Reciprocating Hoists are designed to move loads between both single and multiple floor levels.
Although Continuous Platform Elevators usually operate between single floor levels, it’s possible to add additional conveyors to link together multiple standalone machines from one floor to another so that the outfeed of one machine links to the infeed of the next.
While this would increase the initial outlay cost, this can be counteracted through the returns of higher throughputs which would be a main point of consideration when deciding which of these two lifts would be most suited. Reciprocating Hoists have a lower throughput than Continuous Platform Elevators.
Reciprocating hoists can move product at throughputs of anything from 100 units an hour up to 400 units an hour.
If you need to convey product at a higher throughput rate of over 400 units an hour and up to 2,400 units an hour a Continuous Platform Elevator is most suitable.
Having a lift system which has the capability to be bi-directional can be very advantageous.
There isn’t a need for simultaneous conveying if the businesses spends a minimal amount of time replenishing a pick floor in comparison to taking picked orders away from the pick floor.
If there is a more equal requirement for movement on and off the pick floor there would be a higher demand for simultaneous travel.
You can have a machine that just elevates, just lowers, or has the ability to do either at different times to suit process requirements.
If you need to achieve throughputs of over 400 units an hour up to 2,400 units an hour and are happy to move product in one direction (upwards or downwards) through two separate movements and you don’t need this to be simultaneous, one Continuous Platform Elevator will support this.
If you need a high throughput for both upwards and downwards travel and want this to be achieved simultaneously then two Continuous Platform Elevators would be necessary.
Although the cost of controls will be marginally increased in order to facilitate this, you can avoid installing an additional lift system to move loads in the opposite direction, so the cost implications are minimised right from the offset; the cost of the machine, the installation, spare parts and servicing.
Another option is a wider platform which can accommodate a double load as long as this doesn’t exceed a 50kg weight limit as seen below.
If you require a throughput below 400 units an hour a Reciprocating Hoist is suitable and gives you two options here…
A single carriage which can operate in one direction until instructed to change direction, or, a double carriage which can simultaneously load and unload.
The Continuous Platform Elevator is a very adaptable machine making it a great all round choice for many reasons;
Similar to other NERAK Machines, if you don’t need to simultaneously convey pallets in two directions then reverse function settings will enable you to control the movement of pallets in an opposite flow as and when required. This will also save you the cost of additional conveyors feeding in or exiting from the lift shaft.
The use of turn tables are a worthwhile investment to limit the use of floor space required for outfeed conveyors as the pallet can be moved at right angles, changing its direction of travel. It also allows you to transport pallets narrow edge leading which means you can have a narrower lift shaft and in the case that you may need to change the direction of the pallet during its outfeed journey, the secondary conveyors which follow on after a turntable, no longer need to be wider.
This is because the turn table can turn the pallet to remain narrow edge leading in its new direction of travel.
If you need to double your throughputs but don’t want the cost of an additional pallet lift system and you can move pallets in the same direction simultaneously it is possible to widen the lift shaft and lift carriage so that it can accommodate two pallet infeeds side by side.
The benefit of this is that you can also move oversized pallets.
If you need to increase throughputs but need to have the facility for two directions of travel simultaneously then two separate lift systems would be required.
Throughputs for Pallet Lifts can be anything up to 120 pallets an hour.
All NERAK Unit Load Lift Systems can be provided either as Standalone Lifts supplied with no controls or conveyors, Stand Alone lifts with controls and/or conveyors, or as a Fully Integrated System. Contact Us with any questions or view the full NERAK Product Portfolio.