Background:

TLC (Tight-line Composites), a valuable John Henry Foster, St. Louis customer, manufactures reels of carbon fiber for air turbines. They transport the reels of fiber on carts from their winder machines (that physically wind the reels of the pultruded carbon fiber) to their shipping location. The winders reel the carbon fiber vertically but TLC needed a safe way to tilt the reels of carbon fiber, 90 degrees, to allow for a horizontal position for shipping.

The existing carts did not provide much precision during the tilt movement, nor did they have a method to account for the variance in the balance point of the reels. The balance point varies based on how tight the product is wound, so this caused frustration and safety concerns in the transportation process.

Solution:

In collaboration with the customer and their JHF sales technician, John Henry Foster's Aluminum and Controls teams created a tilt cart that is directly driven by a DC motor/gearbox with an adjustable balance point system – allowing for precision control over the 90-degree tilting. Additionally, the custom tilt cart effectively cradles the massive carbon fiber reel allowing for safe transportation.

Impact:

Our tilt carts serve a dual purpose! The custom-designed carts wheel the 500-700lb reels of carbon fiber- safely and effectively- from the winder to shipping, and are precisely controlled; allowing them to tilt them from a vertical to a horizontal position. Fabricated from high-quality, anodized aluminum – they do it all while looking fantastic!

Call JHF- St. Louis, today, for custom solutions to your application challenges. 1-800-444-0522

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Contact your local representative, today.