Pneumatic Jib Crane for CNC Mold Handling

Changing molds and fixturing workpieces on a CNC machine is heavy work that still has to be repeated many times per shift. A steel mold can weigh several dozen kilograms, the chuck sits deep inside the machine, and the worker must hold the load steady while lining it up precisely — an easy way to strain the back or bump into the machine table.

FullSharp installs a pneumatic jib crane right beside the machine, using a stepless pneumatic balancer hoist. The arm swings around the column to reach the machine table, keeping the load steady at any height so the worker just guides the mold into place with one hand and releases it.

Pneumatic Jib Crane for Mold and Workpiece Handling at CNC Machines

Pneumatic jib crane beside a CNC machine, lifting a mold onto the machine table.

Installed Equipment

Steel column: anchored to a concrete foundation with expansion bolts, or mounted with a wall bracket or directly onto the machine body.
Swiveling jib arm: rotates through 180 to 360 degrees, with reach sized to the spacing between CNC machines.
Pneumatic balancer hoist: stepless lifting and lowering, stopping and holding the load steady at any height in the stroke.
Dedicated end-effector: hook, clamp, magnet, or vacuum suction head, chosen to match the shape of the mold and workpiece.
Air filter-regulator-lubricator unit and safety valve: conditions the supplied air and prevents load drop if air pressure is lost.

Key Specifications

Arm rotation angle180 to 360 degrees
Power sourcePneumatic

Benefits for Your Plant

Suited to machining environments

Running entirely on compressed air, it performs well amid cutting fluid and metal chip dust.

No-impact mold placement

Stepless speed control allows the mold to be lowered slowly into the chuck or vise, exactly in position.

More machine uptime

Shorter mold-changing and fixturing time increases effective machining time each shift.

Actual Installation Photos

Pneumatic Jib Crane for Mold and Workpiece Handling at CNC Machines - photo 1

Pneumatic Jib Crane for Mold and Workpiece Handling at CNC Machines - photo 2

Click a photo to enlarge. Album of 2 photos taken on site.

Suitable Applications

Mold and fixture changes for CNC lathes and milling machines
Lifting steel, aluminum, and cast workpieces onto chucks and machine tables
Precision machine shops and mold-making workshops
Plastic injection and stamping presses requiring periodic mold changes

Consulting for Your Plant

FullSharp measures the mold weight, the spacing between machines, and the ceiling height to finalize reach and lifting capacity. Our engineers design the end-effector to match your exact mold type and calculate the column foundation position. We then install, test, and provide on-site warranty support.