DEVELOPING HaloDrive™ PLATFORMS WITH OMNIDIRECTIONAL MANEUVERABILITY
OmniDirectional Drive System refers to the concept of existing in every direction. This concept is especially relevant in motorized cart applications where manoeuvrability is an issue. In these cases, omnidirectional maneuverability combined with the ability to carry a heavy payload has proven to be a cost (and time) efficient motorized solution for many companies.
Conceptual Innovations has developed numerous drive platforms and motorized carts to help customers overcome challenges, regarding limited space, weight considerations, and limited mobility. For example, a powered lift cart was developed for Meggitt, utilizing the Omnidirectional Drive System that ensured accurate mould positioning while transporting tooling from a press station to various prep stations.
In the project for BAE, a HALO OmniDirectional Cart can move vehicle chassis in and out of weld cells. This replaced an overhead crane operation that required trained operators who, along with the cranes, were not always available. The cart consisted of 4 OmniDirectional drive pods and 4 load-bearing swivel-on-swivel 97 Series casters from Caster Concepts.
As more carts were needed for increasingly more complex material handling challenges, new Drive Systems from Conceptual Innovations were developed, each with increased capabilities. These new Omnidirectional Drive Systems resulted in significant operational efficiency gains for BAE. This soon led to the designing and production of the HALO Omnidirectional Drive System developed for NASA.
In this instance, space constraints combined with excessive point loads made efficient load distribution a daunting process. To solve the problem, an OmniDirectional Drive System was built that featured eight independently powered pods. These omnidirectional pods enabled the system to move forward and back, side-to-side, turn-in-place, rotate, and change direction while moving forward. This ability to move and turn simultaneously is unprecedented in the industry.
RETROFITTING EXISTING CARTS
When omnidirectional functionality is not essential, but a cart’s load capacity is too heavy to move safely in a manual operation, replacing a regular caster with a motorized one is one of the most efficient and easiest ways to reduce operator injury while moving much heavier loads. Conceptual Innovations introduced the first DRIVE CASTER® as a variety of motorized carts. It is a solution to help operators move heavier loads more efficiently and with less effort.
Included in these solutions are the motorized industrial carts that can carry a load of 6,000 lbs. These are ideal for manoeuvring in small spaces and tight places
- Maximum load 6000 lbs.
- Reduces potential for overexertion injuries
- No special training is necessary.
- Easy to move and manoeuvre