The assembly process of manufacturing companies is often complex. Especially when products become larger and heavier. When larger parts need to be moved, it is important that this is done effectively and safely. If this is not properly arranged or insufficiently thought through, it can result in downtime; which can be extremely costly. Of course, prevention is better than cure.
In this blog we mention the advantages of air casters and why it can be interesting when moving heavy weights, such as machines. This can help optimize production and prevent downtime!
In summary, the benefits of air casters:
Optimal maneuverability and freedom of movement
Safe and ergonomic moving, regardless of how heavy the load is
Lower floor load and less damage to the floor
Virtually maintenance free
Vibration-free moving of sensitive equipment or machinery!
1. Agility in all directions and moving in confined spaces
Our air casters allow a heavy load to float on a layer of air. This allows the load to move almost frictionlessly in any direction. The principle is similar to that of a hovercraft. The air casters cause the load to float. This allows free movement and steering in any direction. This freedom is ideal for maneuvering larger objects in smaller spaces or on routes with sharp turns or smaller passages.
The air casters give ultimate freedom of movement and provide maximum maneuverability! Moving these loads requires only 1 kg of force to move 1,000 kg. So one of the advantages of air castes is that it becomes easy to move lead-heavy loads from one place to another within the factory.
2. Safe and ergonomic benefits
In the production environment, many employees are involved in heavy moving; it is important that this is done safely and ergonomically. By means of air casters, it is possible to move several thousand kilograms with only 1 person. For heavier loads, this can be done with several people. For weights of 10,000kg or more, we always recommend the use of a drive unit. This is because of inertia. This way it remains safe to move large weights and can always be done in an ergonomic way. Aerofilm has developed and produced tools for this purpose.
With its own engineering team, Aerofilm can also think along in tailor-made solutions in order to make the movement as optimal as possible. So there are multiple advantages of air casters in terms of safety and ergonomics.
3. Less risk of damaging floors
The layer of air between the air casters and the floor allows the load to be moved with virtually no friction. Because the heavy weight floats, no contact is made with the surface, making the risk of damage negligible. Besides contact damage, there are a number of advantages of air casters that relate to the floor/surface. The weight to be moved is distributed over the entire surface of the air casters. As a result, the floor load is much lower and line or point loads are excluded. Because the air casters have a maximum working pressure of 4 bar, the pressure on the floor is in principle never higher than 4 kg per cm2.
4. Minimal maintenance
One of the advantages of air casters is that they require no lubrication or oil, and they require virtually no maintenance. This is because air casters have no moving parts. If they get dirty, casters can be easily cleaned using soap and water.
5. Vibration-free movement of sensitive loads
Loads sensitive to shocks and vibrations can easily be moved with air casters. Unevenness in the floor is not transferred to the load; the caster absorbs it. This makes air casters ideal for moving high-tech equipment or other sensitive loads. The air casters act as a buffer / shock absorber between the load and the floor. This is one of the advantages of air caster; sensitive loads do not vibrate or shake during and through internal transport.
6. A heavy load does not have to be a burden!
In manufacturing environments, it is increasingly common to have to move heavy machinery or loads. These loads are becoming larger and heavier. Be it transformers, large turbines, engines or even complete ships. Air casters have no limitation in terms of capacity. With enough air on a good floor, the complete load is given floating. This allows the displacement to be moved virtually without friction. Because friction is virtually eliminated, only one thousandth of the force is needed to move a weight. So with 1 kg of force, 1,000 kg can be moved. It is important that, although the movement is easier, the weight does not change. Safety always comes first!
