Intelligent Material Handling
Overhead Gantry Transfer
A low-torque overhead gantry moves castings from gate cut to deburr, keeping the aisle open for vehicles and people.
CLIENT
INDUSTRY
SOLUTION
DURATION
The Challenge
With the new gate cut and deburr cells in place, castings still had to cross from one process to the next, and a plant aisle ran between them. A floor conveyor would have cut off the aisle, and moving heavy castings by hand was not an option. The primary requirement was a transfer that was safe for team members working around it. The secondary requirement was just as clear: keep the aisle free for vehicles and personnel at all times.
Key Requirements
- Move castings from the gate cut outfeed to the deburr infeed
- Keep forces low for team member safety
- Keep the aisle free for vehicles and personnel
- Absorb alignment differences between two cells
- Prevent castings from falling during travel
- Meet Category 3 safety
The ICR Solution
ICR designed and built an overhead gantry transfer that carries castings above the aisle between the two cells. The carriage is driven by eight low-torque V-groove wheels, with the middle four spring-loaded to stay in contact with the track, so the drive cannot apply the kind of force that would put a team member at risk. A geared carriage lock and alignment rollers hold it at each dock, where its roller bed receives a casting from the gate cut outfeed and hands it to the deburr infeed. Fall-prevention guards swing clear when docking. Adjustable stand mounts absorb misalignment between cells, and a travel beacon, E-stops, laser part sensing and Category 3 controls complete the system.
Equipment & Technology
- Overhead gantry beam on two adjustable stands
- Low-torque drive: 8 V-groove wheels, middle four spring-loaded
- Carriage with roller bed, pivot plate and geared lock
- Casting fall prevention and docking guides
- Keyence laser part-presence sensor, IFM proximity sensors
- VFD drives, PLC and control panel on the stand
- Audio-visual travel beacon, E-stops, cable carrier
Scope of Work
- Up-Front Engineering
- Layout Integration
- Mechanical Design
- Fabrication
- Controls Design
- Panel Build
- PLC Programming
- Installation
- Commissioning
Results
Castings now travel overhead from gate cut to deburr with no manual handling. The low-torque drive keeps team members safe around a moving carriage, and the aisle below stays fully open to vehicles and personnel. The carriage docks, locks and transfers each casting without drops, and adjustable stands tie two independently installed cells together, completing an automated line that runs 24/7.