Custom lifting application case study

Ergonomic Partners has used the Easy Arm zero gravity lifter with custom lift assist devices

for many applications. Read on for one done by Gorbel which allowed much greater productivity while also protecting the worker against injury and fatigue.

Easy Arm™ Increases Productivity By Allowing Operator To Lift Five Times As Many Parts...
A major tier one auto parts supplier stamps round sheet metal blanks into clutch disc drums for transmissions. The thin blanks range in diameter from 6-14” and weigh up to 4 pounds each. They arrive in a bin and are manually loaded into a transfer press.
Problems:
Back strain and fatigue from continual bending, turning, and carrying blanks to the loading turn table
Cuts to hands, wrists, and elbows
Workers could only handle 25 lbs of blanks manually
Reduced productivity towards the end of shifts due to fatigue
Solution: 330 lb. capacity Q Series Easy Arm™ Intelligent lifting device with a pneumatic gripping tool (by others).

Results:
Workers could now grab five times as many blanks and effortlessly guide them into the spindles on the loading table
Reduced worker fatigue and injuries
Faster cycle times and increased productivity
The Q-360 swivel at the top of the Easy Arm handle allowed operators to load/unload continuously without tangling the hose for the tooling. Programming and float mode are easier to engage with the handle's digital readout.

If you have an application that is a problem in your plant let us show you how we can provide a custom lift assist, or lifting device to take the load off your workers and allow you to make more money.

Give us a call at 314-766-4578 or sales@ergonomicpartners.com

Gorbel Case Study for zero gravity lifter--Easy Arm

We love to pass on case studies from Gorbel applications.  The Gorbel Easy Arm is perfect for so many applications where either speed or precise placement or both are required.  It can be used with custom lift devices integrated into the handle or just used with simple mechanical tooling such as the hook Gorbel provides or slings.  Read on about a recent application:

"We are a very ergonomic-minded company," said the Manufacturing Manager. "While some products may be good for the workers, they can be a tough sell when we try to convince them to use the products. The Easy Arm™ products were very easy to convince our workers to use. The introduction of the Easy Arms into the work flow tied in perfectly to the Six Sigma strategy and the efficiency of the company's work flow." 

Industry: Turbine Motor Overhaul Center 

Application: During reassembly and balance of the turbine engines, parts are called up from a vertical storage unit, loaded manually onto a cart and brought to a work bench for assembly.

Gorbel® Solution: Free Standing Easy Arm - In implementing a Six Sigma manufacturing strategy, the company installed two free standing 150-pound capacity Easy Arms to serve the individual work bays.

With this solution, productivity increased 25% and injuries have been eliminated. 

The Problem: A large overhead crane is in the area, but it is slow, bulky, and a shared resource for multiple neighboring work cells, and therefore delayed the work flow for those waiting on the crane. This prompted many workers to lift parts manually, with larger parts requiring two people to lift. Back injuries were the leading workers compensation problem for the company, and the sequencing of the work flow was not ideal. 

Why Easy Arm™ Was The Smart Solution:

• The Easy Arm™ fit beneath the existing overhead crane
• No special foundation was needed

"We are a very ergonomic-minded company," said the Manufacturing Manager. "While some products may be good for the workers, they can be a tough sell when we try to convince them to use the products. The Easy Arm™ products were very easy to convince our workers to use. The introduction of the Easy Arms into the work flow tied in perfectly to the Six Sigma strategy and the efficiency of the company's work flow."

If you would like us to help with your application give us a call at 314-766-4578 or sales@ergonomicpartners.com