Material Handling Need
Aircraft Tire/Wheel shop activities require significant handling of large aircraft tires and rims weighing up to several hundred pounds. Handling these assets by manual means/methods had resulted in several serious injuries, culminating in lost workdays and long-term medical impact on shop personnel and worker well-being.
Original Process: Two to Three operators required to lift C5 aircraft tire from pallet position, stacked up to four(4) levels high and onto rim assembly. Assembly was then lifted from a horizontal position to vertical to be rolled into a rack staging area.
Tire Lift weight: 400 pounds+
Tire Size: 44”-56” outside diameter(OD), 17”-20” width
Air Power Solution
Air Power’s solution consisting of aluminum overhead rail, bridge crane to suspend one (1) manipulator for the tire lift process, and one (1) bridge to suspend a pneumatic hoist for the F15 Rim process for the original C5 aircraft application. The C5 Solution was installed in 2013.
Due to the increase in the C130 aircraft process requirements, Air Power was contacted to offer another solution for the C130 unit in September 2015.
An additional bridge was added to allow processing for the larger C130 tire application (tires over 400lbs) to allow pickup, positioning, and processing of these components.
Air Power Inc provided a TurnKey solution for both C5 and C130 tire applications.
Results
Implementation will reduce injuries, enhance efficiency, improve quality and ergonomics in the support of the warfighter mission.
“An effective and user-friendly solution that was way overdue” –Bobby Munda, WRAFB 402MXE
“Awesome, absolutely awesome!” –Candace Lauderdale, Safety Specialists, WRAFB
