2006-11-22 How to handle palletless loads with forklifts

Palletless transportation of certain loads can be achieved with standard fork clamps with relevant slip-on arms that embrace the load informs Mike Barton.
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When goods have to be handled along the internal and external logistic supply chain, from incoming raw materials through their manufacturing process and up to their delivery to the end user, pallets are practically indispensable. Therefore, the forks that pick up pallets
are the typical standard attachments preselected by forklift truck OEMs. But what are the alternatives when the following has to be considered.

* Expensive production pallets (such as those made from stainless steel or plastic for hygiene reasons) must be returned.

* Wooden pallets have to be exchanged (because of a growing number of countries no longer allow the import of unfumigated wooden packaging materials).

* A cheaper, one-way pallet is used to reduce packaging costs, resulting in a more attractive price for customers.

* Transport volume in containers, trailers and railway wagons (railroad cars) is to be optimised.

* Load carriers have to be eliminated because the recipient of the goods will not accept the related cost.

Nowadays, palletless transportation of certain loads can be achieved with standard fork clamps with relevant slip-on arms that embrace the load, usually with dedicated attachments such as block and brick clamps, bale clamps, drum clamps and roll clamps.

* Large surface clamp - the ideal attachment for palletless handling of carton-boxed goods is large-surface clamps - their large rubber-coated arms grab cubed loads from the side.

These goods can be lifted up with a load carrier (e.g pallet) from roller belts, or from pallets - whichever way they come.

In additional, some of the boxes can be taken from the top of the cube.

The forklift truck will then carry the loads, place them in containers, on trailers or place them onto other forms of load carriers.

To avoid squeezing or other damage to the load, pressure regulations valves form an integral part of the hydraulic system and enable minimum pressure to be applied between the arms.

The system can be upgraded to allow the driver to choose from a selection of preset pressures for different loads, or upgraded to a sensor system that automatically selects the correct pressure according to the load's volume or weight.

Applications for these clamps include handling white and brown goods.

Handling cubes of eight units (two wide by two deep by two high) has now become a standard configuration in manufacturers' and logistic service providers' warehouses.

Now, companies such as Kaup have met the industry's efficiency demand of handling even bigger cubs by creating innovative telescopic profiles for clamps.

Instead of using the same clamp attachment, it is possible to handle either one household appliance at a time or up to 16 units (four wide by two deep by two high) in one go.

The ability to load a full container or trailer width (2400-2500mm) at a time substantially increases the efficiency of handling such cargo.

The arms of the new clamp design are so slim that, in most cases, the remaining space between the container/trailer wall and the goods is sufficient for opening and retracting them.

* Using A pusher - some goods cannot be grabbed from the sides, e g, bagged goods containing coffee, sugar or plastic chips.

These can be depalleted by means of a pusher, which consists of the carrying part - usually a plate - and a hydraulically operated pushing grate that moves the load to the front.

There are different choices for carrying parts.

If standard features are selected, the pallet is held in position by a little gripper clamp holding its centre block between the forks so that it cannot shift while the load is being pushed off.

With this system, the load can be transferred to another pallet or placed on top of another stack, although pushing the load to the floor might be problematic because of the pallet height of about 150mm.

Another configuration is usually selected for bagged goods.

The carrying part in this case consists of five to six multitines and the loads are provided on comb pallets.

The pusher with multitine arrangement is introduced (as counter comb) into the centre spaces formed by square length member (comb) on which the load rests until it is taken up.

By lifting the load it rests on the tines and be pushed off these afterwards.

But sometimes goods are not provided directly on comb pallets.

In this case, a stationary pallet turnover clamp can be used, where one side provides a plate onto which the production pallet is placed and the other side of the clamping arm is of a comb shape design.

By clamping the load together and turning it through 180 deg, it then rests on the comb arm and can be moved with the multitine pusher.

* Pallet turnover clamps - one method of repalletising is the pallet turnover clamp.

This attachment features a rotating arm with fork pairs on both arms.

An empty one-way shipping pallet is loaded onto the first (upper) fork pair, and after being rotated 180 deg, the clamp opens so that the lower fork pair can insert the production pallet under the stack.

After closing the clamp and rotating back 180, the load is then placed on the shipping pallet.

By opening the clamp, the production pallet stays on the upper forks and can then be placed on the floor to be returned into the work cycle.

* Push-pull handling - in cases where goods are likely to be shipped without pallets, or where comparatively expensive pallets are to be replaced with a cheaper variety, slips sheets can be taken into consideration.

Their low height in comparison to pallets allows more layers of the relevant goods to be stacked into a container or into a warehouse where height is an important consideration.

This applies mainly to lightweight/high-volume goods.

As they provide no room for inserting forks, the process of working with slip-sheets is very different from conventional pallet handling.

Slip-sheets feature a flap of about 10cm long on one side, which is preformed, with an angle of around 30 deg.

A push-pull is similar to the pusher system but features a hydraulically operated gripper bar at the bottom of the pushing grate, which grabs the flap of the slip-sheet.

The slip-sheet and load are pulled onto the wide carrying plate and moved to the warehouse or loaded directly into a container or trailer, where the goods, including slip-sheet, are pushed off.

Standard forks are the lift-truck OEM's traditionally supplied attachment, but the trend towards depalletising, repalletising and palletless handling calls for other solutions.

Whichever the system handling is preferred; there is an attachment that can provide all the required configurations.

* About the author - Mike Barton is managing director with B and B
Attachments.