When 
a manufacturer of industrial-mechanical power transmission components faced a material handling problem, Bushman Equipment, Inc provided the solution. Marty Kuklinski, senior tool engineer at the Falk Corp plant in Milwaukee, WI needed a system that had the capability to lift and simultaneously rotate a family of machined gear housings safely and efficiently, allowing assemblers to access the top and bottom of the suspended housing.
Local Bushman representatives, working with the Falk team of engineers, explained the operational characteristics of a Model M2038 motorized, rotating axis grab and how it could be adapted to provide an effective solution. Special application requirements are routine for Bushman, and their custom design team refined this model into an innovative lift, clamp, and rotate device that allowed Falk to increase the efficiency of its assembly process.
The modified grab is designed to grip the outside of the gear case and rotate its horizontal axis 90 degrees. A self-locking acme screw shaft, actuated by a motor, provides the gripping strength. In addition, a set of specially designed sliding incline planes automatically increases the gripping force based on the weight of the load being lifted. A reducer, with an adjustable torque limiter, protects the motor. The bail is adjusted using an acme screw assembly to accommodate a variety of different gear case models and differing centers of gravity. Two self-locking worm gear reducers, driven by electric motors, enable the rotation process. This special design allows the customer to properly position the gear cases, thereby eliminating product damage and improving the assembly process.
Bushman Equipment and its West Bend Equipment division design and custom build all their products to customer specifications to assure optimal performance, whatever the application need.