Background
Green Bay Packaging is a pulp and paper manufacturer using 100% recycled materials to produce a wide variety paperboard packaging. Large bulk rolls are slit and sized based on customer demand, and moved to a work cell in stacks where they are loaded onto skids for final shipping. Occasionally the large rolls need to be loaded into a machine to be rewound prior to shipping. The size of the rolls vary significantly, but can be as large as 3’ x 5’, and weigh as much as 600 pounds.
The Problem
The primary problem facing the company in this application was operator injury, especially back strains. Back injuries were the leading cause of lost time injury for the company, and at one point were occurring as frequently as once per week. While most rolls are far too big for a single operator to lift, some smaller rolls are tempting for an operator to move manually in a time saving effort.
The Solution
They selected a 600 pound capacity Cleveland Tramrail® crane with dual monorails featuring a platform to support the manipulator. The Cleveland Tramrail® system was important because it is strong enough to support the weight of a large manipulator reaching outside the support structure to lift the 600 pound paper rolls.