Pronal lifting jacks distributed in Australia by Air Springs Supply are being used as simple, compact, and highly effective conveyor brakes to slow conveyors used in manufacturing, production, processing, and packaging applications.
The ultra-thin (20 mm) and easily washed-down Pronal jacks – in standard capacities from 1-65 tons – can be used in applications as diverse as food and beverage handling, consumer products manufacture, packaging, and industrial and consumer product process automation applications requiring a compact, low-maintenance alternative to taller conventional cylinders incorporating rods and seals.
Inflatable brake rollers, are used to safely slow down and control the speed of goods like boxes, pallets, and products being processed as they travel down inclines. They can handle heavy loads, and can be integrated into systems to provide a safe and controlled flow of materials within warehouses or within compact production and processing spaces.
One of the latest low-pressure (2 bar, 29 psi) applications of Pronal square 120 x 120 mm lifting jacks involved their use in the manufacture and processing of rail vehicle seats beneath a roller conveyor system which could neither accommodate taller cylinder rods nor obtain from rod cylinders a large enough contact area to lift the rollers without warping them.
The aim of the production engineering staff working on this application was to slow down the conveyor line without stopping it, increasing the efficiency of the production line. The solution required had to provide a thin starting (deflated) height, a 30 mm stroke, and a large contact surface to obtain regular and steady lifting without warping.
Pronal’s low-profile solution (seen above, from head-on) was to provide sets of two of the tough rubber-and-fabric lifting jacks to slow each roller, involving a total of 12 jacks to provide the smooth low-maintenance system required to function reliably without posing damage and downtime hazards. Unlike rod cylinders, Pronal lifting bags don’t need to be checked and maintained in this application, where they aren’t permanently fixed and can be easily removed,” says Air Springs Supply Technical Product Manager Vinh Lam.
The thickness of Pronal square lifting jacks varies by model, but the single-stage VER HP K1 model is 20 mm thick. Other high-pressure, high-capacity square models (such as the CLT series distributed by Air Springs Supply) have a maximum deflated thickness of 25 mm or a consistent 22 mm, while some low-pressure quarry cushions can be as thin as 8 mm when deflated.
Pronal inflatable jacks, or lifting bags, are rugged pneumatic systems made of quality elastomers or plastomers. Manufactured from aramid fibre coated with elastomer and assembled by vulcanisation, the range of lifting bags is used in addition to or in replacement of the traditional means of lifting.
Pneumatic lifting bags have a larger contact surface with the load, enhancing safety and stability while distributing thrust evenly. Their thin profiles and low weights (0.6–22 kg for 1–65 ton CLT cushions) make them suitable for vehicle recovery, quarry rock splitting, and emergency or rescue services.
Filled with air, water, or oil, these products are typically mounted in industrial automation systems to push, press, guide, clamp, lock, dampen, lift, and handle.
When deflated, the cylinders return to their original shape. Their small thickness allows easy installation in tight spaces, such as presses, moulds, conveyors, handling robots, or lifting tables.
Pronal inflatable jacks are engineered as an ideal solution for applications that require a high lifting force at a defined height. They are virtually maintenance-free.