The Challenge:
In industrial manufacturing plants, material handling logistics often present severe operational, mechanical, and safety challenges. The Flexco manufacturing plant in Tuscumbia, Alabama produces high-volume rubber and vinyl flooring products. At this facility, the manual transport of finished inventory created a major bottleneck. Line operators manually unloaded, lifted, and packed tightly wound rolls of vinyl and rubber weighing 40, 70, and 80 pounds.
Structurally and ergonomically, this workflow required personnel to repeatedly bend over low collection mandrels. They exerted high initial lifting forces and twisted their torsos to pack rolls into shipping boxes positioned on scissor lifts. This high-cycle, repetitive heavy lifting subjected workers to intense physical fatigue. It also elevated the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Executing these maneuvers within tight floor-space constraints near active machinery required a specific material handling solution. The factory needed a system that delivered precision and fluid movement without obstructing the surrounding plant layout or demanding extensive structural modifications.
The Solution:
Flexco’s management recognized that manual lifting caused an unsustainable ergonomic issue that threatened operational workflow. They initiated a thorough engineering assessment of available lift-assist technologies. Flexco collaborated with industrial material handling specialist Roy Ross at Right Solutions, Inc. Together, they evaluated multiple traditional options, including standard pneumatic hoists and manual overhead bridge cranes. Ultimately, they determined that the Gorbel Easy Arm Intelligent Lifting Device provided the ideal technical configuration.
The Free Standing Easy Arm was selected because it integrates Gorbel’s G-Force servo-powered intelligent lifting technology into an articulating jib crane design. This configuration provides a balance of speed, precision, and ease of installation. For the 165 lb capacity unit deployed in this cell, the Easy Arm requires no specialized deep-pour concrete foundation. It anchors directly to an existing standard industrial concrete floor via simple bolting. This feature minimized facility downtime during installation. Additionally, the system provides a full 360-degree circular coverage area. Its dual-pivot articulating arm allows operators to navigate around structural columns, overhead obstructions, and existing machinery layout constraints. To interface with the flooring material, the system was paired with a custom-engineered end effector designed to securely clamp and manipulate the boxed rolls.
The Execution:
The deployment of the Gorbel Easy Arm completely re-engineered the packaging and palletizing workstation. In production operations, the workflow begins with unboxed rubber or vinyl flooring rolls fed onto a revolving mandrel or circular turning table. Once a roll is compiled and wrapped, operators place a protective cardboard sleeve or box around it, designating it as a "FLEXCO Base2000" product unit.
Instead of manually lifting the heavy boxed roll, the operator now interfaces with the system via a responsive, ergonomic pendant handle controller equipped with integrated thumb switches and an OLED display. The custom-designed pneumatic clamping end effector is positioned over the boxed roll. Upon activation, the end effector securely grips the box. The operator utilizes the G-Force technology's "Float Mode" (which allows the operator to move the load using minimal upward or downward force directly applied to the payload) to effortlessly lift the heavy unit off the boxing station. The dual-pivot articulating joints of the blue jib arm react smoothly to the operator's guidance. They pivot frictionlessly to swing the load through its circular path. The operator then positions and stacks the unit with millimeter precision onto a wooden shipping pallet, completely eliminating vertical and horizontal manual strain.
The Result:
The integration of the Gorbel Easy Arm Intelligent Lifting Device yielded immediate, measurable performance enhancements across safety, productivity, and operational metrics. Plant workflow was significantly optimized. The lift-assist device allows a single operator to perform continuous, rapid-cycle loading and stacking operations without experiencing physical exhaustion or fatigue. Employee feedback across the manufacturing floor has been positive, with workers reporting a major reduction in physical strain.
Flexco management and plant engineering teams expressed complete satisfaction with the system’s reliability and performance. Mark Brazeale, the Plant Engineer at Flexco Corp, explicitly stated that he prefers the Gorbel Easy Arm over all other alternative material handling products on the market. He cited its superior control characteristics, reliability, and how it matched Gorbel's performance claims. By eliminating manual lifting hazards, Flexco successfully established a safer, more sustainable production environment. This development reinforced its line efficiency and product throughput capabilities.