The Headaches of Manual Drum and Pail Handling
Have you ever strained your back trying to lift an overweight drum? Or spent hours maneuvering pails around your facility by hand? If so, you're familiar with the headaches of manually moving drums and pails.
Risks of Manual Handling
Manually moving drums and pails has many downsides:
- Injuries from lifting heavy loads incorrectly
- Spills and accidents from mishandling drums
- Slow process requiring constant worker involvement
- Inefficient use of labor for low value tasks
These risks only increase as drum weights exceed 25 kilograms and for high volume operations.
Typical Drum Handling Challenges
Common challenges faced when moving drums and pails manually include:
- Lifting and lowering drums on and off storage racks
- Transporting drums across long distances
- Rotating and tipping drums for dispensing contents
- Opening and closing bungs on tight drum lids
Performing these tasks multiple times per day leads to fatigue and raises safety concerns.
Costs of Manual Handling
| Issue | Costs |
|---|---|
| Injuries | Medical treatment, lost time incidents, higher insurance premiums |
| Spills | Labor for cleanup, potential regulatory fines, product loss |
| Inefficiency | Higher labor hours per task, inability to scale operations |
These tangible and intangible costs add up, making manual drum handling an expensive process.
Automating for the Future
Thankfully, technologies exist today to automate drum and pail handling, including:
- Powered drum lifters and rotators
- Drum pourers and manipulators
- Drum conveyors for automated transport
- Intelligent drum monitoring systems
By upgrading to automated drum handling equipment, companies can reduce injuries, increase efficiency, and position themselves for future growth.
Are you still handling drums manually? It may be time to explore automated options and say goodbye to those headaches!
Types of Drum and Pail Moving Equipment
Moving drums and pails efficiently around a facility requires the right equipment. Here are the main types of drum and pail moving equipment:
Manual Drum Trucks
Manual drum trucks allow a single worker to tilt and roll a drum into place. They feature:
- Wheels for maneuverability
- A hand operated hydraulic lift that tilts the drum
- A clamp to secure the drum
Manual trucks are affordable at around $300, but require physical effort to operate.
Powered Drum Trucks
Electric or pneumatically powered drum trucks automate the lifting and rolling of drums up to 500kg. Benefits include:
- Powered hydraulic lift eliminates manual pumping
- Smoother drum handling with electric drive
- Models with drum grip rotate drums for dispensing
Powered trucks range from $2000 to $5000 depending on capacity and features.
Drum Lifters
Drum lifters such as the Flexicon Tilter Lift FLT-300L allow a drum to be:
- Lifted off the ground for dolly access
- Tilted up to 90 degrees for pouring
- Rotated for drum mixing or emptying
Pneumatic or hydraulic lifts cost $1500 to $4000 and handle drums from 25 to 300 kg.
Drum Grapplers
Drum grappler arms like the Morse Drum Grappler securely clamp onto drum rims for lifting and maneuvering instead of tilting. They allow:
- Lifting drums vertically like on storage racks
- Quick drum movement from one place to another
- Optional drum rotator attachment
Industrial drum grapplers range from $2000 to $5000 depending on capacity.
Drum Conveyors
Drum conveyors like the Flexicon Drum Conveyor transport drums hands-free between processes. Features include:
- Roller or slide bed designs
- Powered drum rotation options
- Customizable length and layouts
- Integration with drum lifts and sensors
Conveyor systems start around $5,000 for simple models. Full systems cost $15,000+ with more options.
Choosing the right types of drum moving equipment for your facility can improve efficiency and safety. Understanding the options allows selecting the optimal solution.
Key Features to Look for When Buying Drum Handling Equipment
With many options available, determining the right drum handling equipment for your needs requires evaluating key features and specifications.
Drum Size and Weight Capacity
Ensure the equipment is rated for the largest drum size and heaviest drum weight it will handle. Standard drum sizes include:
- 30 gallon drums up to 150 kg
- 55 gallon drums up to 250 kg
- 80+ gallon drums over 300 kg
Check if the capacity fits your most common and largest drums.
Lift Height and Clearance
Consider the vertical lift height needed to place drums on stands and in racks. Look for sufficient overhead clearance so the tilted drum does not hit shelves.
Power Type
Equipment runs on electric, pneumatic, or manual power. Choose based on:
- Available plant utilities and power sources
- Desired mobility and portability
- Speed and automation requirements
Steering and Maneuverability
Manual drum trucks allow forward and reverse steering. Motorized units should have good maneuverability in tight spaces.
Tilting and Rotation
Look for smooth hydraulic or electric tilt mechanisms. Drum rotation helps with mixing and emptying contents.
Clamping and Grip
The drum grip should be secure and prevent slippage. Padded clamps prevent drum damage.
Operator Controls
Well-placed levers or buttons should allow easy operation. Look for adjustable speed controls.
Safety Features
Important safety features include:
- Guards around moving parts
- Load capacity and stability indicators
- Audible back-up alarms
- Emergency stop buttons
- Warning lights
Material Construction
Stainless steel resists corrosion from chemicals. Polymer wheels hold up to shocks and drops.
