Air Bearing Systems
Do you need assistance with Moving Heavy Machinery, Machine Handling, Heavy Load Moving?
For over 30 years, industry has found it can move heavy, cumbersome loads and equipment easier and faster by using frictionless air. The air bearings and casters work in a similar way to a hovercraft, floating its load on a thin film of air between the load and the floor, making it a great way to move your heavy loads with the least possible effort.
Benefits:
Here are some of the benefits to using air bearings and casters in load moving equipment:
- Precise Positioning
Get your loads into places forklifts and cranes cannot. Omnidirectional for convenient alignment in limited space locations. Enables pinpoint accuracy in positioning your load to an exact location. Low profile equipment which requires less than 8 cm of clearance height. - Variable Job Configurations
Choice of air film kit systems with load modules and optional remote control units, as well as all fittings and hoses required to set you up quickly. Combine three or more modules together to form an air film system that will fit and move any size or shape load. Add or place modules at virtually any area of load - perfect for odd shaped loads, or loads that have unevenly distributed weight. Modular systems allow you to add more modules to suit each individual load. - Unlimited Capacities:
Standard air film systems can handle loads up to 100 tonnes - starting at just ½ tonne. Heavy duty systems are also available with unlimited lifting and moving capacities. Air Beams - used in pairs - can lift up to 30 tons
per beam. Transporters can lift from 1 to 120 tonnes. Heavy duty transporters with 300 tonne capacities. - Environmentally friendly - Powered by compressed air.
- Affordable & cost-effective
- Doesn't Damage Floors - Great for clean rooms.
- Easy to Use - Anyone can use - no special training required.
Product Range and Technical Specifications
Air Bearing Systems are assembled by using three or more air caster load modules to suit the size and shape of the loads that need to be moved. The flexibility of these air bearing systems means that load modules can be used at various points under a load, not necessarily at the corner points. This is particularly important for odd shaped loads that might have various areas that need support, or that have disproportionate weight distribution.
We have air bearing and air caster systems that can lift loads as light as 250 kg and range through to 100 tonnes and beyond.
Round Steel Systems
For repetitive movements of a single load such as large heavy machine moving, these modules can be permanently housed beneath the load until it needs to be moved again. For this, we recommend the round steel modules with A-type bearings on board, which is attached via a mounting plate to the load. The fundamentals of this type of attachment are: move it, drop it and forget it. Thereafter it is a simple case of snapping on an air line hose and it's instant load movement again.
Download the product brochure pdf 1.1Mb and technical specifications. pdf 770kb
Square Aluminum Systems
The square aluminum systems are considerably lighter than the round steel systems, and are usually used in conjunction with a remote control unit. The round steel systems are more inclined to be used in the "move it and forget it" mode, whereby they are permanently fixed to the load by way of a mounting plate and are instantly available when the load needs to be moved. The square aluminum type is ideal for when loads can be placed directly onto the modules, or when areas of the load can be lifted to allow a module to be placed underneath it.
Download the product brochure.
B-Type Low Profile Systems
Low profile air bearing systems are especially suitable for loads that need to be lifted vertically away from their base or the floor, before floating them off to their destination. Depending on the type of air bearings used, a low profile system can lift the load vertically as much as 7 cm. Low profile air bearing systems consist of thin aluminum caster modules with B-type high-lift bearings on board. Clearance for these modules can be as low as 3.5 cm making them suitable for sliding under loads and machinery that have low clearance heights. All low profile systems come complete with remote control.
- Very low profile aluminum load modules
- Requires only a 1¼ - 2 inch clearance height
- Remote control operation - very easy to use
Download the product brochure and technical specification.
VL-type Stainless Steel Systems
VL-type air bearing systems are especially suited to more lightweight loads ranging from around 500 to 2000 pounds. They provide the ideal solution for clean room applications and for moving around delicate machinery in a safe and efficient manner. Loads can be placed directly onto these systems, although we do recommend using a mounting bolt (discussed at time of order) to attach them permanently to the machine. Once attached, these stainless steel caster modules can move the same load any amount of times with comparative ease.
- Only needs compressed air - 4.8 to 6.9 bar
- Easily move lighter loads up to1600 kgs
- Very low profile stainless steel load modules
- Needs less than a 25mm clearance height
Download the product brochure and technical specification.
Related Information:
White Papers:
Video:
Demonstration of Air Bearings In Action - A set of four heavy steel girders weighing around a tonne being moved by four square aluminium modules housing 12-inch bearings. This setup could easily move four tonnes with no further adjustment necessary.
The demo shows just one man in attendance using very little effort to turn this load in an omni-directional fashion. Operation of these air bearing systems are so simple - anyone can do it.
Download the video (888K - Requires Windows Media to View)
Contact Us:
The team at Toolern Engineering Supplies PTY LTD is always ready to answer questions on your load moving systems and equipment needs. Please don't hesitate to contact us on (03) 9743-1209 or email us on info(at)toolern.com.au for a free no obligation assessment of your needs and requirements.
Alternatively, please fax this needs assessment form to (03) 9747-0973.
