Original Date: 07/20/1998
Revision Date: 01/18/2007

SIAD performs corrective maintenance on International Standards Organization Shelters and containers used in the storage and shipment of operational stock sets, kits, and outfits. SIAD designed and manufactured a container rotator to improve its ability to perform the corrective maintenance. The Depot has a patent pending on the design of the container rotator and has built container rotators for outside customers.

Prior to the use of container rotators, employees used a P&H Superstacker Crane, two forklifts, and wooden skids to elevate, support, and rotate containers. This process required eight moves for each container, and 12 material handling equipment moves. The average man-hours expended for repair of each container was 8.5. Due to the number and types of movements required in this process, employees were placed in awkward and potentially hazardous positions. Additionally, the containers were subject to increased damage due to the handling process.

SIAD recognized the need to develop a safe method to allow access to all sides of the containers while reducing the need for crane and forklift vehicles. In 1996, SIAD designed and built a towable container rotator (Figure 2-1). The shelters and containers are mounted to the container rotator by four locking mechanisms at the base of each shelter or container. The shelters and containers can be easily rotated and locked into position for safe access to all sides. The container rotator utilizes a pneumatic rather than a hydraulic piston to rotate the fixture. Because the container rotator is towable, the shelters and containers can be moved to welding, shot blasting, and painting locations without having to be removed.

The Depot has six container rotators on hand at a fabrication cost of approximately $10,000 each. Currently, two additional units are in production. SIAD has built and sold two units to outside customers. The units utilize all commercially available parts.

Use of the container rotator has greatly improved employee safety by eliminating awkward and potentially hazardous situations, and also improved hazardous waste recovery by increasing the control of spent shot blast residue. Use of the container rotator has reduced container moves by 50%; material handling equipment moves by 67%; personnel requirements by 67%; and repair cycle time from 8.5 hours to one hour. By using the container rotators, SIAD has provided a cost savings of more than 80% to its customers.

For more information see the Point of Contact for this survey.