Warranty
Look for at least a 1 year warranty on parts and labor.
Evaluating these key specifications helps select equipment well-suited to your unique needs and environment.
Top Brands in Drum Handling Equipment
Several leading manufacturers produce high quality drum handling equipment. Here are some of the top brands in this market:
Flexicon
Flexicon offers a broad selection of drum handling products including:
- Tilter Lift drum dumpers
- Powered drum lifters
- Drum tumblers and rotators
- Drum conveyors like the FlexFlow
- Custom engineered systems
Flexicon equipment is made in the USA and can handle drums from 25 to 700 pounds. Their products are used by leading companies like MillerCoors.
Vestil
Vestil manufactures over 100 drum handling products including:
- Electric and pneumatic drum lifters
- Steel drum trucks with hydraulic lift
- Drum dollies and carts
- Open head drum grabbers
- Drum drainer stands
Their economical equipment handles steel and plastic drums in light industrial applications.
MORSE
MORSE is known for their heavy duty drum handling equipment like:
- 55 gallon drum grapplers
- Hydraulic lift tables rated up to 5,000 pounds
- Custom drum racks and workstations
- Powered drum dumpers
- Spill containment drum palletizers
MORSE systems are built rugged for tough industrial environments.
Jungheinrich
Jungheinrich offers automated guided vehicles (AGVs) optimized for drum handling including:
- Automated drum loaders and unloaders
- Smart robotic drum movers
- Inventory management software integration
- GPS and laser navigation systems
- 24/7 monitoring and support
Their automated drum vehicles provide cutting edge warehousing and logistics solutions.
Ryson
Ryson is a leading manufacturer of spiral and mass flow drum conveyors:
- High throughput drum conveying up to 800 drums/hour
- Vertical, inclined, and horizontal conveyor configurations
- Modular plastic chain belt construction
- Low maintenance designs
- Integrated loading and unloading platforms
Ryson conveyors excell in high volume drum transport applications.
Doing research to find the right brand for your needs will ensure you get drum handling equipment that is productive, reliable, and safe.
How to Choose the Right Drum Handling Equipment for Your Needs
Selecting the optimal drum handling equipment requires assessing your specific requirements and work environment. Here are key steps to choose well-suited solutions:
1. Understand Your Drum Usage
Consider details like:
- Drum materials, sizes and weights
- Typical drum contents and chemical properties
- Number of drums handled per day/week
- How drums are used in your processes
This helps determine duty cycle and capacity needed.
2. Analyze Your Workflows
Map out how drums move through your facility including:
- Transport paths from receiving to storage to production line
- Lifting drums to/from racks, stands, conveyors etc.
- Any drum pouring, filling, capping or inspection steps
Documenting workflow paints a picture of equipment requirements.
3. Assess Safety Risks
Evaluate any manual handling risks:
- Are workers lifting beyond safe limits?
- Are there ergonomic issues causing strains?
- Are there slip, trip or fall hazards?
Safety should help prioritize automation.
4. Consider Plant Environment
Factor in plant conditions like:
- Layout constraints - height, aisles, access
- Utilities available - power, compressed air etc.
- Cleanroom or washdown requirements
- Chemical resistance needed
This informs equipment size, mobility, materials and more.
5. Calculate ROI on Automation
Compare costs of manual labor versus automation:
- Labor savings from faster drum handling
- Injury costs avoided
- Accuracy and productivity gains
Quantifying benefits helps justify investments.
Taking a systematic approach to assessing your needs and environment will guide intelligent drum handling equipment choices.
Benefits of Amazon Prime for Drum & Pail Handling Equipment Buyers
For companies that regularly purchase drum and pail moving equipment, an Amazon Prime membership can provide significant benefits and convenience.
Free Two-Day Shipping
Amazon Prime offers free two-day shipping on over 100 million items. This means pail lifters, drum trucks, drum grabbers and other handling gear gets delivered quickly at no extra charge.
The fast shipping enables companies to get urgent equipment orders rapidly with less downtime. It's especially useful for replacing broken parts like hydraulic pumps or bringing in new drum handlers to meet rising production demands.
Free Returns
Amazon Prime provides free returns on most items within 30 days of receipt. This allows buyers to return any drum moving equipment that arrives damaged or does not meet expectations at no cost.
The return policy gives confidence to purchase handling gear online without being stuck with unsuitable equipment.
Prime Early Access Deals
Prime members get 30 minute early access to Lightning Deals on Amazon. This includes discounts on top brands of drum lifters, drum trucks, drum carts and more.
Early deal access helps drum handling buyers score periodic savings on equipment purchases.
Prime Day Deals
During Prime Day events, Prime members have exclusive access to deals across Amazon's catalog. This often includes steep discounts on industrial supplies relevant to drum handling like storage racks, workbenches, and lift tables.
Prime Day deals provide another opportunity to save on drum and pail equipment investments.
The benefits of faster shipping, easy returns, and deal access make Amazon Prime a valuable subscription for regular buyers of drum and pail moving equipment.
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