The show, which takes place once every three years, had a total footprint of 45,000 sq m and attracted 336 exhibitors in total. Spanning four fully interconnecting halls – 17, 18, 19 and 20 – the event was co-located with the Cleaning Show and had exclusive use of the adjacent NEC Atrium, including “improved registration and entry points,” according to organisers.

Lift Turn Move

Hoisting equipment specialist Lift Turn Move (LTM) exhibited its range of winches including the electric winch Type HD-EL with a lifting capacity of 125 to 2,000kg.

The “compact and robust design” works off a power supply of 400V and overload protection is available from 1,000kg. Other options include low voltage controls, a pendant or wall mounted control switch, grooved rope drum, travel limit switches, disengaging clutch and dual hoisting speeds.

Also available is the type HD-EW (also electric) with a capacity of 500 to 10,000kg. Again, overload protection is available from 1,000kg and above. The standard model has an ungrooved rope drum and low voltage (42V) control installed for external control pendant or wall mounted box.

A grooved rope drum including grooving for one or two ropes is available on demand, as is, among other things, two rope speeds and a disengaging clutch to allow “fast rope unwinding.”

Pfaff-silberblau

Pfaff-silberblau used the show to launch its new website – www.pfaff-silberblau.co.uk – which includes an online shopping section. All purchasers will receive an additional bonus discount of 5% over and above their normal contractual entitlement.

It follows the re-launch of the site in early 2006, since when the company has “invested significantly” in developing the next phase of its web presence to include full web purchasing capability for its trade account customers.

In addition, to secure credit card and pro forma purchasing, the site offers buyers the facility to purchase through their existing trade accounts with the company.

Authorised dealer purchasers will be issued with a secure log-in and password to enable them to place orders on behalf of their organisations – at their fully trade discounted prices.

As an added incentive, selected dealers will be offered the opportunity to join Pfaff’s new loyalty scheme, the so-called SilverBlue Club, which will give them priority access to special offers and support services including to leads generated from Pfaff’s UK web marketing activity.

Scaglia Indeva

A new pneumatic manipulator – PN ERGO – was on show on the Scaglia Indeva stand. It said the unit is designed for handling loads up to 250kg “where there is an off-set load requirement.” It gave examples of such applications in the automative industry involving folded seats and windscreens.

The series comes with lifting capacities of 80, 160 and 250kg, in column mounted, overhead mounted or rail mounted options.

The system is said to be stronger and system flexing has been “drastically reduced,” as has the mass of the unit, making it “compact, lighter and easier to position in the work area,” according to the manufacturer.

A levelling adjustment system allows for a smoother and easier horizontal movement of the load whilst meeting different handling requirements.

Basic supply includes brakes on the column and middle axis, rotation stops, continuous rotation connection on the column axis and tooling axis with a 550 degree rotation joint.

Among additional options are tooling axis brake, counterweight, main arm strengthening system, column axis rotation stops and tooling axis continuous rotation joint.

Also on show was Indeva’s so-called Liftronic Easy, sporting a range of upgrades including new sensors and software. It said: “All work parameters are visible on the display panel placed on the control head.” This, it added, makes fault-finding “immediate and user friendly.”

Cavotec

Remote manufacturer Cavotec showed its MC-2-3 and MC-2-5 units, both equipped with a display panel.

The MC-2-3 has six two-step buttons, four single-step buttons and an emergency stop option. The MC-2-5 has an additional four two-step buttons. Both units are powered with two AA batteries providing “40 hours continuous safe operation,” according to the manufacturer.

Cavotec said: “Both systems have easily configurable standard settings based upon standard applications.” User options for PIN unlock access only, battery saving timeout and automatic channel search are accessed via the standard display and pushbuttons. “Security is maintained with access codes,” it added.

Dalmec

Industrial manipulator specialist Dalmec exhibited a range of column mounted, fixed overhead and overhead trolley lifting equipment, including the PRC type with suction cup for handling panels.

The PRC column mounted manipulator can also be fitted with pneumatic tooling for handling leaf springs or, say, stacking and unloading pallets, among a range of other applications.

UK-based Tawi showed its 40kg capacity VacuCobra vacuum lifting attachment, “developed to handle goods in large distribution centres and end of line packing,” it explained.

Energy chain specialist and plastics researcher, Igus, of Cologne, Germany, had limited products of interest to the crane market, but did exhibit its so-called Micro Flizz “super compact power supply module.”

It said the modules supply an alternative to bus bars and can be controlled from a stationary control panel. The unit allows for speed up to 6m per second and “smooth motion through the ball bearing carriage,” it said.

SCM Materials Handling exhibited automatic pick and carry cranes – fully programmable with capacity (SWL 250kg) “far exceeding the limitations of a conventional robotic system,” it said.

Also on show were several bespoke gripping attachments and bionic arms. The latter are supplied with an arm radius of 1 to 5m and SWL up to 500kg. Options include easy lift pneumatic hoist, electric chain hoist, floor, roof, machine or column mounted, arm radius to meet specification and custom made gripping attachments.

Niko Ltd, a subsidiary of Helm Hellas SA, showed a range of lifting gear including light cranes, climbing cranes, vehicle cranes, monorails and conveyors.

Among other Niko products are jib cranes and enclosed conductor systems.  The company stocks electric chain hoists from Verlinde, Donati, Morris and Yale.

Penny & Giles, wholly owned by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation of the US, displayed a new output option for its range of JC6000 “robust” multi-axis joysticks – CANbus.

The JC6000s can now be connected easily to a Bus network and communicate with add-on sub-systems and equipment.

There is also a CANbus facility where additional input pins are provided in the joystick mating connector, enabling non-CANbus features to be connected directly to the Bus network without an extra node being required.

The Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) revealed at IMHX that next year’s NA show at the I-X Centre in Cleveland, Ohio, US from April 21-24, “is already sold to over 90% of the total size of the NA 2006 event.”

NA will cover 150,000 sq ft. Exhibitor space is priced at $31 per sq ft. For further information visit the website at www.nashow.com.

Elsewhere, Palamatic showed a range of vacuum lifting equipment.

Can we put this bit in a box please with the cartoon image we use for letters (attached)…

Hoist editor Richard Howes has invited explanations as to why so few lifting companies exhibited at the International Materials Handling Exhibition (IMHX). Busy aisles ensured a profitable week for other material handling companies but lifting equipment was not widely represented. Why? Are costs solely to blame? Email: rhowes@wilmington.co.uk.


Most said the cost of exhibiting was a turn-off – stand space was priced at £205 (nearly Euros 300) per square metre IMHX 1 The show, which takes place once every three years, had a total footprint of 45,000 square metres and attracted 336 exhibitors in total IMHX 2 According to organisers, 18,000 visitors attended the four-day event IMHX 3 Busy aisles ensured a profitable week for other material handling companies but lifting equipment was not widely represented IMHX 4