Kennedy Wire Rope Supplies Vacuum Lifter for Steel Handling Application

Kennedy Wire Rope & Sling has supplied a 7,000-pound-capacity powered vacuum lifter for use below the hook of a 30-ton capacity overhead crane to handle laser-cut plate steel. The equipment was manufactured by The Caldwell Group Inc. and configured to meet a requirement for damage-free lifting of precision-cut steel components.

The end user required a solution for handling laser-cut skeletons without causing damage. The supplied Model F lifter was delivered with a 330 UniVac Powerpack. The system allows the power pack to be added at the end of the manufacturing process, with the frame sized for the material and the power pack connected at the top, which includes the lifting eye.

The lifter was customized with five crossarms and 10 pads to accommodate larger and heavier materials than standard configurations. Rectangle pads were selected instead of round pads, and certain pads can be disengaged when lifting smaller loads.

Cameron Frederick, account manager at Kennedy Wire Rope, said: “We supply many standard and customized products from the Caldwell portfolio; in the case of vacuum lifters, they most frequently fall into the latter category. In other words, from the pad layout to power configuration, every detail is engineered around the application so the equipment performs exactly as it should. We considered lifting magnets, and a mechanical vacuum solution, but ultimately the powered version was the best option.”

Hugo Gutierrez, technical sales representative at Caldwell, said: “Cameron and the team were great to work with on this project; we collaborated to create a vacuum lifter that met the criteria of the end user. For example, we added a transformer to achieve both 115V and 460V power. Another interesting feature was X-style parking stands, so the pads don’t have to sit on the floor when the unit is not in service. The high capacity requested required us to include a turnbuckle sling connecting the main beam to the powerpack to avoid deflection.”

Gutierrez added, “If you're considering vacuum lifting, the first step is to understand a customer’s specific application. From there, we can walk through configuration options, functionality features, and motor preferences to ensure the right fit.”

Kennedy Wire Rope also provided operator training and will oversee maintenance requirements. Caldwell manufactures a range of below-the-hook lifting devices, including electric, mechanical, shop air and battery-powered vacuum lifters for handling materials that are not suitable for magnets.

The Caldwell Group Inc., based in Rockford, Illinois, produces lifting equipment including sheet lifters, coil grabs, clamps and custom material handling solutions.