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FullSharp · since 1991

The customer needed to lift cartons at several places in the plant, but did not want a crane anchored to the floor and had no compressed air at each spot. They asked FullSharp for one unit that could be pushed anywhere and used straight away.

We built a 40 kg articulating arm with air balancer on a mobile steel base that carries its own air compressor and filter regulator, with a height-adjustable column. The arm carries a pneumatic carton clamp. Push the unit into place, plug it in and it runs.

40 kg articulating arm with air balancer on a mobile base, fitted with a pneumatic carton clamp

40 kg articulating arm with air balancer on a mobile base, fitted with a pneumatic carton clamp

A mobile base with its own compressor, ready to work anywhere

The base is a thick steel plate with levelling feet at the corners to hold it steady. A 3.5 HP air compressor and filter regulator sit on the base, so the arm works wherever there is a power socket, with no hose from the plant air system.

The column has two cylinders; buttons on it raise or lower the whole arm to suit the rack or conveyor height at each spot. To move it, the electric tow handle supplied pushes the whole unit.

The complete articulating arm on its mobile base Arm seen from behind the base Steel base, levelling feet and clamp tool Column with height-adjust cylinders Column up/down buttons 3.5 HP air compressor on the base Air filter regulator Electric tow handle to move the unit

Articulating arm with air balancer: fast and repeatable

The two-section arm swings around its joints, covering a circle around the base. The air balancer holds the 40 kg load almost weightless, so a light push moves the carton up, down or sideways.

Compared with a hoist, an air balancer is much faster and places the load in the same spot again and again, ideal for continuous handling all shift. Up and down speeds are set separately with knobs on the arm.

Pivot joint of the articulating arm Arm marked 40 kg Up/down speed knobs on the arm

Pneumatic carton clamp

A pneumatic cylinder drives two pads that grip the sides of the carton. The clamp/release switch on the handle works together with a confirm button, so a carton cannot drop from a single wrong press. A joint lock switch holds the arm still when needed.

Clamping suits full, rigid cartons, or cartons whose top cannot be vacuum lifted, such as open tops, heavy tape or porous board.

Carton clamp, side view Clamp tool and control handle Pneumatic cylinder driving the pads Clamp/release, confirm and joint lock switches

Operation

  1. Push the base into place, lower the levelling feet and plug in the compressor.
  2. Use the column buttons to set the arm height for the rack or conveyor.
  3. Guide the clamp to the carton and press clamp.
  4. Push the carton lightly to its place, lower it and press release with the confirm button.

Key specifications

  • Capacity40 kg (as labelled on the arm)
  • ArmTwo-section articulating arm with air balancer
  • BaseMobile steel base, levelling feet, height-adjustable column
  • Air supply3.5 HP compressor and filter regulator on the base
  • ToolPneumatic carton clamp, release with confirm button
  • Operation1 person

Benefits

No fixed installation

No floor drilling or air piping; it works wherever it is pushed.

Fast, accurate placing

The air balancer moves quickly and repeats positions consistently.

Safe clamping

Release needs the confirm button; the arm joint can be locked.

Applications

  • Loading and unloading cartons to pallets and conveyors at several places
  • Plants with no compressed air at the lifting point
  • Cartons that cannot be vacuum lifted: open tops, heavy tape, porous board
  • Work areas that change with orders and need movable equipment

Frequently asked questions

Should cartons be vacuum lifted or clamped?

Cartons under about 50 kg with a flat, sealed top are usually quicker to vacuum lift. Cartons over about 80 kg with full, rigid contents are safer to clamp. Here the load is 40 kg but clamping was chosen because it grips the sides and does not rely on the top. FullSharp checks the actual carton before choosing.

How does an air balancer differ from an electric hoist?

An air balancer moves faster and places loads in the same spot more consistently, and the load follows a light push of the hand. It suits light loads of about 20 to 50 kg handled continuously; heavier loads call for a hoist or servo hoist.

Can the mobile base tip over when the arm reaches out?

The base is counterweighted for the load and reach, and the levelling feet are lowered during work. During the survey FullSharp checks it again against the carton weight and required reach.

See also the FullSharp air balancer, the articulating jib crane, articulating arm projects and carton lifting projects.