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Picking solutions
Aerospace industries
require a vast number of parts and components in a staggeringly wide
variety of sizes and styles - and they typically need them on short
notice. Parts have to be stored and organized efficiently so that access
is fast and reliable. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, with
the answer ranging from static storage like steel
shelving to sophisticated AS/RS
systems and carousels
to gravity
flow racks. Knowing the right solution for the application and when
to apply it is the key. Cisco-Eagle has over 30 years of experience in
meeting the parts picking challenges faced by the aerospace industry.
Moving large components and other high
capacity tasks
"I don't know of another
industry that relies on four $100 casters to move around $100,000 worth
of components," said Cisco-Eagle caster specialist John
Owen. "If you specify an aerospace caster, it had better be the
right one." From engine dollies, panel trucks, and maintenance
platforms to nose stands, tire carriers and landing gear carriages, the
equipment takes a beating. The casters take a significant portion of
this beating. Using the right one for the job is both a science and an
art.
Owen said: "We worked on a job for the
largest manufacturer in the world, and we used the kingpinless
swivel assembly caster." The application was to move the
fuselages of 757's. The company also needed to move floor beams and
engine nacelles with spring-loaded, shock-absorbing casters. "We
even supplied a 'quiet' 76
series caster to move trash gondolas," Owen said. The new
facility noted a significant drop in caster replacement costs.
"Replacement has been virtually zero. The things just don't
break."
For many applications, aerospace companies must be
able to lift, inspect and work on very large components. Balancers and
lift tables often are crucial in these processes. Products such as balancers
allow an operator to handle, twist, and turn a bulky, heavy component
with no physical effort--meaning the operator is safer, and is also
focused more on the task, not the lifting.
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