One of Rio Tinto's Hyundai forklifts, fitted with a Cascade tyre handler

Leading Queensland forklift company Norlift has received expert hydraulic engineering assistance from Hydraulink to actuate a new Rexroth joystick control for enhanced safety and efficiency of the Hyundai tyre-handling forklifts which it supplies to Rio Tinto.

Norlift supplied Hyundai 160D-7 forklifts, fitted with Cascade tyre handlers, to Rio's Weipa and Gove operations.

"Rio wanted a tyre-handler with better ease-of-use and safer operation, so we worked with Rexroth and came up with a joystick solution, where the operator only has to move one joystick instead of the typical eight levers. Hydraulink installed all the hydraulics neatly and efficiently," says Norlift owner Greg Rynne.

The tyre handler is used for tyre changing and maintenance on a huge range of mining, earthmoving, bulk handling and resources machinery, including haul trucks and belly dumper trucks.

"It's essentially like a robotic arm. It can pick up a wheel flat on the ground and raise it vertically, then tilt it left, right, forwards or backwards," explains Rynne.

"Hydraulink shares the same philosophy as us, whereby we are always attentive to detail, take pride in our work and strive for engineering excellence. It makes them a pleasure to work with," he adds.

Hydraulink prides itself on having a solutions-focused approach and working to customers' needs, rather than providing a one-size-fits-all approach, says Hydraulink Cairns co-owner Brett O'Hara.

"For this custom design, the pilot system was removed from the forklift and a full electronic control valve was fitted. It's proportional, and allows infinite control," he says.