It is fun to watch how things are made on television – especially huge things like aircraft and luxury items like yachts. While these programs can provide some insight into how these items come into existence, they do very little when it comes to showing the tools that make such huge manufacturing tasks possible. Our case study on how we assisted a yacht manufacturer is interesting and insightful, and it shows how hard we work to come up with the best marine caster wheel solutions for our clients.
One of the biggest manufacturers of marine products in the United States was designing a deck dolly that they could use to move a prototype of a brand-new 68’ yacht through their massive facility. The company previously focused on smaller marine products – speedboats and the like – so branching out into larger luxury items was slated to be a true game-changer and make them even more competitive in the market. The problem they kept running into came with the sheer size of the load. The production area inside the facility simply wasn’t designed for a craft that large, and that meant moving a massive yacht was dangerous to both employees and the prototype itself.
Though it seemed as if all hope may have been lost and the only option involved moving into a larger manufacturing facility, the company’s online search for custom casters led them to Caster Concepts. After asking questions and determining the manufacturer’s available space, the team set to work to design casters that were large and stable enough to move the dolly in and out of impossibly tight spaces. The end result turned out to be something Caster Concepts had not previously offered: zero-lead dual-wheel casters able to support the weight of the prototype and the dolly, complete with 16-position wheel locks.
With the wheel locks in place, the operators could move the dolly carrying the yacht forward on a set trajectory, reset the locks, move the dolly forward, and repeat the process as many times as necessary. This meant the company no longer needed to abandon the project altogether. In fact, the marine manufacturer was so very impressed by the solution that design and engineering continues on this project to this day. The goal is making it simpler and less time-consuming to move large marine vehicles through tight spaces, and both the manufacturer and we believe they will inevitably design the perfect product that can solve issues for other companies in the same (and other) industries.
We have many years of experience when it comes to helping our clients and customers solve problems related to the movement of loads through facilities, on tarmacs, and even across rugged outdoor terrain. To learn more about how we at Caster Concepts can solve your unique problem, regardless of the project’s size or industry type, contact us today through the contact form or the live chat link, or give them a call at 517-680-7950.
