18-ton McLaughlin Millwright Project

Lifting & Machinery Disassembly

Millwright Relocation

JDI Industrial recently had a small-scale task to perform a machine move and reinstallation that involves moving 18 tons of machinery. McLaughlin Body Company in Anderson, SC needed their operations to expand.

With a lot of determination and know-how, our JDI rigging and millwright crew came together to meet this client’s need for space and operational efficiency. To do this, the crew uses a combination of skates and an air-lift system.

The team was able to successfully transition the 18-ton bending machine from one end of the client’s plant to another with a day. Concurrently, this allows for the new machinery’s placement for productivity, and allowing space for new operational installments.

Read more details, below.

To begin the McLaughlin millwright project, our crew of millwrights and our rigging expert on-site evaluate the load and what equipment needs are to meet the specs. This bending machine essentially has six load points that will require air skids at each one.

First, our team begins to setup the pneumatic air hoses that will supply the Airfloat skids with the force they need to lift. The millwrights start to rig the pieces that are removable, and lift out of place with a 12k forklift. Following this, the team then uses lift jacks to place the air skids under each main point of lift.

Once all the air skids are in place, our lead millwright and rigging foremen check that the moving tape is secure and that all pneumatics are optimal. They then engage the air system and lift-off occurs.

The team carefully guides the bending machine to its final placement, remove the skids, and set it down. Finally, they anchor it into place and reinstall all of the components that were removed.

Now that the bending machine is in a more optimal place, McLaughlin can begin to install more machines where it once resided. JDI’s crew begins installing the new production machinery which allows McLaughlin to increase their ROI.

The McLaughlin millwright project is just one of the ways we enable a company like theirs to be more successful.