New product release TRIKELIFTER™
Patented self-loading tricycle suspension transporter technology offers revolutionary advances in ship, aircraft and other heavy manufacturing operations
Wheelift® announces revolutionary advances in ship assembly and repair based on proven capabilities made available through an innovative new generation of smaller transporters. What makes the TrikeLifter™ unique is that each of the three support points are vertical lifting cylinders allow this three-point suspension transporter to drive under stand-supported loads then lift and carry them through highly confined spaces. The objective is to provide a self-loading, self-propelled platform that has a reduced number of essential components and therefore a lesser cost. All cylinders will raise and lower in unison, while the base of the load will remain parallel to the operating surface. The TrikeLifter is coupled with a computerized controller that calculates the exact rotation needed on each of the fixed rear wheels to enable tracking where the steerable front axle is taking them.
“We’ve introduced a new way to think about and go about assembly, transportation and manufacturing,” shares Mel Terry, Wheelift’s Senior Systems Design and Development Specialist. “The TrikeLifter transporter uses a simple design inspired by the tricycle to move large loads in congested spaces and is positioned to improve ship, aircraft and other heavy manufacturing operations worldwide.” The TrikeLifter transporters will be approximately 7' to 9’ long and include one 180-degree steerable electrically driven axle in front and two fixed direction electronic differentially driven wheels in back. The system offers unmatched solutions for secure, safe and precise load moving over virtually any type and condition of surfaces. Commercial shipyards will now have the opportunity to reap the benefits and savings of custom engineered transporters that have proven effective in US Navy shipyards.
The patented self-loading tricycle suspension transporter technology is expected to be manufactured in 2013 for a variety of maritime and aerospace uses including any plant or operation that requires the regular movement of large, heavy and delicate loads, including heavy scaffolding and tooling, in highly congested spaces and between buildings. The ability to precisely move huge parts in harsh industrial environments introduces a flexibility that has not existed. Whether being operated independently or in tandem, each transporter has the ability to automatically control a load's position by effortlessly adjusting yaw, pitch and roll to accommodate variations in the surface over which the transporters move. Wheelift transporters typically operate in hostile environments including dirt and grit, high humidity and exposure to weather and salt spray with wind velocities of 25 miles per hour and greater coming in from any direction.
Wheelift Systems Group has been the sole licensor of Intelliport Corporation’s patented technology. Clients of Wheelift Systems Group have included the US Navy, Boeing, Constellation Energy, KUKA and Siemens, among others. Now there is an opportunity to build the TrikeLifter. Interested manufacturers can visit http://www.wheelift.com for more information.
Nicole Cheslock, NC Public Relations and Communications, nicole@nicolecheslock.com, (530) 548-5010 office, (415) 902-8494 mobile
ABOUT WHEELIFT
The Wheelift Systems Group manufactures heavy capacity self-propelled wheeled transporters and automatic guided vehicles. Wheelift transporters can move loads up to 400 tons as needed in aircraft and ship assembly, large mining machinery, heat exchangers, transformers and large turbine generators, self-loading mold changers for the plastics industries and carrying shielded containers for radiation waste in Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) nuclear processing and storage facilities. The Wheelift difference is rooted in individually powered and controlled modules that provide unmatched load capacity and accuracy. Prospective clients can visit www.wheeliftsimulator.com to test-drive a Wheelift transporter. For more information, visit www.wheelift.com.
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