Palift Saves Back in Timber Mill

Case Study

Industry:  Timber
Product:  Palift

Problem

Workers at this Gippsland Timber Mill were developing sore backs and finding it difficult to maintain work rates as they loaded timber lengths into the saw.

They needed a product that would maintain the timber planks at a steady height as they were fed into the saw. It was important that the product chosen was easy to use and did not decrease the work rate.

Solution

Safetech Tandem Palift.

Benefits

• Safetech provided two static Palifts in tandem that permitted the automatic raising and lowering of the timber lengths as they were loaded into the saw.
• Immediate reduction in backache and work fatigue.
• Productivity increased.
• Easy to use with no need for operator intervention.?Workers satisfied with the outcome.

Alternatives

• Hydraulic lift tables. More expensive and they required workers to use a control switch to raise and lower the table which was inconvenient and slower.
• Air spring pallet leveller. Also more expensive, less durable, required maintenance and a compressed air supply.
• Overhead crane system. Very costly, needed development of a timber gripper and would have been too slow for the saw.