Just launched, the piLIFT® SMART vacuum lifter brings the future of Industry 4.0 integration a step closer. Piab’s new vacuum lifter enables users to introduce smarter handling solutions where data is collected in real-time, making their production processes deliver on the promises of the 4th industrial revolution, Industry 4.0.
“The piLIFT® SMART vacuum lifter is the first manually operated vacuum lifter to meet the demands of Industry 4.0. Not only a market breakthrough, but it also heralds a genuine paradigm shift for ergonomic vacuum lifters,” says David Collins, Vice President and Head of Piab’s Ergonomic Handling Division.
How smart is it?
As the market’s first Industry 4.0 ready vacuum lifter, Piab’s piLIFT® SMART has integrated, smart data features based on internet connectivity. These enable the vacuum lifter to sense and record movements and to respond quickly to user intentions, making it a particularly user-friendly lifting tool.
In addition, it will lift and weigh loads simultaneously, as well as collect and log data, making process statistics and analyses immediately accessible to the user on either the lifter’s built-in display or through web platform log-in. These data management features also enable the lifter to let the operator know when it is time for maintenance or cleaning.
What’s this about ergonomics?
Ergonomics is at the heart of all Piab vacuum lifters, so piLIFT® SMART is ergonomic by design. Every aspect of the vacuum lifter has been designed with ergonomics and natural movements in mind. The shape of its handle, allowing a side-on grip, and the placement of the variable speed controls, enabling left or right-handed use, are the results of an insightful design guided by ergonomic principles.
Furthermore, the vacuum lifter’s protective hand guard and the minimal operating sound level are testaments to a multi-pronged focus on the health and wellbeing of users.
Will it save energy?
In a category of its own, the piLIFT® SMART vacuum lifter utilises the latest and best performing vacuum lifting technology. The system controls the pump and valves, feeding power only when needed, which results in energy consumption that is 76% lower than other comparable vacuum lifters.
The vacuum lifter’s low-energy system controls the vacuum pump and the valves. This means that power is fed to these parts only when it is needed. A vacuum is generated only when the operator is ready to grip or lift an object. In between such activity, the air flow is kept at a minimal level, enabling the piLIFT® SMART to operate at a mere whisper.
Why is it safer?
All vacuum lifters work on the same basic principle, and piLIFT® SMART is no exception. It utilises the same single vacuum source to both grip and lift in one single movement. This provides the added bonus of an inherent safety feature that no other lifting solution benefits from. If the object cannot be gripped, neither will it lift. Hence there is no risk of it being dropped unintentionally mid-procedure. So, less risk of industrial injuries.
Piab’s vacuum lifters significantly reduce the risk of injury associated with manual handling. The load on an operator’s body can be reduced by more than 80 per cent.
As a result, processing staff run less risk of developing repetitive strain injuries, which in turn reduces the total number of sick leave hours.
Where can it be used?
The piLIFT® SMART can handle objects weighing up to 40 kg, offering the perfect vacuum lifting solution for materials handling procedures in a broad range of industries. The loading and off-loading of parcels and boxes from transportation pallets is one example. Or it may be used to lift, move and empty containers of bulk material, enabling its safe transferral to a feeding station connected to, for instance, Piab’s piFLOW® vacuum conveyor for further processing.
As the benefits of Industry 4.0 gain ground, the scope for piLIFT® SMART will grow. Inter-connectivity with other production units and procedures will be extended and improved. Its usability, flexibility and data management capability, that have already put it in a category of its own, will be explored further.
“We are just seeing the beginning of what the piLIFT® SMART is capable of. As specialists in vacuum-based gripping and moving solutions, we will continue to provide smart solutions for the automated world as it moves into its next phase where Industry 4.0 is realised,” concludes David Collins.
Visit Piab’s website for more information.
