Powered Stair-Climbing Lift Dolly for Industry

Rather than being a mere lifting aid, a lift dolly can be a savior of the backbone. It can reduce spinal injuries by eliminating the need for people to manually lift heavy objects. Spinal injuries, depending on their nature, can cost between thousands and millions of dollars.

Accordingly, spending money on a lift dolly can prove helpful in saving these additional expenditures. Want to know more about a lift dolly? Let us begin.

What is a Lift Dolly? 

This is an assistive equipment that allows vertical as well as horizontal lifting. The lift dolly lifts the loads onto elevated surfaces and thereby lessens the burden on the user’s back.

Depending upon the model, the maximum distance the fully extended dolly can reach from the ground level can be up to 58 inches. A standard dolly with a lift can support 400 pounds of weight, and an industrial lifting dolly can support 12,000 pounds.

What is the Difference Between a Standard Dolly and Lift Dolly?

Standard dollies have four wheels and a base to support the load being transported, with a handle at the top to push the dolly. Lift dollies generally share the same physical pattern as a standard dolly, except that lift dollies feature a mechanical lift system that enables the user to lift their loads to higher elevations.

The major difference between standard and lift dollies is the assistance associated with elevating the loaded materials. For example, a standard dolly requires the user to make manual efforts to lift heavy loads, while a lift dolly features a second axis of movement and allows mechanical elevation of heavy loads without requiring manual lifting.

Types of Lift Dollies

Hydraulic Dolly lift

Hydraulic dollies use a pressure mechanism to lift heavy objects. It has a capacity for lifting as much as 12,000 lbs with ease. Additionally, the hydraulic mechanism enables dollies to provide controlled descent to transport fragile items or large, heavy industrial equipment.

Some hydraulic dollies also have bleeder valves or release levers to prevent accidental dropping. 

Winch and Foot Pump Lift Dolly

The Winch and Foot Pump Lift Dolly works manually. They do not work on batteries or oil. So, users do not have to worry about downtime or leakage.

The winch system lifts at a rate of one inch per handle turn. In foot pump dolly, this is done with foot control. 

These manual lift dollies are inexpensive and are able to carry up to 400 lbs easily making them ideal for use in the field.

Powered Lift Dolly

Powered Lift Dollies run on rechargeable batteries. Lead Acid battery powered lift dollies have a downtime of about 8 hours. Depending on the amount of work being performed, they can run at rate of 6-8 hours per charge.

Lithium Ion battery powered lift dollies on the other hand can charge fully within 1-2 hours and can run for 3-4 hours continuously. 

Stair-climber Lift Dolly 

Engineered for multi-level transport, a star climbing dolly lift can either have a tracked or 3-wheel system. A tracked stair climber has better traction and distributes weight evenly. It can be used for industrial purposes.

A tri-wheel stair climbing dolly offers better maneuverability. It is a lightweight and pocket-friendly option. In addition, some stair climbing dollies like XSTO SCL170AC motorized dolly have safety features. It comes with an emergency stop and braking system. On abnormal tilting, the auto-lock is activated to prevent tipping. 

Where is a Dolly Lift Used?

A lift dolly can serve various purposes. It is used in:

• Last-Mile Appliance Delivery: It can help move heavy kitchen appliances from van to kitchen island or countertop directly without requiring manual lifting. 

• Warehouse Kitting: Whenever there is a need to pick heavy items from floor and place them on raised counters for sorting or assembly, a hand dolly with lift offers the best service. 

• HVAC/Commercial Service: Technicians who deal with moving heavy compressors or other items from house to their service vans can use a lift dolly to reduce strain. 

• Hospital Supply Rooms: To ensure the safety of both logistics and the workers, a dolly lift can be used to move hospital supplies. 

• Automotive Workshops: Mechanics lift and fix heavy spare parts of automobiles daily. A dolly lift can be used to carry all the heavy stuff. 

Conclusion 

Proper selection of a lift dolly can ensure workers’ safety and reduce the risk of equipment damage due to improper lifting. When dolly lifts are needed for only occasional usage, they can be rented. If they are to be used daily, it is advisable to purchase a lift dolly. 

By listing your requirements, budget, load capacity and usage frequency you can make an informed decision about which lift dolly is best suited for your company's needs.