Frictionless loads

Frictionless loads

Keywords: Hovair, Air lubrication, Lifting

Hovair industrial air skates (Plate 6), available in both steel and aluminium, are said to provide a virtually friction-free, versatile and safe method for moving heavy loads across smooth floors with minimum human effort.

The steel skates are described as robust units and are supported on novel wear resistant air bearing. The skates are circular for the smaller sizes, and square or rectangular for the larger.

  Plate 6 Hovair industrial air skates, available in both steel and aluminium

The aluminium air skates are based on a light, but strong aluminium extrusion and are reported to be able to withstand high loadings without distortion while having a low profile. They require minimum jack-up to be placed in position.

The lightweight aluminium air skates are said to be easy to handle. According to Hovair they are anti-magnetic and spark-free – making them suitable for use in a multitude of environments.

Hovair air skates (Plate 6) have a low lift height, which is thought to make loads more stable and, being close to the floor, feet less likely to become trapped. In addition, Hovair uses a novel urethane compound for the flexible element of the air bearing, which, it is claimed, gives exceptional chemical and abrasion resistance.

Both aluminium and steel air skates are provided in simple, easy to handle,self-contained units. These are suitable for use with equipment where occasional moving is necessary, yet it would be undesirable for it to have to be left in position every time.

When Hovair supplies air skates, normally in sets of four, six or eight, a complete rigging kit is also provided. This includes all of the hoses and fittings necessary for the skates to be used, "out of the box". The skates are said to self-compensate for uneven load or, if the payload is unevenly distributed, it is possible to adjust the airflow to each skate so that the load is lifted uniformly – also improving the operational safety.

Once floating on a cushion of air, the load can be moved in any direction without damaging the floor.

While loads of less than five tonnes can easily be moved by hand, for safety reasons a "Tugger" unit is recommended for heavier loads. Control is by means of a handle bar that determines the steering, direction and speed of the motor that drives the wheels. As with the skates, the tuggers are entirely air-powered, so are stated to be suitable for use in hazardous and sensitive areas.

Details available from: Hovair Systems. Tel: +44 (0)1252 319922; Fax: +44(0)1252 341872.