Drums & Kegs

Description

DRUMS

Much like pails, the solution to lifting drums often lies in the style of lid the drums have. If the lid is a solid, flat surface, then a regular 10” round foot would typically suffice. A rounded top may require an end effector with two rounds that are fastened at a slight angle to conform the round top.  

Fiber Drums: Fiber drums pose a separate challenge, as their lids are oftentimes fabric as well. This introduces a level of porosity to the operation. In these instances, a typical solution is to put a foot on the lid, and another that attaches to the side of the drum. These are called top side suction feet. In the rare instance where there is no lid, the drum has to be lifted entirely from the side. These require larger suction pads to give us the amount of required contact area.

Drum rotator: We also have experience in designing and fabricating an end effector that lifts the drum, then with a handle the operator can rotate the drum to dump it’s contents.  These are also highly specialized and will always require a sample drum, preferably filled, to be sent to our testing facility.

KEGS

All keg sizes form quarter to full can be lifted directly from the side. Full kegs are easily lifted from the tapper end with a deep throated 10” round foot that fits right over the tap. Depending on the shape of the keg, we may require a sample sent in to be sure that whichever suction foot assembly we opt for will conform to your keg’s specific ridges and valleys.