Designing Efficiency at the INNIO Brilliant Factory with Handling Specialty and Gorbel
Handling Specialty recently completed a number of significant projects with INNIO in Welland, Ontario. The project began as a greenfield development with GE Power. INNIO completed the acquisition of GE’s Distributed Power business in late 2018 / early 2019 and is involved with the manufacture of large, Jenbacher and Waukesha gas engines. Handling Specialty projects included engine transporters (40,000 lbs & 100,000 lbs capacity, tandem AGVs), custom assembly cells, 30T/100T capacity engine lifts and 15T/30T capacity engine lifts/rollovers.
The assembly process begins by having an engine block brought to one of the rollover stations by one of Handling Specialty’s Automated Guided Vehicles. Once in the station, the engine block is picked up from the AGV and then raised & rolled to the correct orientation to mount various components such as the oil pan, cylinders, etc. The 15T and 30T engine lift/rollovers are equipped with Gorbel articulating jibs. These jibs are used during the assembly process at both stations. The two identical ceiling-mounted 1500 lb capacity Articulating Jibs were custom painted and engineered with custom modifications to fit the specific needs of the GE/INNIO project.
Articulating Jibs allow workers to perform activities outside the normal coverage area of the engine lift/rollover equipment while also being able to rotate in close to the engine for precise load positioning. Mounting the Articulating Jibs overhead and nesting them inside the equipment allowed other operations to continue nearby without disruption to the machine, the engine rollover process, or to the floor of the workspace. The Gorbel Articulating Jibs also allows for 360° rotation at each pivot point, maximizing operator coverage.
A project with the scope of the GE/INNIO brilliant factory requires experienced technical sales, design/engineering, manufacturing and support services in order to build and maintain such an advanced operation. Handling Specialty partnered with Gorbel to further ensure all aspects of the operation were met with professionalism and exceptional support.
Handling Speciality has made a name for itself as the premier source of custom-engineered material handling solutions. The people and experience of Handling Specialty are a testament to a company that is continuing to evolve and grow since 1963. With ongoing recruitment of talented people, quality improvements, and a willingness to raise the standard, Handling Specialty occupies a unique position in the material handling field.
Gorbel’s mission is simple: They improve people’s lives. That mission guides everything they do, from the products and services they provide to their outside customers to the tools they create for their sales force. They’re on the cutting edge of manufacturing, a thriving, growing company that is constantly seeking out new ways to innovate and elevate its products and processes.
Looking for a custom solution for your next great project? Contact us.
