American Solving Inc.Heavy Load Handling Solutions

Two persons manually transport and position a 7-ton press brake, using an Air Bearing Rig Set.

Air Film Transporters are used for handling windings, transformers, cores or components to transformers, motors and cable reels of varying sizes in production and test.

Air Bearings are an excellent tool for handling large, heavy transformers between assembly and test areas. Considerable savings in crane and building costs can be made if completed transformers are moved on air at floor level, allowing lower-capacity cranes to be installed for handling components. Transformer handling then becomes simpler, safer and quicker.

The omnidirectional maneuverability of Air Film Transporters provides exceptional handling of large and heavy paper rolls from storage areas to press, slitter, or other machining areas.

There is less risk of accidents when transporting on Air Bearings. This is because the load weight is hovering only a fraction of a millimeter above the floor, reducing risk of damage from falls or tipping. There are no chains, axles, wheels, gears, or other rotating, wear-bearing parts (common pinch points).

The power being air, there are no odors, exhaust emissions, combustible oils or gases, electrical contacts, exposed hot surfaces, or noisy engines and motors. With the ultra-low friction provided by air bearings, minimal force is required to move even the largest loads, reducing physical strain on personnel and other plant equipment.

Low noise, small size, light weight, no odorous exhaust, no oils, and gentle on flooring are some of the features that make Air Bearings the solution when moving large or heavy equipment in delicate or pristine environments where forklift traffic or steel wheels and rollers would not be practical.

Air Bearings can be built into turntable frames to produce ultra-low-friction, low-profile rotation. At the same time, air bearings produce a small amount of lift which can be advantageous in some turntable applications. Loads of 5 tons or more can be easily rotated by hand. And hundreds of tons can be rotated with a fraction of the power and at a much lower height than traditional mechanical turntables.

An off-the-shelf Air Bearing Rig Set or a built-to-order Air Film Transporter can also be used as a complete replacement for traditional turntables in some applications.

Air Bearings are an excellent solution for making small, precise movements of extremely heavy machinery or sensitive equipment. Their small size-to-capacity ratio allow for use in tight spaces where forklifts, cranes, or even traditional pallet jacks can't reach. Heavy loads can be nudged, rotated, and positioned precisely for ergonomic access or for aligning mounting holes, flanges, and fasteners.

When doing restoration work in this 100 year old church building, delicate, ornate tile flooring was a concern. Using Solving's Air Bearing Rig Sets, fixed beneath a "homemade" steel sled, spot loading on the church floor was greatly reduced.

The regular construction crew was able to move multiple 13-ton, 37-foot long, steel trusses through the existing church doorways and into final position safely, quietly, efficiently, and ahead of schedule.

Compared to wheeled transports, an air bearing system spreads the load weight over a much larger floor surface area. In some applications, floor loading of less than 2-pounds-per-square-inch can theoretically be achieved. This reduces strain on floor structure and surfaces, saving the expense of future floor repairs.

Air Bearings also provide an extremely low coefficient of friction, about 100 times less than that of wheels or rollers. When energized, there is theoretically no direct contact between the floor and the rubber air bearing element; the load weight is literally floating on only a thin film of flowing air. This reduces damage to floor surfaces and finishes, caused by friction, which would be unavoidable if using wheels or rollers.