Hovair technology utilised at warehouse facility

Hovair air film technology by Movetech UK, combined with flooring from Sika UK, have been utilised by London and Cambridge Properties (LCP) to expand its warehouse capacity.

LCP's need to double capacity at its specialist warehousing facility at Burntwood Business Park, Burntwood, Staffordshire.

With only a third of the warehouse accessible by the main 100 tonne capacity crane, demands were exceeding LCP's supply capabilities, and customers were being turned away.

It was vital that an economic solution be found that would allow LCP to expand its capacity for heavier items.

Close collaboration with Movetech UK engineers using their in-house Hovair technology, has resulted in the design and manufacture of an air film transporter with a total design capacity of 100 tonnes.

The original initially focused on a wheeled solution that used hydraulic jacks and machinery skates, but the air film option offers greater flexibility and is more user friendly.

Unlike wheels, air bearings allow loads to be moved in any direction.

Eight 40" high pressure air bearings are incorporated into the design of the LCP transporter, as are a central guide wheel as a point of steering and to allow straight line moves, and 100 tonne lifting beams.

Steering and propulsion of the transporter are provided by an air powered tugger which also houses the controls for the transporter.

LCP have had a series of stillages made to accommodate the transformers.

Once the transformer is in position, the 100 tonne lifter beams pick the stillage and transformer off the floor and position them on the transporter before moving them to the allocated storage area.

A new compressed air system has been installed specifically for the air film equipment, and, to optimise the performance of the air film solution further, a specialist floor has been laid.

Hovair air film technology, incorporated into air skates, transporters and turntables, is frequently used in the aerospace, nuclear and automotive industries to improve efficiency and speed up production and assembly flow-lines.

Effectively hand operated 'hovercrafts', air film transporters are capable of moving objects of almost any size or weight in any direction with ease and precision.

As they run on a thin film of air, they require smooth surfaces for operation.

LCP chose an advanced flooring system from Sika that offered durability, resistance to chemicals and a waterproof, smooth gloss finish.

This smooth surface limits the resistance of the flooring, reducing the compressed air requirements, making the whole system more energy efficient.

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