Game-changing crane and rack storage systems for shops starved for space
Miami, FL (April 3, 2024) … For injection molders, storing those complex and costly tools is of utmost importance. And when operating in an older facility where space is tight, moving those expensive and heavy molds safely demands the right transport and storage equipment.
Then there is the matter of outgrowing mold storage as more tools are acquired and business grows. Older storage can simply become outdated as newer, more efficient systems are designed.
That is the kind of space crunch many injection molding shops can face as they grow. For instance, one medical molding shop found itself hampered by an aging storage system that had grown quite cumbersome, requiring production floor personnel to work around the system instead of seamlessly with it.
After conducting some research, that shop chose solutions from Globeius — and quickly realized the ability to:
- Move and set molds more efficiently and safely with their GT series Minidrel 40 crane.
- Use personnel better because it takes only one operator to set a mold instead of two or three.
- Train crane operators quickly thanks to easy-to-understand controls and power steering.
- Recover valuable space on its existing storage racks and on the production floor, as well as access and move molds easier and more safely with Rack Storage rack systems.
Crane Expectations
Since the company’s production facility cannot accommodate overhead cranes, the molding manager had been relying on mini floor cranes that were either electric or could be pushed, recalled Globeius General Manager Graeme Sands. And with more than 125 molds in that company’s inventory — most of them changed once a week — that shop has a lot of metal to move.
Sands recalled how his customer’s growth necessitated a new storage solution — fast:
The molder began purchasing heavier molds that exceeded the carrying capacity of those mini cranes — the first weighing 6,500 pounds. The company not only needed a crane that could handle more than the 3,500-to-4,000-pound limit of the company’s existing cranes, but he also wanted a crane with plenty of up-to-date technology and capabilities.
As the company researched options, the Globeius GT series stood out. Sands was able to offer just the solution: A crane that delivered exactly what their customer was looking for — and much more.
“The customer specifically chose a Minidrel 40 series GT crane that can handle molds up to 8,400 pounds, with flexible controls that allow variable lifting and lowering speeds,” he said. GT Cranes manufacture solutions that can lift up to 50,000lbs.
“Now, if that molder were to purchase tools in excess of 5,000 or 6,000 pounds, it has a piece of equipment that is more than capable of moving these molds and setting the molds into its molding machines,” Sands explained. “When you’re lifting things that have a lot of mass to them, the last thing you want to do is second guess if the equipment you’re buying is going to be able to pick that up on a regular basis without it falling on someone or damaging the equipment.”
Whether handling the company’s lightest mold, at 800 pounds, or weightier tools, the GT crane operates more smoothly than the customer’s other cranes thanks to its power steering unit and broad field of vision, which eliminates blind spots. The crane can even be operated by remote control.
“Our customers appreciate having a crane of this size that is easy to maneuver,” Sands noted. “You can steer it with one finger, and people are not intimidated by the controls. That means users are able to quickly train and certify their operators.”
Thanks to the crane’s precision and flexibility, the customer can insert molds either from the ends or sides of its injection molders — a significant savings in time and labor.
“The reach of our crane let this customer set the mold even when they didn’t have room between their machines,” Sands explained. “It used to take two operators, sometimes three, to hang a mold; now, they have been successful hanging molds with just one person – and they can have production personnel setting molds on different machines.”
Another key benefit is the standalone charging unit, Sands added, which shows that the crane is at full power.
Globeius indeed takes pride in offering flexible, easy-to-use solutions for molders with unique requirements, said Sands. In fact, every GT crane is hand built and painted in-house.
“We sell a lot of cranes specifically for medical and cleanroom applications,” Sands said. “For instance, we offer special white, nonmarking wheels for cleanrooms. These are typically smaller capacity — 1,500 pounds — with full rotating arms. And the low ceiling heights of many cleanrooms mean there is no option for overhead cranes.”
Globeius also provides remote training to customers — but only one customer over the past three years has taken advantage of it, Sands marveled. “It’s amazing; when the crane shows up, our customers say, ‘We’ve got this.’ ”
Rack Relief
Like many molders, this customer was pressed for space on its production floor and had been using a homemade system of five side-by-side racks for years.
Three decades ago, the company “just had some homemade mold racks,” Sands recalled. “They didn’t have capacity labeled on them — which was probably fine 35 or 40 years ago, because they are very robust. But they don’t indicate the weight they are qualified to hold. They were also not level, which is a safety concern.”
Satisfied with their GT series crane, this customer decided to try the Rack Storage brand mold racks Globeius supplies, in no small part because the robust construction of the racks echoed the build of their crane. After discussing options with Globeius and comparing measurements with their old racks, the customer chose a system, and two new storage racks were on their way.
Immediately, the new storage let this customer free up almost four of its original five racks and recover 75 to 80 feet of floor space because the racks could be positioned closer to the wall.
“That let them move equipment around and not have to worry about running into their mold racks. And, they can pull the drawer out and not have to worry about running into the ceiling with the floor crane or damaging the molds because they’re trying to pick it up at an angle.”
The customer purchased drawers that were 100% and 63% retractable and positioned its new storage racks so more drawers could be added, Sands said. The drawers lock when they open and close for safety.
“Within reason, you can stack several molds on each drawer,” Sands noted. “Before, they could only put one mold in a given location because they didn’t have the ability to pick up one mold and lift it over another without running through the ceiling or knocking off the mold in the front. Now, they can pull the drawer all the way out and get to the mold in the back.”
With proper leveling, the drawers are so well engineered, added Sands, that “a shelf might have 4,000 pounds of molds on it, and one person can pull it out by hand.”
The customer told Sands it plans to order more racks from Globeius, which will let the molder store roughly 200 or more molds on the floor space that used to be able to hold only around 90, thanks to the way the shelves can be stacked.
“When something works, it works. If it makes operators’ jobs safer and easier and allows them to work more efficiently — who wouldn’t want that?”
For information about the GT series of cranes and Rack Storage systems from Globeius, visit globeius.com or call (305) 889-1782.
About Globeius Inc.
Globeius Inc. is a third-generation family business based in Miami, Florida. Founded by Hector Sosa, the company began as a small manufacturers’ rep group targeting Latin America almost 40 years ago. The organization has developed a strong reputation for integrity and technical support and built a team with tremendous experience in importation and distribution. The company’s focus is to bring quality and innovative solutions from Europe and the USA to processors in the plastics industry throughout North and South America. Globeius offers a broad range of products that help processors improve their productivity and increase profitability including water hoses and manifolds, EOAT and maintenance supplies, conveyors, granulators, heavy duty mold racks and much more. Globeius is also the exclusive distributor for Plastiblow all-electric extrusion blow molding machines in the US, Canada, and Mexico.