An Ergonomic Solution to Handling Empty Pallets at Modex Booth 4863

Automation Plus has a new way to handle pallets, called the Pallet Return Device. (PRD) The PRD is designed to operate in DC pick modules and makes handling pallets safer and more efficient than current practices without using any outside energy source such as electricity or compressed air.
The PRD incorporates a unique method for stacking empty pallets. Stacking pallets requires expensive machinery or intense manual labor (movements prone to injury). The PRD enables a new method, wherein the operator lifts the pallet over a pivot point thereby creating a mechanical advantage to remove the back strain associated with lifting pallets.
Not only is this a safer device for the operator, it's also more efficient for the forklift driver. The PRD uses a "carriage" to help guide the empty pallets. This feature produces a perfect stack, thereby eliminating the need for the fork truck driver to reshape the stack. Getting on and off fork trucks is a real time waster! Additionally, pallets stacked neatly one atop the other removes the hazard associated with falling pallets. A falling pallet or dropped stack is rare, but when they do fall (particularly from high locations) it can be a serious situation.
A single pallet can weight anywhere from 30-70 pounds. The PRD incorporates a shock absorbing device that provides a smooth transition from the load position to the unload position. In use, the operator loads the carriage. Then the operator simply releases the load and lets the shock absorbing device safely guide the stack to a vertical position. Once positioned, the pallets are rolled forward to a raised outbound location which releases the pallets from the carriage. The operator then slides the carriage back, resets the unit, and it's ready to receive more empty pallets.

Company: Automation Plus, a Div of CSF Incorporated

Company URL: http://www.palletreturndevice.com