In my younger years there were few things that my brother and I enjoyed more than flying radio-controlled airplanes. From takeoff to landing, it was great to have precise control of something without having strings attached. There was something intriguing about knowing the transmitter and receiver were communicating without being able to see how the information was being transferred. The airplanes consistently did what I instructed them to do, which due to my less-than-perfect piloting, all too often resulted in hours of gluing balsa wood back together.

Not only have radio controls provided hours of fun for many of us, but they have also earned an established place in the world of materials handling. An increasing number of Wood’s Powr-Grip© vacuum lifters are available with remote control systems. This option provides predictable and reliable operation of the lifter’s critical functions. Many safeguards have been implemented to ensure that the vacuum lifter only responds to intentional actions from the operator. The control system's "default setting" is the apply mode, which causes the lifter's vacuum pads to attach to the load. To initiate any function that suspends the apply mode, two specific switches must be activated simultaneously. When either of these switches is activated, a strobe light flashes to notify the operator and any other people in the vicinity.

Wood’s Powr-Grip remote-controlled lifters have many other features and specifications that make them a good solution for a variety of materials handling applications. These include FCC and CE compliance, up to 250' [76 m] transmission distances, and the use of radio frequencies for signal communication. In comparison, vacuum lifters that use infrared communication have reduced transmission distances, are typically impaired when used in sunlight, and often won’t transmit through many materials. These include coated glass, a frequent choice for windows in commercial buildings. Several different radio frequencies are available with Powr-Grip vacuum lifters, to allow for simultaneous operation of two or more lifters. Each frequency has over a million security codes, to prevent other radio transmission or RF noise from inadvertently activating a function. In addition to controls on the radio transmitter, vacuum lifters with remote control systems are also equipped with standard controls, to allow for direct operation.

Whether you need the safety of adding distance between the operator and the vacuum lifter or the convenience of installing glass in high-rise buildings, Powr-Grip's remote control system is a practical method of meeting these needs. So next time you need to fly a piece of glass or load a truck to go to the job site, look us up and we’ll hook you up.

Bryan Strobel is the New Product Development department manager at Wood’s Powr-Grip. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and specializes in product analysis and design.