What’s the Best Way to Transport Heavy Material on Rail Carts?

In industrial production and logistics transportation, rail transfer cart transportation of heavy materials is a common way, especially when facing heavy objects with irregular shapes, a reasonable transportation method is crucial.

Transfer Cart on Rail Video

Preliminary Preparation

Before transportation, it is necessary to observe the goods carefully and make clear whether they are large equipment, shaped components, or scattered combinations of different shapes of goods, the fixing method is very different.

For heavy goods with regular planes, such as machine parts with bases, steel blocks, and bolts, can be used. Block welded to the edge of transfer cart on rail table, can be stuck at the bottom of the goods, and then tighten the bolt through the goods base mounting holes and transfer cart on rail table pre-embedded screw holes, as to the goods installed “positioning pin”, effectively preventing the goods from sliding back and forth.

For spherical, cylindrical, and other irregularly curved cargo, such as large pipes and tanks, curved brackets and nylon slings are ideal. The brackets are customized to the curvature of the curved surface of the load and act as a support, while the sling is looped over the load and tightened by battery powered transfer cart hook or tightener. Nylon slings are soft enough not to scratch the surface of the load and cushion it from shock.

For scattered small pieces or combinations, such as a bunch of shaped metal parts, it is recommended to first use wooden pallets or steel frames to assemble the goods into a whole, and then use steel straps or nylon straps to fix them, just like giving the goods a “package” to prevent the small pieces from falling apart.

Fixed Core

Irregular goods are difficult to fix, the key lies in realizing “multi-directional force”, restraining the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions.

Horizontal Direction Fixing

1. Side blocking protection: Wooden blocks or rubber buffer blocks are placed on both sides of the cargo, the height of the blocks is not less than 1/3 of the height of the cargo, and they are fixed on the platform of battery powered transfer cart with bolts or steel bands. Rubber blocks cushion the impact of starting and braking, especially for precision equipment.
2. Traction Chain / Wire Rope: Pulled from the top of the load to the corners of rail transfer cart, forming a “diagonal” For example, when transporting large irregular molds, wire rope can be attached to the lugs at the top of the molds, pulled diagonally to the anchor points at the corners of mold transfer cart, and adjusted for tightness with a wire tightener. Note that the wire rope should be padded with rubber mats to avoid strangulation of the goods in contact with it.

Vertical Direction Fixing

1. Pressure bar fixing: use steel pipe or channel steel across the top of the goods, and both ends are fixed on the platform of mold transfer cart on rail by bolts. For example, when transporting equipment that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, the press bar can prevent the cargo from bouncing up and down. Sponge or felt can be padded between the press bar and the cargo to increase the friction.
2. Vacuum suction cup auxiliary: If the surface of the goods is flat, such as glass, steel plate, you can install a vacuum suction cup on the platform of mold transfer cart on rail, through the vacuum adsorption of the bottom of the goods, to enhance the stability of the vertical direction, and the effect is especially obvious in the high-speed transportation.

Protective Details

After fixing the goods, it is also necessary to do a good job of protection to prevent “hard contact” or accidental slippage during transportation.

Application of Cushioning Materials

In the contact area between the goods and rail transfer cart table, block, press bar, etc., should be padded with rubber sheet, sponge, or scrap tire leather. For example, the transportation of equipment with plastic sprayed surface, metal block direct contact may scratch off the coating, padded with rubber sheet can isolate the friction.

For easy bumping, the corners of the parts, available with bubble wrap or soft plastic corner protector packages. For example, when transporting stone artifacts, the corners of the set of plastic corner protectors and then fixed with a bandage can reduce the damage caused by vibration.

Anti-loosening Check

After the fixing is completed, push and shake the goods manually to check whether the block, bolt, sling, etc., are firm. Pay special attention to the threaded connection parts; you can apply thread glue or add spring washers to prevent the bolts from loosening due to vibration during transportation.

For long-distance transportation, it is recommended to stop every 2 hours to check the fixed situation and make timely adjustments. For example, when transporting large wind turbine blades, the bumpy road may lead to the slackening of the straps, and the midway inspection can make up for the tightening in time.

Warnings and Signs

Warnings should be affixed at obvious locations for over-width and over-height cargo, such as “over-limit cargo” and “pay attention to safety”, and warning lights should be installed for night transportation.

If the center of gravity of the cargo is shifted, such as top-heavy and bottom-heavy, the position of the center of gravity should be marked on the platform surface of battery transfer cart for mold to remind the operator to drive carefully and avoid sharp turns or sharp braking.

Special Scenarios

Some irregular goods may require “customized” solutions to cope with special transportation scenarios.

1. Aerial transportation or sloping tracks: If battery transfer cart on rail needs to climb a slope or run on an elevated track, in addition to regular fixing, fall prevention devices should be added. For example, installing safety hooks underneath the goods and connecting them with the safety rails on the side of the track, in case the fixing device fails, the safety hooks can hook the track to prevent the goods from falling.
2. Precision instruments or fragile goods: these goods are sensitive to vibration, can be laid in battery transfer cart on railtable shock pads, such as a spring shock absorbing plate, rubber shock absorbing block, while using a nylon sling suspension fixed. For example, to transport high-precision laser equipment, hanging rope from the top of the equipment hanging point down, through the holes in rail transfer trolley table surface, under the counterweight block tightened to form a “suspension” effect, reduces the road vibration transmission.

Through the above methods, it can effectively solve the fixing and protection problems when transporting irregular heavy materials by rail transfer carts, ensuring safe and efficient transportation.