In the industrial sector, ingots are commonly used to store and transport a mass of metal. These solid blocks of raw material — often in the shape of bars, plates, or sheets — are then worked into a semi-finished or finished product.
To create an ingot, the metal is heated past its melting point then cast using a mold chill method. These solid blocks of material can range in size from a few ounces to several tons, meaning transporting them creates unique lifting challenges.
Automated Warehouse Functioning: Stacker Cranes
For smaller ingots that are often stacked on pallets, with weights reaching hundreds or thousands of pounds, having the right equipment to lift and transport these pallets is essential for a streamlined operation.
In the lead industry, lead ingots have numerous benefits. They are easy to smelt and form, they are used in a variety of industries such as lead batteries, cable sheaths, and radiological shields, and they are durable. While lead ingots tend to be smaller in size, weighing about 1 pound, when loaded onto a pallet, the weight reaches around 1,000 pounds. Pallets then stacked together can make for a heavy load.
Stacker cranes are key in automated warehouse functioning. These machines are designed to store and retrieve pallets automatically, making organizing pallets an easier job. A stacker crane is an overhead crane system that utilizes a non-hoist load handling device and a main system comprised of guide rails, an electrical supply system, and a data transmission system. This mechanism allows the crane to travel, pick up items, and lift and lower them within the warehouse.
Here at American Crane & Equipment Co. (ACECO) we offer standard and custom variations of stacker cranes, with key features including 4,000-pound load capacity, user-friendly designs, and maximum stability at high positions with minimum sway at any elevation.
Essential Attachments: Crane Pallet Lifters
For transportation of heavy pallets, pallet lifters are essential. Pallet lifters, or pallet forks, are lifting devices which are hooked to a crane hoist. They are designed to lift and transport heavy loads, making delivery of large pallets secure and efficient.
At ACECO we offer a variety of below-the-hook lifting devices and our team makes sure that we get the right equipment for your needs.
Heavy Loads: Double Girder Overhead Crane
Steel ingots, which are used in the production of construction materials such as steel beams, pipes and plates, can often weigh several tons per ingot. A steel ingot generally requires a second shaping process and to move these heavy ingots around a steel mill, double girder overhead cranes are indispensable. With two parallel girders, these cranes provide increased lifting capacity and stability. These cranes are also built to withstand the harshest of industrial environments.
Work With Us
At ACECO we offer girder cranes with heavy-duty lifting capacity and can design and build custom cranes for specialized worksites.
Our team at ACECO examines your company’s needs and recommends or custom-designs equipment to keep your operations flowing smoothly and effectively. We manufacture lifting solutions of any size and shape to lift ingots of all sizes and configurations. Our cranes and hoists routinely exceed CMAA duty cycle requirements for service classifications A through F, every unit is backed with a comprehensive in-house quality assurance program, thoroughly testing each product prior to shipment.
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