In the optical industry, products need to be transported with the same high level of precision that is applied at the processing stage. The item pluspartner Schmohl Nähautomaten GmbH has developed cleanroom-compatible transport trolleys for this very purpose.
In sectors such as optical manufacturing, the precision of material handling determines the quality of products. Optical components must therefore be produced under clean conditions. In such environments, it is particularly important that transport solutions meet stringent requirements. They must have smooth, unbroken surfaces, be easy to clean and ensure stability during transportation. The item pluspartner Schmohl Nähautomaten GmbH has developed a solution tailored to these specific requirements – a robust cleanroom trolley to transport sensitive optics safely.
Schmohl – a special-purpose machine manufacturer and item pluspartner
For over 70 years now, Schmohl has been developing customised special-purpose machinery – from sewing machines for industrial textiles to special devices and constructions for industrial customers. No two machines are the same.
We need the precision of profile technology components to make special machines.
Schmohl uses profile technology from item for your special-purpose machines and devices. “We need the precision of profile technology components to make special machines. That’s why we have a long-standing working relationship with item based on an excellent partnership of equals,” says Klaus Bachmann, Managing Director of Schmohl. A member of the item pluspartner network for around 25 years now, Schmohl makes its expertise available and works with other item pluspartners to implement innovative projects. In this particular project, special cleanroom transport trolleys were developed for a customer in the optical manufacturing sector.
Cleanroom-compatible transport trolleys – safe for products and people
In optical manufacturing, components must be transported under strictly controlled conditions. The customer was therefore looking for a cleanroom-compatible transport solution that would reliably protect sensitive optics and, at the same time, ensure safe operation. Four-drawer trolleys were to be built to transport snug-fitting goods carriers containing optics. The challenge was ensuring only one drawer at a time can ever be open.
The transport trolleys also needed to be designed to comply with cleanroom conditions and reduce the risk of injury for staff. To ensure all functional, ergonomic and cleanroom-related requirements were met, Schmohl first worked with item and the customer to develop a prototype before starting on the production of eight further transport trolleys.
Eight cleanroom transport trolleys with a special locking system
The cleanroom-compatible transport trolleys boast a number of safety-relevant functions to ensure both safe handling by staff and protection of the sensitive optics. At the heart of the solution is a locking system comprising four vertical stainless steel bars on the back of the trolleys. Each bar is paired with one particular drawer. When a drawer is pulled out, the relevant bar moves and blocks the remaining drawers. Each drawer is also equipped with a handle that can be turned to lock it and thus prevent unintentional opening. A goods carrier weighing up to 50 kg and containing optics is transported in each drawer. The snug fit ensures components can’t slip or fall out.
item and Schmohl calculated, defined and documented the trolleys’ tipping behaviour when encountering obstacles on the floor or when a drawer was opened.
Besides the safety of products, the safety of staff during transport operations was also taken into account. To prevent the risk of injury during manoeuvring, all push handles were positioned so they didn’t protrude beyond the trolley contour. The castors were fitted with foot protection. To ensure the safety of the entire system, the trolleys’ tipping behaviour when encountering obstacles on the floor or when a drawer was opened was also calculated, defined and documented. “Although we assume the transport trolleys will mainly be used on level floor surfaces, ramps are a common feature. Trolleys must not tip over on such ramps either,” adds Bachmann. The maximum floor incline was therefore also calculated and specified.
Base frame, surfaces and much more besides – item profile technology in this project
Both technical know-how and the correct materials are needed for customised solutions. Schmohl mainly used item components to build the transport trolleys. For example, the base frame is made from Line X profiles and our robust, impact-resistant plastic panels were selected to provide smooth, unbroken surfaces that are easy to clean. Schmohl used Profile Tubes D30 for the push handles.
When it came to component selection, item had already done a great deal of preliminary work before we even made a start on construction. After all, the components couldn’t simply be used without first being tried out.
All components were first tested in collaboration with the customer and certified for specific cleanroom use. “When it came to component selection, item had already done a great deal of preliminary work before we even made a start on construction. After all, the components couldn’t simply be used without first being tried out,” explains Bachmann. By building customised cleanroom transport trolleys, Schmohl has demonstrated how sensitive components can be transported in absolute safety in cleanrooms.
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