Technically they don’t require a higher HP power unit to operate but almost every time they are specified. A lift table power unit consists of 5 primary components, electric motor, hydraulic pump, hydraulic valve, oil reservoir and a control station. As lift tables increase in lifting capacity more cylinders are used in the structural design to lift the load. Additional lift cylinders increase the volume of hydraulic oil required to operate the lift table. To provide a suitable lift speed a la... Read More
When selecting a dock lift, you want to make sure you find the most appropriate one for your application. The 5 main things to look for when choosing a dock lift would be whether the equipment is going to be floor mounted or pit installed, platform dimensions, what the lifting and roll over capacities will be, bridge lengths and what voltage will be offered to the dock lift at the place of installation. The manufacturer needs to know whether the equipment is going to be pit installed or placed o... Read More
The majority of lift tables are designed to be cycled 8 times per hour during an 8 hour shift, 5 days a week. In an application that needs more cycles than the standard amount, lift tables are recommended to be equipped with a high cycle package. A high cycle package consists of cam followers in place of leg rollers, spherical bearings in place of bushings, and often equipped with a central lubrication system. In addition to these components, high cycle lift tables are often specified with a con... Read More
Lift tables that are placed in a pit require different features than a lift table that is lagged to the floor. When a lift table is placed in a pit, it introduces potential pinch point between the underside of the platform and the pit wall. In order to minimize pinch point hazards, lift tables are required to either have bevel toe guards or electric toe sensors. Bevel toe guards are steel plates on the side of the table positioned at approximately a 30 degree angle towards the frame to provide p... Read More
A Tandem Lift Table is a table that is used for an application in which the platform’s length needs to be much longer than the platform’s width. Tandem Lift Tables are generally used to assist lengthy and narrow applications such as long pieces of wood, 2x4’s or hydro poles. To support the oversized load, there are 2 sets of scissor legs under the table’s platform to accommodate the load it is lifting. Tandem lift tables cost more than standard lift tables but are the perfect piece of eq... Read More
A number of years ago, Pentalift was successful in assisting a foundry and their requirements in the initial design stages. The foundry recently contacted Pentalift with the details of another project providing the same service as the original design with some modifications. For the history behind the first project, please click here. To see many different examples of our custom lift tables please click here
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Preventative maintenance for dock equipment is highly recommended. The more you maintain your dock equipment, the better and longer your equipment will last. Regular maintenance increases employee safety, helps to control repair costs and assists in avoiding company down times. When unexpected maintenance occurs, it can have a long chain of unexpected delays by stopping goods from entering or leaving a facility. Maintaining your equipment on a regular basis can minimize these delays and improve ... Read More
FRL stands for Filter Regulator and Lubricator. In some applications, depending on vertical travel, an air bag lift table will not be suitable. The alternative is a hydraulic lift table with an air motor operated power unit. It requires compressed air to operate this motor and there are some maintenance factors to maintain efficient operation of the motor. These components are often referred to as an FRL. F – Filter: compressed air that has a high moisture content which is best to remove befor... Read More
Choosing between a hydraulic dock leveler and mechanical dock leveler depends on what is most important to the user. Mechanical dock levelers cost less than hydraulic dock levelers, but mechanical dock levelers do require periodic (2 times a year) adjustable maintenance throughout use of the equipment. Hydraulic levelers can handle higher load capacities and also operate more easily than mechanical dock levelers, due to a manual push button that operates the power unit. While hydraulic dock leve... Read More
If you have both a hydraulic dock leveler and an overhead door in the closed position and try to operate the dock leveler, the power of the dock leveler will damage the locked overhead door. If you have a vertical storing dock leveler in the rest (vertical) position and try and operate (lower) it when an overhead door is in the closed position, the dock will cause severe damage by impacting with the overhead door. In order to ensure that the dock leveler will not be able to operate when the over... Read More