Scissor lifts for assembly processes vary in dimensions, weight capacity, actuation, stages, and tooling. For every application, there are specific requirements the scissor lift must meet to function efficiently.
What Type of Scissor Lift is for Assembly?
When looking for a custom assembly scissor lift, you’re not going to buy it off the shelf. Your assembly processes must be designed in such a way as to best fit into your assembly line applications. No assembly line is the same and varies even more between industry types. Scissor lifts for aerospace industry assembly will not resemble scissor lifts for the automotive assembly industry beyond the iconic scissor-style lifting legs. Scissor lifts come in single and multi-stage lifting models, determined by how high a product will be raised at any given time.
Multi-Stage Scissor Lifts for Assembly
Multi-stage scissor lifts for assembly processes are designed to travel higher than standard lifts, often within a smaller footprint at its base and a platform to match. Lifting a product beyond 60 inches is often the measure of a multi-stage scissor lift.
Multi-stage scissor lifts are often used as man lifts or personnel lifts with safety rails to prevent accidents when working at heights. They can also be outfitted with tooling to assist in the assembly processes.
Standard Scissor Lifts for Assembly
A standard scissor lift for assembly purposes can also be customized to your specific application needs. Though they will traditionally raise less than 60 inches, a standard, custom scissor lift for assembly is the workhorse of your assembly plant. These scissor lifts can be easily outfitted with custom tabletop tooling like rotators, turn tables, headstock tailstock equipment, and other necessary add-ons to best support your facility’s needs.
Scissor Lift Actuation for Assembly
Your custom scissor lift for assembly can operate as a hydraulic scissor lift, electrical scissor lift, or as pneumatic scissor lift. All types of scissor lift actuation offer smooth lifting and lowering and can be customized to stop at any height that suits your assembly cell needs.
All types of propulsion can be run via electric or battery power, depending on your assembly line requirements. The type of scissor lift actuation you choose will be dependent on the weight of the load to lift and the number of cycles it runs during operation.
Traversing Scissor Lifts for Assembly
Scissor lifts can be customized to traverse as well as be a fixed component of your assembly line. AGVs, or automated guided vehicles, are a major contributor to the efficiency of assembly lines, and a scissor lift can be affixed to the AGV’s platform. This marriage of the AGV and scissor lift allows it to move the scissor lift through work cells, stopping and raising the product to a specific height and then moving on to the next cell, adjusting its height for that cell.
In this example, there is no need for an overhead conveyor system to move products. The AGV system with scissor lift accomplishes a myriad of functions without the expense of a fixed overhead system installed into your assembly facility.
Scissor lifts operate in many industries involved in assembly, MRO, and manufacturing, such as Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace, Automotive, Entertainment, Power-Generation, Rail & Transportation, and Iron & Steel.
There are so many ways to utilize the scissor lift that customizing your scissor lift application is an important part of creating an efficient and reliable scissor lift for your assembly operations.
Looking for more on designing your own scissor lift? Talk to our material handling professionals today.
