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Wheel Modules
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The foundation of Wheelift transporters and automatic guided vehicles is their on-center rotation, fluid suspension, axle assemblies. The ability of these axle assemblies to turn ANY direction under full load --- and, by sharing fluid with the surrounding axle assemblies, operate over highly irregular surface conditions, is a capability simply has never before been available to industry. Transporters are available as both hydraulic electric or hydraulic motor driven equipment.
Wheelift wheel modules are a revolutionary new means of functionality for AGVs, heavy mobile platforms, transfer cars, platform transporters, and special machinery. This wheel module design expands the capability developed in Europe over the last 40-years, where pneumatic tires mounted to on-center-rotation, fluid suspension axle assemblies allow literally thousand-ton loads to move down highways and over rough terrain.
Wheelift has expanded that idea with an entirely new concept that incorporates is own unique design of equalizing suspension wheel modules into heavier than ever-before-possible custom engineered massive load applications. If your firm has ever considered building larger machinery models than you are currently capable of building, this technology will quite literally "take the handcuffs off your engineers" and allow them to become totally innovative with your new product designs. Loading and suspension constraints made it impractical in the past to push the limits of conventional wheeled systems. THAT NEED NO LONGER BE THE CASE! The very low profile and ultra heavy carrying capacity of the Wheelift technology will enable the fabrication and assembly of incredibly larger machinery. Machinery manufacturers can now build or assemble equipment of virtually ANY size and capacity and move with ease over a wide variety of adverse in-plant surface conditions, as well as negotiate highly congested areas that normally limit travel to overhead cranes.
The Wheelift® all-directional steer, equalizing suspension makes it possible to spread platform loads over 6, 10, 20 or more independent axle assemblies and still have precisely equalized loading on every tire regardless of floor variations. It is now practical to carry extremely heavy loads across relatively thin floor slabs* (see footnote).
The Wheelift on-center-rotation-steering wheel modules are ideally suited for our automatic guided vehicle (AGV) systems — offering the expanded capability to do on-center rotation, lateral travel, and direct reversing travel — travel capabilities that can not be obtained with conventional wheel or castered systems.
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This photo shows an 18” diameter by 11” face Uniload wheel module rotating with a 40,000 lb load bearing directly above it. The test surface has a piece of simple craft paper glued to plywood as a wheel scrubbing demonstration. There is minimal effort required to rotate the axle under full load.
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The suspension and all-directional steering of Wheelift all-wheel driven AGVs and operator driven transporters are key elements that make very heavy load capacity vehicles possible. The Wheelift wheel modules function very similarly to heavy rigging type self-propelled modular transporters, designed for over-the-road applications. Designed strickly for in-plant operations, the Wheelift design allows much lower deck heights and heavier capacities in the more compact packages needed to operate inside in highly congested plant areas and to travel down narrow intersecting aisles.
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- Solid urethane tires
- Fluid suspension and "self-load" lift/lower
- Laterally articulating axles
- Electronic controlled differential steering
- AC Electric motor driven
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- All-wheel drive
- Omnidirectional steering
- More virsatility
- A totally flexible manufacturing system
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The Wheelift axle assemblies are currently available in a variety of wheel sizes and capacities to accommodate any customer requirement. The choice of size and capacity for a new system design is primarily governed first by the weight of the load to be carried, then by the space available under the load, with the next consideration would be based on the allowable load deck height needed. Very low deck heights can be accomplished by in determining how many axles assemblies that can be used under a single load.
As an example: A 100-ton gross load capacity transporter might only require a 24" or higher load deck and would then be furnished with four 18" diameter wheel modules, each rated at 50,000 lbs, while the same 100-ton transporter with a 10" high load deck would have twenty 5"-diameter wheel modules, each rated at 10,000 lbs per axle.
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* The authority for traveling on thin floor slabs can be found in the Portland Cement Association's (PCA) Bulletin No. IS234.01P, "Design of Heavy Industrial Concrete Pavements" The bulletin provides the common sense information needed to evaluate new and existing slab thickness and soil compaction for heavily loaded vehicles and trucks. You may obtain a copy by calling the PCA at 847 966-2270
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