How can the functions of a large handling system fit inside a tiny room?
Ergonomics and productivity in tanneries: a compact structure designed by Matteo Danese to handle hides weighing around 40 kg and reduce loading time from 15 to 4 minutes per hide.
The challenge: heavy hides and limited space
At the laboratory of a chemical products company in Arzignano, product development trials require hides weighing around 40 kg to be handled. The work involves two stages: lifting each hide for weighing, then placing it in the drum used for the trials. The weight of the material adds to the need to manage gripping and positioning.
The drum was already installed in a narrow room. The available space was therefore the starting point for the project: handling had to become easier without the room normally required by a large overhead system. The solution also needed to facilitate the work of a single operator.
A structure redesigned to fit
Matteo Danese started from the classic Danese overhead systems, whose structures are around five metres high, rethinking beams, heights and overall dimensions to suit the room. This was more than a matter of reducing size: the structure had to accommodate the route needed to move each hide and reach the existing drum.
The result was a compact iron structure fitted with an electro-pneumatic manipulator and chain clamps, adapted to the available space. The project brings the handling functions of a normally bulkier system into a small environment, focusing on the practical needs of the laboratory.
One operator, from weighing to loading
The operator stays at floor level, manages the grip and guides the movement of the hide while the system supports the load. Assisted handling helps with lifting for weighing and subsequent loading into the drum, reducing reliance on manual lifting.
The operator remains essential, following the material and guiding its positioning. The ergonomic benefit lies in reducing the physical effort required to support and lift a hide of this weight. Ergonomics and productivity come together in a specific stage of the work, organised around the person and the available space.
From 15 to 4 minutes: the value of the solution
The loading stage has gone from 15 to 4 minutes per hide: 11 minutes less, or a reduction of around 73%. The ratio between the two times is 3.75. With all other conditions unchanged, the theoretical capacity of this individual operation has therefore almost quadrupled.
This result applies exclusively to the loading stage and must not be extended to the overall productivity of the laboratory or tannery. The value of the project lies in solving a practical constraint: handling a substantial load in a very small room, making one operator’s work easier during product development trials.
Watch the full video of the Danese manipulator
Watch the short of the manipulator in action
Do you need to handle hides in confined spaces? Contact Danese to discuss a project tailored to your laboratory and operational needs.