Dual Monorail Crane System Helps Paper Company Reduce Workplace Injuries
April 17, 2009
A Cleveland Tramrail® by Gorbel crane system is helping a Wisconsin paper company reduce employee injuries.
Green Bay Packaging is a pulp and paper manufacturer that uses 100% recycled materials to produce a wide variety paperboard packaging. Large bulk rolls are slit and sized based on customer demand, and moved to a work cell in stacks where they are loaded onto skids for final shipping. Occasionally the large rolls need to be loaded into a machine to be rewound prior to shipping. The size of the rolls vary significantly, but can be as large as 3' x 5', and weigh as much as 600 pounds.
The primary problem facing the company in this application was operator injury, especially back strains. Back injuries were the leading cause of lost time injury for the company, and at one point were occurring as frequently as once per week. While most rolls are far too big for a single operator to lift, some smaller rolls are tempting for an operator to move manually in an attempt to save time. The company began looking for a lifting solution that would reduce the number of employee injuries, while at the same time handle the paper rolls without product damage.
"The two options being considered were an up-ender and a crane with a manipulator," said John Frederick of Green Bay Packaging. "The problem with the up-ender was that we couldn't handle the rolls the way we wanted to when loading the skids. The manipulator became important for stacking multiple rolls."
With the manipulator selected for tooling, the next obstacle was figuring out how to support it. The work cell where the rolls would be rewound had space restrictions that prohibited an overhead crane from covering the full work area.
Green Bay Packaging selected a 600 pound capacity Cleveland Tramrail® crane with dual monorails, featuring a platform to support the manipulator. The Cleveland Tramrail® system was important because it is strong enough to support the weight of a large manipulator reaching outside the support structure to lift the 600 pound paper rolls.
The implementation of the new process was very effective, as workers found moving even the heavier loads was easier. The manipulator inserts into the hole of the paper rolls and turns it to the proper position for loading into the machine. Operators have complete control over the linear movement of the manipulator with controls for the drives on the handle for the manipulator.
Of course, the primary goal the company when putting the system in the area was to reduce injuries. "There's been a huge reduction in workplace injuries," said Frederick. "Keeping our workers safe is our top priority. With this crane, there have been no injuries, and that was this project's biggest success."
Gorbel: A Class Above
Since 1977, Gorbel has been dedicated to providing high-quality overhead material handling solutions backed by a commitment to on-time delivery, a focus on customer service, and the industry's best warranty.
Contact for Interviews
Jeff McNeil, Marketing Manager
Telephone: 800-821-0086, ext. 6241
jefmcn@gorbel.com
Company Name: Gorbel Inc.
Address 1: 600 Fishers Run
City: Fishers
State: NY
Zip: 14453
Country: United States
Phone: 585-924-6262
URL: www.gorbel.com
Contact Name: Susan Griepsma
Organization: Gorbel Inc.
Title: Marketing Coordinator
Telephone: 800-821-0086, ext. 6733
E-mail: suegri@gorbel.com
