An Instrument Manufacturing Case Study
Unidex designs and manufactures custom material handling equipment, powered mobile lifts, and ergonomic workstation systems for industrial assembly applications. This project highlights how Unidex configured a custom powered lifting-and-rotation system to handle large electronic enclosures during assembly operations for an instrument manufacturing company.
The application required operators to safely lift, position, and rotate heavy electronic enclosures while protecting sensitive exterior surfaces and improving ergonomic handling conditions during production.
The Challenge: Handling Heavy Electronic Enclosures
Their company required a safer and more controlled method for handling large electronic enclosures during assembly operations. Operators needed to access multiple sides of the assemblies throughout the build process, which required lifting and rotating heavy enclosures weighing several hundred pounds.
The existing process relied heavily on manual handling and required two operators to safely reposition each enclosure. This increased ergonomic strain during assembly while creating workflow inefficiencies during production. The customer also required a handling method that would protect the exterior surfaces of the electronic enclosures during lifting and rotation.
The Solution: Custom Powered Mobile Lifts and Workstation Tables
Our engineering team evaluated the enclosure dimensions, handling requirements, and production workflow to configure a customized lifting-and-rotation system. The final setup combined PH Workstation Tables with a custom battery operated PE device designed specifically for enclosure handling and controlled rotation.
- Custom lifting forks: Adjustable forks were configured to grip and lift the enclosure securely during handling operations
- Protective fork liners: Specialized liners were added to the fork contact surfaces to help prevent scratching or cosmetic damage during lifting
- Powered rotation capability: A battery-powered rotating mechanism was integrated into the lift system to rotate enclosures 180 degrees during assembly operations
- Integrated workstation workflow: The PE mobile lift retrieved enclosures directly from Unidex workstation tables to simplify movement between assembly stages
Unidex manufactured and shipped the customized lifting systems within a six-to-eight-week lead time depending on configuration requirements.
The Results: Improved Safety and Efficiency
The customized lifting and rotation system improved handling consistency during assembly operations while reducing operators’ manual lifting requirements.
Reduced manual handlingPowered lifting and rotation capabilities reduced the process from a two-person handling task to a one-person operation
Improved ergonomic supportMechanized lifting and rotation reduced the amount of manual repositioning required during assembly
More stable handling environmentControlled lifting and rotation helped improve positioning stability for both operators and electronic enclosures during assembly processes
Following deployment, their company has continued ordering additional workstation tables and powered lifts for other assembly applications within their facility.
Supporting Safer and More Efficient Assembly Workflows
Assembly operations involving large electronic enclosures often require controlled lifting, positioning, and rotation to improve ergonomics and maintain handling stability. Unidex customized a powered mobile lift and workstation system to support enclosure rotation, reduce manual handling requirements, and protect sensitive assembly surfaces during production.
Our engineering team works directly with customers to configure lifting and positioning equipment based on application requirements, load characteristics, and assembly workflows.
Contact Unidex to discuss your material handling application or request a quote for a customized lifting solution.
