Background
A pump manufacturer in the northeast U.S. was recently in the midst of a major factory redesign. Productivity flow and efficiency were the primary goals, and every work cell was subjected to a process review. On the factory’s paint line, operators were familiar with change. About 5 years prior, the physical demands of lifting heavy parts onto a moving conveyor all day was wearing down employees. A 150 pound capacity free standing Easy Arm® was installed, and the immediate result was a happier, healthier work force as they moved to the new product.
The Problem
When the paint line was reviewed for the new plant overhaul, it was clear that they could make an improvement. “We wanted another Easy Arm®,” said the manufacturing engineer. “The first one proved that it was the right product for the job, so we added another one to the application.”
The Solution
The original freestanding Easy Arm® was moved around to the back end to unload the finish, painted parts from the line. In place of the original Easy Arm®, the company installed a small Gorbel crane with three tracks to cover a longer stretch of the paint line conveyor. From one track, a 1000 pound capacity electric hoist is suspended to lift and move heavier loads.
From the other two tracks, the company now has a Gorbel Underhung Easy Arm®, which travels the full length of the conveyor. The underhung style delivered all the same benefits of the previous freestanding model, but with the added mobility of being able to move along with the conveyor. The Underhung Easy Arm® was not new, but moved to this application from a previous facility.