Workstation Crane Improves Manufacturer’s Productivity and Safety
From raw material to finished products, Republic Anode Fabricators (RAF) serves plating industries with a full spectrum of metal fabrication and service capabilities, including full-service design, engineering, machining, and fabrication. Established in 1987, the company continues to expand. Several years ago, RAF purchased a new production facility in Valley City, Ohio. Unfortunately, the building was not equipped with an overhead crane.
Parts and products ranging from 100 pounds to 900 pounds had to be moved and positioned by forklift or handled by team force. As Patrick Nicholson, RAF general manager, explained it, “Even with forklifts, there was a lot of sweat equity required. Sometimes it took several people to muscle parts around, which meant we had to take workers off one job to help someone working on another.” Safety was another issue.
While forklift use is common, forklift safety is a concern that is often overlooked. For instance, it is easy for a forklift to tip over on ramps and sloped surfaces, whether the forklift is loaded or unloaded. Some think that because a forklift typically weighs more, it is much easier to brake than to stop an automobile. This is not true. There are a variety of other safety concerns common with forklifts, including leaks from the fuel system, brake pedals that start feeling a little spongy, and exhaust fumes that can make people feel sick. According to an OSHA representative, “Once every forklift at your company passes a training and certification program that observes OSHA regulations, you’ve taken a major step toward fostering a safer workplace.”
According to Nicholson, prior to installing a workstation crane from Engineered Material Handling (EMH), “A lot of sweat equity was required.” It was not an ideal system.
Lifting heavy items is one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace. In 2001, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 36% of injuries involving missed workdays were the result of shoulder and back injuries. Overexertion and cumulative trauma were the biggest factors in these injuries. Bending, followed by twisting and turning, were the more commonly cited movements that caused back injuries. Strains and sprains from lifting loads improperly or from carrying loads that are either too large or too heavy are common hazards associated with manually moving materials. Plus, the heavier the load, the greater stress on muscles, discs and vertebrae.
The solution, when employees use smart lifting practices, they are less likely to suffer from back sprains, muscle pulls, wrist injuries, elbow injuries, spinal injuries and other injuries caused by lifting heavy objects. Nicholson added, “Fortunately, we never experienced safety issues while handling materials in the past.” But having said that, “I think safety is always part of our decision-making process, and this installation was no exception. Having a solution that is both efficient and safe for employees as well as for the products we are moving is always the goal.”
RAF eliminated potential safety problems by installing an EMH workstation crane, but it accomplished a lot more than that. Workstation cranes provide versatile and flexible solutions that are easily positioned and installed after buildings are operational. That’s because many workstation cranes can be disassembled, moved, and then reassembled as needs change.
With lightweight aluminum track profiles, not only can the EMH AL-System Workstation be easily assembled, disassembled, and reassembled again, it offers other advantages. With the EMH T-Slot design, anodized enclosed rails, and anti-kick-up nylon wheels, EMH said that it was virtually “maintenance-free.” Then, because the AL-System was designed to handle parts and materials up to 2,000 pounds, it was an ideal solution for RAF to increase productivity while also improving safety.
The crane accommodates a wide variety of lifters and handling devices, and with lightweight aluminum track profiles, they can be configured to suit almost any application need. Another important advantage is an exclusive design for splicing two pieces of rail together. With the T-Slot design, they can be easily installed with a variety of integrating equipment, such as lifters and end-effectors, chain hoists or smart lifters. The T-Slot splice design also eliminates bumps when a load is moved over track splices.
Handling Concepts, located in Akron, Ohio, performed the installation. The RFQ was submitted in November 2024. Handling Concepts installed the workstation crane in April 2025 within only two days. Nicholson added, “Going from having nothing to having a fully functional and working crane system in just a couple of days was quite impressive.”
Increased Productivity
While reducing the potential threat of material handling injury was important, increasing material handling productivity was RAF’s immediate need and their main reason for the installation. Nicholson said, “Utilizing the overhead crane system to move product that was previously moved by hand has increased individual employee productivity by reducing common physical wear and fatigue that would set in over the course of a day, week or month. Since the workstation crane has been installed, we have experienced additional units, parts, and steps being completed on a regular basis. In turn, we have reduced lead times and increased output. It has been mutually beneficial, serving employees as well as our company. It’s something we are really excited about.”
About the Author: Tim Schultz
