 Know your Point Loads before you purchase Equipment |
Tom Schults Managing Director of Mobicon Mini Straddle Carriers says;
"The weight a tyre (or two tyres when duels are used) puts on a surface is called a point load. It is essential to know Point Loads when using container handlers in your yard. If Point Loads exceed what your operations surface is capable of handling, cracking of the concrete will occur. It starts from the bottom and may not immediately be visible."
'However over time the concrete will crack, bitumen will be gouged out and often there will be major damage done to pipes and drains. Fixing it involves huge maintenance works, costing down time in your operation and very large outlays of money.'
'Over the last 10 years Mobicon has seen Mini Straddle Carriers become increasingly popular for operations who handle containers outside of the harbour. They cost much less to purchase, and they have a significantly lower cost to maintain and run than large container forklifts and reach stackers. However we find that not all Mini Straddle Carriers on the market today are suitable for the average industrial yard due to their point loads.'
'Typically the average Australian industrial yard is constructed for 5-Tonne Forklifts and B-Doubles and is generally made out of 200mm concrete with one layer of steel reinforcement, or the equivalent bitumen. This construction is suitable for a Mini Straddle Carrier with 8 point loads even with a 35T load. But it is nowhere near adequate for the weight of a Mini Straddle Carrier with only three or four point loads, even with a reduced load of 26T.'
'We have found most people in the logistics industry understand the loads that a reach stacker or container forklift place on a yard; point loads of between 30 to 50 Tonne are common, therefore, they have a special heavy duty yard surface to carry the huge weights.'
 Point Loading of Container Handlers |
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'However for first time buyers of container handlers, who operate on a standard industrial yard point load vs. wheel pressure can become confusing. Buyers often fall into the trap of buying a cheap container handler with a very high point load which has very costly consequences in the longer term including: a large yard repair bill, the container handler having to be stood down as it is not fit for purpose, new concrete/yard needing to be poured, and the yard being out of commission for four weeks due to curing requirements.'
Many companies easily accept that placing 25 Tonne containers on a truck with only one steer axle and one drive axle is not a good practice, however they fail to extend this knowledge to other machinery including container handling machinery, which can result in huge yard repair bills for companies.
The small investment in knowing your yard, and knowing a machines point loads, will give you many years of service without the huge cost of repairs, and in our view it is well worth it.
In just the last few years we have confirmation of at least eleven companies who have had to deal with major yard problems after using 3-wheel (three-point load straddle carriers).
By simply knowing your machines point load - you can avoid being one of them.
To understand more about point loads watch our video at:
For further information please contact:Jesse Schultz - Business Development Manager
Email: send an email
Mb: +61 (0) 427 57 57 22Mobicon Systems ContactAbout Mobicon Mini Straddle Carriers
Established in 1994, Mobicon Systems designs and manufactures Mini Straddle Carriers that provide cost effective, quick and reliable container handling solutions. Suitable for a wide variety of terrains, the Mobicon's unique 4 axle design is the only Mini Straddle Carrier on the market today recognised by civil engineers not to damage the average yard. Mobicon Machines are used all over the globe in industries such as Defence Forces, Customs, Ports, Logistics Companies, Mining and Import/Export operations who require fast and efficient container handling operations. Mobicon Mini Straddle Carriers are a safer, and more cost effective solution than forklifts or side loaders and are durable, easy to use, and provide superior maneuverability. Mobicons most popular models include the TF2 which can stack one on one, and uses an ElME spreader to lift the containers meaning the driver does not have to exit the cabin. Plus the 2T which can go anywhere including under awnings and be used in small warehouse conditions.