Reel & Roll Handling
New range of slitter unload trucks grows to include built-in palletising systems
Having been at the forefront of developing specialist reel handling trucks for loading and unloading, coaters, laminators and slitters,Weston Handling Consultancyhas introduced Slitter Unload Trucks that palletise stacks in one go
T
he latest developments from Weston Handling Consultancy (WHC) include two models
specifically for unloading slitter rewinders, and both are built on fully powered Weston pedestrian trucks. The first is fitted with a tilting ‘V’ cradle and
has a built-on swing-jib crane with a hoist and vertical reel lifter (VRL). It is capable of pulling a stack of reels from a rewind shaft (or unload tree), tilting the stack to vertical and then palletising the complete stack using the VRL, all without the operator touching a reel. The second model utilises twin gripping
shafts that mate up directly to the rewind shafts of the slitter, replacing the need for an unload tree, or mate up to the unload posts and accept both stacks of reels from the rewind. Here, however, the gripping shafts are mounted on a tilting arm, which tilts both stacks of reels to vertical. The two gripping shafts are then brought to butt the reels together before sitting the reel stacks side by side onto a pallet. A remote release mechanism releases the gripping elements of the shafts to free up the reels. These new reel handling trucks represent
the end of a long planned development period for WHC. Managing director, Stephen Weston, explains: “It was back in 2009 when I was asked to develop a slitter unload system to take two 100kg reels off the rotating
slitter unload tree of a Deacro slitter rewinder, when I came up with the concept of the Double ‘V’ Truck.” This truck consisted of a manual stacker
truck, on which was mounted a forward tilting arm fitted with two parallel ‘V’ cradles. The ‘V’ cradles could be pushed underneath the two parallel reels presented on the unload tree and raised to take their weight. Reversing the truck out pulled all the reels together off the bars of the unload tree. After manoeuvring the truck to a pallet, a vertical reel lifter on a swing-jib crane hoist lifted the reels from the ‘V’ cradles for palletising. Weston continues: “Subsequent models
incorporated fully powered base trucks to allow increased capacity, culminating in a 2,000kg capacity model in 2016 [bottom right], exported to the USA. However, all those models needed a separate crane to unload the vertical reels and I have always wanted to get away from fixed structures and plant, to give added flexibility to operations. “So, in 2016 we got the opportunity to
design and build a Weston truck with a built-in vacuum pump with a built-on jib crane and vacuum lifting head. That paved the way for the new Slitter Unload Trucks.” The very latest Slitter Unload Trucks have
gone a stage further and eliminated the need for using a Slitter Unload Tree. Using a modified version of WHC’s proven Reel Turner, which lifts and turns reels by gripping them in the core, Weston introduced a second gripping shaft, spacing them to mate up directly with the ends of the rewind shafts.
This continued development of handling
equipment to fit specific industry requirements has led WHC to become one of the leaders in reel and roll handling technology. Weston’s efforts have been recognised with industry awards, the latest being the Fork Lift Truck Association’s ‘Awards for Excellence 2017’ in both the innovation and safety categories. Weston maintains that this is a great
example of how experience, good design and a willingness to continually adapt to suit customers’ requirements can take a single product and develop it into new lines.
uwww.stephenwestonconsultancy.com
Rotating Shaft Slitter Unload Truck 28 February 2017
Two position Reel Turner
www.convertermag.co.uk
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