Feature Loading bays & doors Tailor-made loading bay solutions


A project to design and install a fixed loading ramp incorporating an existing concrete ramp onto which a yardramp needed to be adjoined is an example of loading equipment specialist Thorworld Industries’ tailor-made solutions to meet customers’ logistics needs


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horworld handles every step of the process in-house, promising that work is not subcontracted to outside agencies in order to maintain quality control throughout the life of the project. “With over 30 years’ experience, we’ve come across all kinds of unusual warehouse and loading/unloading environments and received many challenging requests,” explains John Meale, MD of Thorworld. “We are therefore confident we can provide a practical and cost-effective solution to virtually any loading/unloading prob- lem by utilising the experience and specialist expertise of our team.” The process begins by visiting the site and planning an appropriate installation, tailored to the customer requirements and space available. Typical real-life applications have included a fixed loading ramp, incor- porating an existing concrete ramp onto which a yardramp needed to be adjoined, and a warehouse where extremely limited space necessitated developing a ramp that could be moved sideways for storage once the loading operation was completed. Thorworld’s design team creates a blueprint using 3D CAD visualisation,


to show the customer what the finished installation will look like and to confirm the intended solution is practical and cost-effective.


The solution for the fixed loading ramp was a cut-down version of Thorworld’s 6 tonne capacity, Type 10 mobile yardramp, which needed to be redesigned to fit flush with an existing concrete ramp, in order to provide a consistent gradient. A counterbalanced drawbridge leveller then spans the gap to the vehicle, and allows a wide range of vehicles to be served due to its 350mm height variation. The leveller was also fitted with collapsible handrails to provide a safe, efficient workspace and, when not in use, the leveller is stored in an upright position. Similarly, with the very tight space constraints, the concept devised for the sideways ramp solution involved modifying Thorworld’s Deluxe 10,000kg capacity Type 7 yardramp, by fitting an additional set of wheels that were orientated perpendicular to the normal direction of travel. This enables quick and easy sideways movement of the ramp for storage when not in use.


The design stage is enhanced by extensive testing to ensure the desired


Thorworld


Industries designed a fixed loading ramp incorporating an existing


concrete ramp onto which a yardramp needed to be adjoined


Thorworld Industries T: 01246 260981 thorworld.co.uk Enter 355


o meet the requirements for hygiene and temperature stability in the food industry, sara LBS has developed the Rapid Food Door. Designed to give controlled access into or close off production, washing and storage areas, or to provide entry/exit to transport areas, the Rapid Food Door sets high standards for hygiene, efficiency and user safety, while providing rapid opening and closing to help maintain consistent temperatures throughout the food processing environment. The Rapid Food Door is designed for fast opening and closing to ensure constant temperatures can be easily maintained in sensitive areas. The entire door, side frames, top roll and motor cover, and the bottom profile are made of V2A stainless steel, compatible with standard washdown procedures and aggressive cleaning agents. Smooth surfaces ensure there is nowhere for dirt and debris to accumulate. The side frames are hinged to enable thorough cleaning and disinfecting of internal areas, and the side frames are open at the bottom so that cleaning fluids and water can completely run off, eliminating the possibility of dirt and debris being trapped inside. A gutter on the bottom profile prevents liquids from the curtain from dripping into the clean opening. The door has a curtain of clear PVC with vertical reinforcement stripes. An FDA- tested PVC curtain with white reinforcement stripes is also available. The door is powered by a geared brake motor, which can be fitted on either the right or left side. For increased hygiene, the door can be equipped with a stainless steel motor and barrel cover, with the barrel cover hinged for cleaning purposes. As standard, the door is equipped with an electrical safety contact edge and a door line photocell to ensure user safety. Optionally, a pre-running safety photocell can be installed instead of the electrical contact edge. In the event of interruption or a power failure, the door can be opened manually using a crank handle. sara LBS


High-speed door suits hygienic applications T


T: 01442 245577 S12 www.saralbs.co.uk Enter 356


equipment will be robust enough to withstand regular warehouse usage. “Equipment gets very robust treatment during loading and unloading, so we design and build hard-wearing indus- trial kit that will provide long-term reliability,” explains Meale. Methods include Finite Element Analysis and, where possible, physical testing. Once Thorworld and the customer are happy with the proposals, manu- facturing is conducted at the com- pany’s Chesterfield facility. For the sideways yardramp, one challenge was to build a set of wheels on telescopic legs. This allowed use of the ramp in a traditional manner, but ensured the ramp could then be lowered onto the perpendicular set of wheels to push/pull sideways for storage. The installation was completed in a single day to minimise disruption to the customer’s logistics operations. Service and maintenance contracts for Thorworld equipment provide a comprehensive aftercare package that delivers long-term peace of mind through regular maintenance and an extended warranty.


Thorworld offers full operator train- ing as part of the overall project man- agement. Meale concludes: “The nature of bespoke solutions is even experienced loading bay operators will be unfamiliar with the new equip- ment. Our training programme takes into account the specifics of the solu- tion to ensure that customers learn the safest and most efficient way to use it." Details of these applications and some other recent Thorworld bespoke loading/unloading solutions, such as hinged bridgeplates, a platform system, mobile access platforms, a fixed loading ramp & platform, a fixed ramp with leveller, a dock leveller, a lightweight platform and dock bumpers, can be viewed at the following website: www. thorworld.co.uk/bespoke-products/list


NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011 Materials Handling & Logistics


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