An Installation Nightmare Leads to an Ergonomic Solution

When the facility management of The Hudson River Psychiatric Center planned to install three hundred new exterior windows as a part of a complete restoration project, they couldn’t imagine the potential nightmare lurking in the panes.

These new replacement windows were highly specialized, very expensive, architecturally designed, custom built and very heavy. Each window consisted of several tempered glass plates assembled to an extruded frame to be installed into a mating receiving frame previously installed into the brick faced building. Each glass sandwich weighed in excess of 400 pounds and was positioned in the frame with the long axis pointing vertically. The lower sill was approximately 30” above the floor and top clearances were limited by the ceilings.

To compound the installation nightmare, many window assemblies had to be installed in upper floor offices that did not present clear access from the hall to the existing window. Some offices had small rooms and vestibules preventing clear access to the job site.

The window assemblies were delivered to the receiving area on the ground level. The only means of transportation to the upper floors was by means of passenger elevators.

The pilot installation project began on the wrong foot. Maneuvering the window assemblies from receiving to the installation rooms required four people and consumed about two hours of struggling. Lifting these window assemblies and transferring them into the waiting frames absorbed another four man hours.

Assuming safe delivery to the installation point was a bad assumption. Lifting, aligning and inserting the massive, unbalanced glass monsters was a frustrating struggle. It nearly cost one laborer his fingers and another injury to his foot. The first replacement window developed cracks emanating from corners rendering it useless.

It became painfully evident that the project based on the pilot installation experience would require about ten years to complete and would create massive cost overruns due to component damage, and of paramount concern, it would place the installers at serious risk to injury or worse.

The design of the existing window system precluded exterior installation with scaffolding or manlifts and with the anticipated tropical Northeast winter approaching something had to be done.

Hail to the Grappler!

The All Mobile Plus division of Arlington Industries was approached by the institutions’ facility manager to exorcize the installation demons. The AllMobile Plus design team including Bob Mirel, Chris Burritt and Bart Knotts had delivered successful mobile solutions to problems at other New York State facilities in the past.

This institution required a mobile handling vehicle that could:

• Pick the window assemblies in receiving
• Transport them to the installation areas
• Elevate, align and hold the replacement windows into the frames until the fastening systems could be completed
• Maneuver through corridors and area ways not designed for equipment
• Fit through personnel doors and personnel elevators
• Maneuver into small offices and utility rooms isolated from halls.
• Provide an unladed weight that would not compromise floor and elevator loading
• Present controls that were easy to learn, intuitive, with safeguards and interlocks to minimize operator error
• Provide a complete self contained package
• Have trailer pulling capability to enable transport of window assemblies to more convenient marshalling points throughout the facility
• Integrate proven industrial components to assure reliability and maximum uptime

AllMobile Plus delivered the “Mobil Ergonomic Handler” in two months. After one day on the job, the operators christened the mobile unit “The Grappler”.

The Grappler specifications included:

Length: 75"
Width: 30"
Lift-transfer capacity: 700#
Max Speed: 10 MPH
Towing capacity: 4000#
Turning Radius: 60"
Power: 24 VDC
Batteries: 2-12 volt deep cycle
Charger: Integral solid state, 5 amp
Controls: Solid state
Brakes: Dual, locking self adjusting, automotive drums
Lift Deck: Six suction discs
Vacuum source: 1 horsepower, 27" HG
Hydraulic power: 11/2 horsepower, 750 psi
Boom assembly: Powered XYZ axes
Hydraulic reservoir capacity: 2 gallons
Vacuum Accumulator: 1 gallon
Carrying deck: Detachable side boards, located to either side

The Grappler has met and exceeded all expectations. Since it was commissioned it has:

• Maintained project schedules enabling four installations daily
• Reduced average crew size to 2 people vs. 4 originally planned
• Eliminated ergonomic and accidental worker injury
• Eliminated project related workman’s compensation claims and absenteeism
• Prevented damage to the new window assemblies and the building itself
• Enabled year round construction
• Required no modifications to the facility to provide special access
• Provided nearly trouble free service, only requiring a brake cable adjustment

The Grappler story is more dramatic than the majority of Mobile Ergonomic Handling application tales. The Mobile Ergonomic Handler that is at work installing windows is not that different from its siblings that are installing sheet rock, stocking and retrieving payloads from store and distribution center shelves or helping production workers distribute heavy automotive components to the appropriate conveyor lines.

The AllMobile Plus design team will help you specify a Mobile Ergonomic Handler for your specific application nightmare.

For More Information:

Contact Arlington Equipment Corp. at 518-260-5706 or email BobEquip@aol.com

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