Case Studies

The Challenge: Mitigating Extreme Pallet Wear

In demanding manufacturing settings, the lifespan of essential equipment can be drastically cut short due to the environmental stresses they face. In fact, this construction materials company faced a constant challenge of rapid and costly wear to their pallets.

And these are no ordinary pallets.

They are made of steel and weigh 115kgs each empty! These pallets also have unusual measurements of 1400mm wide x 700mm long x 15mm thick. Furthermore, they endure a tortuous working life bearing constant heavy building material loads. This means frequent replacements, operational downtime when they fail and “£££” to replace them.

We were sought to present a solution that would help the manufacturer get the maximum life out of their hefty pallet investments. To this end we proposed a solution that would periodically turn over the pallets in order to evenly distribute wear and tear.

This had the potential to extend the pallets’ operational life, reduce replacement costs and minimise disruption to the customer’s production flow.

The Solution: A Bespoke Automated Pallet Turnover Unit

We designed, built, and installed a custom-engineered solution: a new Automated Pallet Turnover Unit. To be sure it was up to the job we integrated it with a heavy-duty twin chain conveyor.

This beefy 180-degree turnover device is specifically tailored to handle the user’s unique pallet dimensions and weight. It operates at an impressive rate of one cycle every nine seconds.

At the heart of this innovative system is a specially designed Destaco cam box. This critical component features inbuilt damping properties. These are crucial for managing the huge vibrations inherent in turning over such heavy items at speed. The box’s clever design also significantly reduces the need for complex electronic controls and additionally streamlines the system and enhances reliability.

The entire unit was meticulously designed and built in our workshops, undergoing rigorous testing to ensure optimal performance and durability. This pre-installation preparation was particularly vital, given we only had very limited installation time.

The Outcome: Enhanced Durability and Operational Efficiency

The installation of the Automated Pallet Turnover Unit was successfully completed within a very tight factory shutdown window of just two days. The immediate impact was clear:

• Reduced Pallet Wear. By regularly turning over the steel pallets, the wear distributes evenly across both faces to significantly extend the pallets’ lifespan.
• Cost Savings. From lowered pallet replacement costs
• Improved Operations. The robust and reliable nature of the bespoke unit ensures smoother production flow and reduces unexpected downtime caused by pallet failures.
• Streamlined Controls. The special cam box simplifies the overall control system to ease maintenance requirements.

This project is a great example of how tailored engineering solutions can address challenges in the harshest industrial environments. It also illustrates the significant improvements possible.

Now let us help you

Why not work with us to prolong the life of your equipment. We can handle even the heaviest of challenges. Contact us, we’d love to hear from you.