handling CESAB factory visit l
CESAB Materials Handling recently invited ShD editor Peter MacLeod to Italy in order to see for himself the quality that goes into the most important part of a fork lift truck – the mast. CESAB has its own dedicated mast factory, and every mast fitted to a CESAB truck goes through a rigorous quality control process to ensure its integrity.
Mast masters C
ESAB Material Handling – a dominant player in its domestic market – says its Intelligent Mast Design (IMD) system sets the
standards for mast technology across the European material handling industry. The evidence presented to me during my tour of its exclusive facility near the city of Bologna – a thriving manufacturing and engineering region – supported that statement 100%. The European manufacturer’s long- standing commitment to the forklift mast as the key to safe and productive materials handling operations was strengthened with the launch of its pioneering IMD concept at CeMAT in Hannover, back in May, when CESAB turned more than a few heads with an eye-catching display of its full range of forklift and warehouse trucks. CESAB considers that the mast is the start and end points of fork lift truck design, with specialist mast designers in Europe dedicated to developing masts that offer industry leading visibility, quietness and productivity. Angelo Aldé, the director of CESAB Material Handling Europe, comments: “IMD is great example of our 'passion for engineering' and as a standard feature on CESAB forklifts, this is making a significant difference for our customers. Forklifts are safer and more productive as a result of having IMD, and this ensures even more effective forklift and material handling operations at businesses in all industry sectors.”
The smart, innovative features of IMD help to increase the lifespan of the truck, help forklift operators to work more easily and safely, and achieve
60 ShD December 2011
www.PressOnShD.com
quicker, quieter and less stressful workplace operations.
Superior visibility is standard with IMD masts through using two FFL cylinders, providing operators with superior forward vision through the mast. The good sight lines through the mast mean that operators do not need to adjust their position as often or move their head as frequently when positioning the forks. This helps them to achieve faster and more accurate stacking and loading and unloading operations, as well as increased comfort during long shifts.
The shorter mast profile of IMD also helps creates a more compact truck and, together with a lighter counterweight, this reduces the truck weight, improves manoeuvrability and helps to maximise battery charge cycles. IMD also helps to reduce life time cost of CESAB forklifts by incorporating adjustable roller pads allowing for quick and easy
maintenance.
Increased mast strength is achieved through a patented ‘double-C’ mast profile, exclusive to the CESAB, which delivers greater rigidity in the mast and increases stability. This means operators are much more productive and feel more confident when operating the forklift with loads at height. Strength of the mast is further improved by using an optimised welding process in manufacturing, with different types of welding used for different points of the mast, which results in a high strength, higher performance mast, with reduced stress and wear and greater protection against damage due to overload. Quieter operation is achieved through a hydraulic brake effect during the lifting and lowering of the mast, which makes for smoother operating movements with reduced noise and vibration. This improves stability of loads and reduces fatigue and stress in
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