When an application requires picking up, lifting, and placing a component vertically, it is not always necessary to use a traditional, full-featured industrial manipulator mounted on a column.

Through its Maniflex brand, Move Italy also develops more compact and easily integrable solutions, such as this manipulator equipped with a pneumatic lifting cylinder, designed to be installed beneath a jib crane, a suspended structure, or a sliding system already in place at the plant.

A simple design solution, yet extremely effective when the goal is to improve ergonomics and speed up repetitive handling tasks.

Vertical movement is handled by the cylinder; the working radius is determined by the crane

The operating principle is simple.

The pneumatic cylinder controls the vertical movement of the load, allowing the operator to raise and lower it in a controlled manner with minimal physical effort.

Horizontal movement and the corresponding operating range, however, depend on the structure on which the system is installed.

In the case of a jib crane, for example, the cylinder naturally follows the available work area beneath the crane boom, allowing the operator to move the component between different points within the workstation.

This results in a particularly compact material-handling solution that makes the most of any infrastructure that may already be in place within the production facility.

A viable alternative to traditional column-mounted manipulators

Articulated industrial manipulators are the ideal solution for many complex applications, especially when large working ranges, rotations, tilts, or multidirectional movements are required.

However, there are many applications in which the primary motion required is essentially vertical.

In these cases, a suspended pneumatic lift can be a simpler and more cost-effective alternative, while still offering the key ergonomic benefits of assisted material handling.

The absence of a dedicated load-bearing structure also makes it possible to:

• make use of existing jib cranes or suspended structures;
• reduce the floor space required;
• simplify integration within the workstation;
• keep the investment lower than that required for more complex handling systems;
• create ergonomic workstations specifically designed around the production process.

From the pallet to the production line: a typical application

A particularly effective example of our pneumatic vertical lifter is the “pick and carry” process for industrial components from the pallet to the production line.

Let’s imagine an operator who needs to repeatedly pick up a motor or a mechanical component from a pallet and place it on a machine, an assembly line, or a workstation.

The pneumatic lift allows the component to be picked up using the dedicated tool, lifted with virtually no effort, and moved to the desired position using the jib crane.

Once the load reaches its destination, the cylinder allows it to be lowered with precision.

The operator guides the movement rather than physically supporting the weight.

This concept can help make repetitive tasks more ergonomic, smooth, and controlled.

More Than Just Clamps: A System That Can Be Configured Based on the Load

One of the main advantages of this solution is the ability to fully customize the gripping system.

The lifting cylinder can, in fact, be used with various types of equipment, including:

Mechanical or pneumatic grippers, ideal for components with defined geometries and specific gripping points.

Magnetic systems used for handling ferromagnetic parts.

Vacuum cups and vacuum systems, particularly suitable for flat surfaces or components where a traditional mechanical grip cannot be applied.

The equipment is selected and designed with consideration given to characteristics such as weight, geometry, material, surface, center of gravity, orientation, and the method by which the component must be placed.

From the customer’s need to the solution: the Move Italy approach

This pneumatic vertical lifter device is a good example of the philosophy behind Move Italy’s development of its lifting and material-handling solutions.

A standard machine isn’t always the right solution.

Let’s start with the customer’s actual application: we analyze the component to be handled, its weight, the cycle frequency, the available space, the operator’s workstation, and any existing infrastructure at the plant.

This analysis may lead to a completely new solution or, as in this case, a system designed to integrate seamlessly with an existing jib crane.

The ability to develop custom-made grippers, suction cups, magnetic systems, and special equipment also makes it possible to adapt the same handling principle to a wide variety of industrial applications.

A solution built around the process

The goal, therefore, is not simply to provide a lift.

The goal is to design a system that becomes a natural part of the production process.

In some applications, a fully articulated manipulator may be necessary. In others, the most effective solution may be much simpler: a pneumatic cylinder, the right gripping system, and a lifting structure already available at the company.

It is precisely in the ability to recognize this difference that Move Italy’s approach to industrial material handling takes shape.

Analyze. Design. Integrate.

To create a material-handling solution that is truly tailored to the customer’s needs.