subject: Improving Productivity With Magnetic Lifters [print this page] Improving Productivity With Magnetic Lifters
Magnetic lifters eliminate the time-consuming use of blocks, chains, slings and taps in material handling operations.
The most common discourse regarding magnetic lifters are the technical features, construction, materials, versatility, and wide variety of applications these workhorses are most suited for. What is less often discussed is how they change a machining operation's work processes and productivity with man-hour savings. In this respect, the adoption of magnetic lifting extends much beyond the shop floor. Magnetic lifters make good business sense.
Moving steel plates or tons of scrap in shipbuilding yards, warehouses or machine shops can be a time-consuming endeavor. Typically, the material is either collected in a container, which is moved, or the material is gathered together, stacked by hand, and bound with blocks, chains or slings and finally attached to a crane. These tasks often require more than one worker as well as extra preparation time so the material can be transported safely. Magnetic lifters can change this labor-intensive task with the turn of a lever or the flip of a switch.
The Ways Magnetic Lifters Improve Productivity
No More Eyebolts: Magnetic lifters eliminate the need for drilling and tapping holes in materials, parts or end products prior to their being moved; this saves a lot of time. To attach the material to a lifting magnet only requires energizing the magnet either manually or electrically, depending on what type of magnetic lifter is used, permanent magnetic or electromagnetic, respectively.
Vertical Lifting Capability: Lifting Magnets allow vertical lifting in confined locations. An example of how this can positively impact productivity might involve a crate of parts that require machining. Often the parts are stacked side by side in a container. If the parts are located so that the operator can only access the parts from above, a lifting magnet can be applied to a single part, lifting it vertically out of the container.
Replacing Straps and Chains: Magnetic lifters can replace the need of straps and chains. For example, if a container is filled with round shafts packaged horizontally, using a strap or chain would require one end of the part to be lifted manually so that the strap or chain could be passed underneath. This operation would need to be repeated for every bar in the container. By using a lifting magnet attached to a crane, it could be lifted out of the container with minimal effort.
Eliminate Blocking and Slinging: Magnets further save time by eliminating blocking and slinging. They also reduce waste. Magnets won't mar metal surfaces. They decrease the potential for the kind of product damage often caused by chains, hooks and other mechanical grabs.
