Vacuum Suction Lift for Wood Cutting Process

Our Client
Luxury millwork and cabinetry

W.W. Cannon’s client, Wood Perceptions, designs, creates and installs beautiful millwork and cabinetry. Headquartered in Dallas TX, their work can be seen in gorgeous hotels and public businesses across the US. Known for their inspiring and innovative designs, they’ve built a reputation on their ability to create customized spaces that reflect their customers’ lifestyles and tastes providing great places to live, work and play that never go out of style.

Their Challenge
Moving large wood sheets

The millwork and cabinetry raw materials include large sheets of wood, often four by eight feet in size weighing 75 pounds or more. It takes two employees to move a large sheet by hand and load the cutting machine – something they do continuously throughout the day.

Not only is this process inefficient, but it’s dangerous. Because of the size, weight and awkwardness of the wood sheets, employees are at risk of injury, particularly to their backs.

To solve this problem, our client needed a partner with knowledge of both employee safety and material handling. Since 1938, W. W. Cannon has been the name to trust for material handling and industrial work environment safety.

Knowing how important employee safety was to this situation, Doug Hutchins our own “Warehouse Lifeguard”, was on the job to assess the situation and offer a solution.

“Their employees were lifting the wood sheets by hand from the floor to load the cutting machine. My back hurt just watching them do it! I knew we could turn this around with a solution that would change everything,” said Hutchins.

Custom Solution
Vacuum tube lifter with Gorbel jib crane

When you watch the video, you can see how simple and elegant this solution is: vacuum tubes suction to the large sheets of wood and safely lifts and transports them to the cutter. The Gorbel jib crane allows the sheets to be moved easily in any direction.

“The vacuum lifter can handle up to 120 pounds,” said Hutchins. “Any company using non-porous particle board would benefit from this solution.”

Optimal Result
A complete game changer

Now all it takes is a single employee to lift, move and place the large and heavy sheets on the cutting machine. What used to take two people several minutes of injury-risking effort can be done almost effortlessly in mere moments with no risk to safety.

“It’s a great example of turning back-breaking work into back-saving work,” said Hutchins, “Our client’s employees are relieved and very happy.”

We offer complete material handling and industrial storage solutions, from design and project management, to install and follow-up.

To speak with us directly, call us at 800-442-3061. We’re ready to help you with the right solution for your needs.