Mill Roll handling can be a difficult task, given the complexity and variety that comes with the application. Performing this operation safely and efficiently should be a top priority for any Rolling Mill.  In this post, we’ll cover some of the manually operated equipment options Bradley offers to help the Rolling Mill be a safer, more efficient environment. 

 

                        Sling beam handling a bare mill roll

Sling Beams 

Sling beams are the simplest solution to handle mill rolls. They allow a great deal of flexibility, allowing handling of a large variety rolls or roll and chock assembly configurations to be handled with a single unit.

        Sling beam handling a tandem roll and chock assembly

The biggest drawback to a sling beam is the time required to safely secure a load, and the personnel required during the handling process. Operators are needed to attach and detach the slings and ensure the rolls are secured properly. This can subject an operator to potentially unsafe conditions; a situation that should be avoided as much as possible. 

 

                                  Lifting Rig with Slings

Lifting Rigs w/ Pins or Slings 

This lifter style is more specific to a particular application. Typically, a unit such as this will be used to adhere to space constraints that don’t allow slings to be wrapped around the rolls or don’t have the necessary clearance to attach to the roll in another fashion. A lifting rig offers the ability to include a variety of attachment options, to suit the needs of the handling process. 

Similar to a sling beam, the biggest drawback with this style of lifter is the need for operators to physically attach the load and spotters to oversee the process to both be involved. 

 

                        Lifting frame with Manual Pins

Lifting Frames 

This unit style is design to handle roll and chock assemblies, either by manually inserted pins or flip-down feet that engage the lifting openings in the chocks. The primary benefit of this unit style is its simple operation and increased load security compared to a beam and slings.  

Lifting frame with flip-down Feet, attached to a roll and chock assembly

The main restriction of this unit style is that it can only handle a single load size, due to its fixed structural design. Operators may still be needed to attach to the load, depending on the type of unit requested, but typically this is an operation that can be accomplished without subjecting them to unsafe situations. 

That concludes a brief look at some of our Manually Operated Mill Roll lifters.  Have some questions, or looking for a quote? Feel free to contact us and one of our Applications Engineers will be happy to assist you.