Material Handling / Lifting With Plate Clamps

Vertical and horizontal plate clamps are designed for lifting sheets, profiles or structures in either a vertical and/or horizontal direction. Plate lifting clamps have a built-in safety mechanism which consists of a locking device, a tension spring and a lever. Once the lever has been operated, the safety mechanism provides constant pre-tensioning of the cam on the steel-plate to ensure that the clamp doesn’t slip when the lifting force is applied. When the load is lifted, the clamping force on the cam is increased by the weight of the load.

With their ease of use and locking functionality, they provide a safe and ergonomic way to lift many types of materials.

There are lifting clamps designed for particular applications as well as specific materials. For an overview, these are some of the available plate clamps on the market today:

Vertical Lifting Plate Clamps – For vertical lifting, transporting and turning of steel plates and structures.

• Flexible Lift/Extended Reach – Has 3-way articulating link for flexible vertical lifting of steel plates and structures.
• Thin Sheet – Vertical lifting and transporting of thin sheet metal.
• Wide Jaw Opening – Designed for lifting, handling and transporting shipbuilding structures, steel plates and structures.
• Holland Profile (Hp) – Designed specifically for the Hp profile to lift, handle and transport shipbuilding structures from all positions.
• Stainless Steel – For lifting, transporting and turning of stainless steel plates and structures.
• Non-Marking (Marring) – Clamps designed with two clamping jaws with a special plastic layer. These can be used with various materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, wood, glass, plastic and stone. Not to be used with concrete.
• Automatic Lock – Clamps have a safety lock that automatically clicks onto the material as soon as the clamp is placed on the plate.
• Drum Lifting – Designed to vertically lift, move and transfer gallon drums with steel tops.
• Concrete Pipe – These clamps are designed to vertically lift and transfer concrete pipe sections and wells.
• Small-Grip – For the vertical lift and transfer of angle iron and other loads that have a small gripping area (h-beams, angles, etc.).

Horizontal Lifting Plate Clamps – Clamps that provide horizontal lifting and transfer of sheets and bundles.

• Sagging/Non Sagging  – Clamps that can be used for horizontal lifting and transfer of sagging and non-sagging material. Can also be used to handle material used in shears, bending and rolling machines or other fabrication equipment.
• Non-Sagging – These clamps only work with non-sagging sheets.
• Bundles – Designed to lift and transfer bundles of non-sagging steel plates in the horizontal position.
• Shipbuilding – Used for lifting, transferring and placing bulb profiles onto ship’s hulls perpendicularly. Clamps are fitted with a locking device for both the open and closed positions.
• Shipsection – Designed to lift, transfer and place complete shipsections. Fitted with a locking device for both open and closed positions.

Universal Plate Clamps – Can be used for horizontal and vertical lifting, transporting and turning of steel plates and structures. These shackles place the center of gravity of the beam to be lifted directly beneath the lifting shackle.

• Offset Lift – Used for lifting, transferring and stacking of level lifts of i-beams, fabrications and ship sections. Can be used for horizontal and vertical moving, transferring and stacking.
• H-Beam – Used to lift, transfer and stack h-beams. These clamps can be used in vertical and horizontal moving, transfer and stacking of different types of structures.
• Steel Beam – Clamps are used for horizontal lift and transfer of steel beams. They designed to be used in vertical and horizontal moving, transfer and stacking of i-beams, h-beams, angles, etc.

Note that if you are using plate clamps outside, wind velocity, precipitation, fog, extreme temperatures and lighting can adversely affect the lifting device’s operation.

As with any below-the-hook lifting device, make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure to establish an inspection, testing and maintenance program in accordance with ASME B30.20.

For questions on the best plate clamp for your material handling application, please call our office at 800-242-3477 or email smartlift@wiscolift.com. 

Don’t Underestimate the Danger of Overhead Cranes

OSHA statistics don’t lie. Since January there have already been eight fatalities involving Overhead Cranes. One study referenced in OSHA literature indicated that approximately eleven percent of all overhead crane accidents are the result of mechanical errors. Mechanical error in overhead crane accidents is often the result of negligence on behalf of crane-related professionals, including employers and safety professionals. Overhead Crane accidents can be caused by a lack of adequate preventative maintenance, inspections, and lack of operator training and/or experience.

ASME B30.2-3.1.2 Crane Operating Training, states that training should include those items that applies to the crane at the employer’s workplace and type of load that will be handled (i.e., raw materials, bulk materials or fragile materials), and the operator’s responsibilities involving the movement of the load.

Sources for training should include:

• Information outlined in the manual provided with the equipment.
• Information available through trade associations.
• Government training resources.
• Courses and programs from manufacturers of cranes, crane consultants, trade schools, continuing education schools, employers, and manufacturers of crane component parts.
• Requirements and recommendations found in National Consensus Standards (ASME).

Responsibilities of the employer/management are:

• Identify, document and assign responsibilities of the overhead crane operator and other persons involved in the movement of the load.
• Provide training to persons who will operate an overhead crane.
• Provide written and practical examinations that verify the person has acquired the knowledge and skill to operate the particular overhead crane(s) that will be operated by the person. The examinations shall be defined by the owner/user and in accordance with any local, state, and federal provisions that may apply.
•  Issue a certificate or formal record that verifies that the person has been trained and passed the examination.

Make sure you or your employees are properly trained before using overhead cranes. Their life may just depend on it!