Dismantling of vertical carousels – things to consider

From time to time, we are contacted by companies that want to sell already dismantled equipment, which can be super easy, but also a bit scary. Why is that? Well, vertical carousels can be quite simple in design, and there are many capable electricians, mechanics, and technicians in this country who can figure out how to disassemble one – but very few know how to do it without damaging the equipment.

Hire Professionals to dismantle Vertical Carousels

Our first (and perhaps most obvious) tip is to really hire professionals. There are 4, 5, or possibly 6 companies in Sweden that have real experience in dismantling, moving, and assembling vertical carousels.

In addition to the equipment manufacturers, there are a few independent companies that are good at this type of equipment. These companies can be a bit harder to find if you are not familiar with the industry – contact us, and we will help you in the right direction.

If you want to handle the dismantling yourself, read on.

Pallets

When a vertical carousel is to be dismantled for moving and reassembly, the packaging is of utmost importance – it rarely pays off in the long run to skimp on this. Damage to simple spare parts that need to be replaced quickly outweighs the value of some hefty special pallets. If you have previous experience with moving a vertical lift module, remember that a vertical carousel usually has slightly heavier parts.

We recommend focusing on special pallets for the following three parts of the vertical carousel:

• A sturdy pallet that can handle the entire vertical carousel’s end frames.
• A slightly longer and stronger long pallet for handling the carriers (machine shelves).
• Long pallet for handling the machine’s plates

The remaining parts of the vertical carousel can usually be handled on a standard EU pallet.

Other packaging

In addition to special pallets and standard EU pallets, other packaging also makes a big difference in avoiding problems during a move.

Some things to consider:

• Buy solid beams (e.g., 45×125) to place between the end frames stacked on top of each other.
• Use 45×45 beams when stacking the vertical carousel, battens or simpler beams can easily break .
• Use a strapping machine with strong straps, e.g., PET straps or steel straps (PP straps are not recommended).
• Wrap the goods generously in stretch film, even if it feels like thin wrapping, it is enough to prevent the goods from moving.

Forklift

When the packaging is in place and of the right type, it is also important that the goods are handled correctly when moved – here are the forklifts. In addition to 1-2 pallet jacks that can be good for turning long goods, etc., a good counterbalance forklift is necessary.

Firstly, it is good to have a forklift with high capacity when handling a vertical lift module, and we recommend a counterbalance forklift that can handle 2000 kg+.

Secondly, it is also important that the forklift can raise the forks high enough to handle the system’s end frames. To safely stack the end frames, the forks must reach a height that corresponds to ¾ of the vertical carousel’s height. If the machine is 7,000 mm, the forklift must be able to lift up to about 5,250 mm.

Lastly, it is also important to have long forks available. One end of a vertical carousel is usually 1400 – 1700 mm deep, and it can be unstable to handle this with regular forks. Similarly, long forks make it much easier to handle carriers, which often measure over or around 3,000 mm.

Don’t Rush

With the right pallets, other packaging, and good trucks, all conditions are in place for a good dismantling, so the last tip we can give is to try to avoid stressful situations.
Plan the dismantling well in advance before the equipment is moved/out of the property, and above all, do not rush during loading.

If you have more tips on the subject, or if you feel you would rather hire someone to dismantle your vertical carousels, please feel free to contact us!

Author: Niklas Nygren