Many companies move enormous quantities of drums every day as raw materials for their end products. Although there are many standardised drums, there is a great diversity of drums on the market. This ranges from smaller jerrycans, 60L drums, to even 200L drums to name but a few.
Whichever way you look at it, at some point the contents of that barrel must be emptied into another container. This may be an IBC or a silo. The challenge is to choose the right lifting device that best suits your environment. This article gives some ideas and possibilities for your application.
Forklift attachments
At first sight, the easiest thing to do is to tip a drum onto the forks of the forklift truck and let it empty. This is still a common way of working, but one that involves many ergonomic and safety risks. First the 250 kg have to be pushed manually onto the forks. This can cause complaints in the shoulders and back. In addition, it is not obvious (read: impossible) to guide the 250 kg in a safe way, where sooner or later a barrel can fall wrong.
Perhaps an even greater problem for many companies is that it is impossible to empty the drum in a dosed manner. A forklift truck attachment is an alternative.
There are several reasons why companies do not want to use forklift trucks to tip the barrels. First and foremost, there is the safety risk. Where there are many forklift trucks, there is a greater risk of serious accidents. Moreover, every forklift truck driver must have a certificate.
Space, or rather the lack of it, can also play a role. After all, forklift trucks have a much larger turning circle than, say, a pedestrian stacker.
Manual drum turner
The alternative is a manual drum turner mounted on a stacker. Ideal when the same standardised drums are emptied over and over again. This drum turner has a much shorter turning circle than a forklift truck. Therefore it can be used in compact spaces.
Multi drum turner
If your company needs to tip a lot of different drums, the multi drum turner is a better alternative. It is adjustable for both very small drums and the heavier 200L drums. With a capacity of up to 350 kg, it can therefore be used in a wide range of applications.
Easysqueeze for lighter vessels
If you are only working with lighter drums, it is better to have an even lighter trolley. The PRO100 Easysqueeze qualifies for this.
Vacuum lifter for barrels
A vacuum lifter is also a good alternative lifting device for turning drums or tipping them out. The great advantage is that it is attached to a suspension system.
Four barrels on a pallet
When 200L drums are delivered per 4 on a pallet, it is impossible to pick them up with any drum turner. A manual stacking trolley with a parrot jaw can be used as a simple intermediate solution to lift the drums from the pallet.
Would you like advice on tipping drums? Feel free to contact us for more information.
