Blog

By Jeff Bollman
Project Engineer
Thomas Conveyor & Equipment Co

A major Biopharmaceutical Company approached Thomas Conveyor & Equipment Company to provide a storage solution in one of their laboratory equipment facilities. They were looking for a cost effective, safe and easy way to move and store mobile lab equipment.

The solution was a combination of a Wildeck mezzanine and vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) which is designed for the transfer of material only from one level to another.

The mezzanine was designed with a capacity of 250 lbs. PSF as some of the equipment was quite heavy.  The deck surface, a smooth finished resin board so equipment could be easily and safely be rolled into place. Roof deck underside was painted white to reflect light and brighten the area under the mezzanine. Mezzanine included handrails, kick plates and IBC approved stairs.

The VRC was a hydraulic cantilever model to maximize space with a capacity of 2,500 lbs. The VRC was designed with a low profile carriage, so no need to cut/build a pit or use a ramp that would take up valuable floor space and cause a possible “tripping” hazard. A small transition plate at the lower level allows a cart or equipment to be wheeled easily onto the carriage. VRC also included bi-parting swing gates with electro-mechanical locks and contacts at both levels and fully enclosed panels for added safety.

Thomas Conveyor & Equipment provided all the design, approval drawings, PE sealed drawings and structural drawings along with complete mechanical and electrical installation. Truly a one-stop shop.

Contact Thomas Conveyor & Equipment for all your storage and material handling projects. Call us today at 844-220-0086.

By Tim Knerr
Project Engineer
Thomas Conveyor & Equipment Co

A project was brought to Thomas Conveyor requiring a security enclosure around precious material that the customer required be locked at all times unless accessed by internal personnel. The design would include ceiling high panel walls and a door on either side of the enclosure. Both doors would need to be able to lock/unlock with a standard cylinder lock which would give only authorized personnel access to this area.

Our design for the ceiling high fence panels allowed us to tie into the building’s ceiling joists as a top anchor that allowed us to control sway and maximize our wall stability. This gave the customer the exact height requirement they had asked for without requiring an extra large baseplate for each of our fence posts.

Our doorways included (1) single pedestrian door with a custom push bar exit and (1) double wide vehicle door which allows forklifts to enter our secured area to load and unload material on the rack structure inside the secured cage area.

In the end, the customer was very satisfied with their new Secured Product Cage. The material is safe under lock and key, and all authorized personnel are able to easily access the area when needed.

Please contact our team regarding any questions or future projects requiring security cage or fencing. 

By Tim Knerr
Project Engineer
Thomas Conveyor & Equipment Co

A project was brought to Thomas Conveyor involving a mezzanine expansion for a large scale manufacturer in the Chicagoland area. Thomas Conveyor was contracted to design and install a Double Wide Mechanical VRC that would be used to carry heavy materials and equipment from the ground floor to the top of the mezzanine deck. The VRC would help the factory workers transport these heavy loads safely and securely. This eliminates the need for heavy duty forklifts or Lull to lift material to the edge of an open Pivot Gate on the second floor of the mezzanine which can be extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous for the forklift driver.

The VRC was designed to specifically match all of the customer’s needs. To maintain a standard “Z-pattern” when loading (product going in the front of the carriage and out the back), the VRC would straddle the top deck of the newly built mezzanine. A recessed pit was also dug so that the carriage platform would meet directly with the 1^st level floor which the material would be loaded from. This eliminated the need for an approach ramp which would take up floor space the customer could not afford to lose. The VRC would also be double wide which allowed for two fully loaded pallets to be placed side by side in the carriage to save loading time for forklift drivers.

After installation and upon final inspection, the VRC was ready to be used by the customer for all material and equipment transportation needs.

Please feel free to contact our team regarding any questions or future projects involving any material lifts or VRC equipment. 

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