Getting a grip
Bohle has unveiled the new Liftmaster Quadro automatic vacuum lifting system, which has been developed to safely handle weights of up to 800kg. Managing director Dave Broxton discusses.
Glass handled in the factory and on site is getting bigger, and handling it is becoming more complex, which is what makes the launch of Bohle’s new Liftmaster Quadro automatic vacuum lifting system well timed.
It combines the capability to safely handle weights of up to 800kg with ease of operation and almost infinite degree of flexibility.
And while this is Bohle’s first foray into automatic vacuum lifting systems, it has come at the project with pre-existing industry-leading expertise.
There are lots of companies who claim to be industry leaders in lots of different areas. Where Bohle is without a doubt industry leader is manual handling, our manual handling range Veribor is the product of a continuous programme of development.
The shape of the suction lifter, the design of the lip, its composition, the pump mechanisms we use, or the ergonomic design of the handle – these are the product of decades of research and refinement. We have now applied that to an automatic vacuum lifter.
This in a sense makes Bohle’s decision to launch Liftmaster Quadro at once a departure into new territory but at the same time one into very familiar ground.
Fully tested to the European Standard for lifting systems EN13155, it’s built around a dual-circuit vacuum system. It means the Liftmaster Quadro doubles up on safety, so if vacuum is lost on one circuit, the second will support the load.
This echoes the design principles that underpin Bohle’s Veribor range, which is tested to the ultra-stringent German TÜV GS mark, providing an independent guarantee of performance and designed to have a minimum 2:1 safety margin to reflect real world usage.
This focus on the realities of the real working environment are also represented in the Liftmaster Quadro’s additional design features. This includes a high degree of operational flexibility, comfortably coping with weights of up to 400kg with the four-pad standard unit, or 800kg through the use of four extension arms.
The system can also be swivelled through 90° and rotated through 360°, or locked in any one of 12 positions making it flexible should you need to navigate your way across a busy shop floor or site.
This is made easier through the use of a continuous handrail that runs the entire circumference of the lifter, and which means that the Liftmaster Quadro can be controlled from any side or angle, comfortably and safely.
Cables and hoses are enclosed inside the housing of the lifter so there is nothing to catch, while it also features audio visual warnings and alarms, including digital temperature display.
This also shows battery level. An easy-release mechanism means that this can also be changed quickly and without the use of specialist tools. It will even hold its vacuum while the battery is replaced.
Liftmaster Quadro is also highly mobile and can be packed down to fit on a dedicated transport frame, making handling and storage simple.
Running off a standard Li-ion battery it can be used on site as well as a manufacturing environment.
Again, the focus on flexibility and manoeuvrability resonates with Bohle’s wider offer. This includes the LiftMaster B1 manual lifting device, which is compact and can handle weights of up to 180kg.
Designed to be used with or without an electric pump, it delivers exceptional versatility, while a dual circuit vacuum system, reserve tanks, vacuum display and secondary vacuum indicator similarly ensure that it guarantees the highest levels of safety.
Designed to carry lighter loads, it’s even more manoeuvrable than the Liftmaster Quadro, packing down to fit inside an estate car.
