin sheet metal. Because of the nature of a vacuum, these lifters can also be very powerful, lifting as much as 30 tons. Typically, though, a vacuum lifter is employed for efficient one-person operation of lighter, more delicate tasks.
Now you know what they are. Who's making them?
Lifting devices are manufactured in a variety of capacities, types and sizes. Familiarize yourself with the types of lifting devices. Next, compare some brands. For example, four established lift assist manufacturers out there today are CM, Coffing, Gorbel and Harrington. But these are just a few.
Lastly, speak with an expert to help you analyze your work cell and choose the best ergonomic equipment for your needs.
