Reference 093 – Scissor lift table in a high bay warehouse

This scissor lift table can be found in the Original Parts Center of Volkswagen AG in Baunatal. The automotive company has invested in a new high bay warehouse at the location near Kassel. For regular and unscheduled maintenance work, Volkswagen relies on a lift table from our company.

Between the high-bay warehouse and the adjacent building, a height difference of approximately 1,500 mm needs to be overcome to transport machines and tools to the lower level of the warehouse for maintenance and repair work. Our scissor lift table was specifically designed for this use case. The lift table can safely transport equipment weighing up to 1,500 kg on a base area of approximately six square meters.

We specialize in the flexible adaptation of our lifting systems to the individual needs of our customers. In this case, too, several local conditions had to be taken into account during the design of the lift table to ensure optimal functionality and efficiency at the deployment site.

Delivering custom platform dimensions is no problem for us. Thanks to our well-designed modular system, various platform dimensions can be easily implemented without significant cost increases. This capability was also required for this project: The dimensions of the pit were already determined before the design of the lift table, and a solution was needed that precisely matched the specified measurements.

In addition to custom platform width and length, a specific construction height was also required. The pit was constructed approximately 90 mm deeper than necessary for our design. This difference was easily compensated for by using an elevated subframe.

A particular challenge was accessing the installation site of the scissor lift platform. The site could only be reached through a 2.20 m wide door. Given the desired dimensions of approximately 2.5 m x 2.5 m, this was no easy task.

Therefore, we used a split platform: the platform could be disassembled into three parts and reassembled directly on-site. The largest platform piece had a width of 1.80 m. Thus, even the narrow door was no longer a challenge.

Since the lift table was not installed within a shaft, it is equipped with a dead man's switch: the platform only raises or lowers as long as the corresponding button is held.

Operation can be performed either directly from the platform or from one of the two stops. The control station on the platform has priority control, ensuring that, in case of doubt, the operator on the platform has control over the lift table.

As the scissor lift table was installed at a very early stage of construction and contact with rainwater could not be ruled out, both the operation and control were implemented with IP65 protection. This protection class offers sufficient protection against water, preventing short circuits or component failure.

The installation of an external electrohydraulic unit allows for greater flexibility in selecting the installation site. By laying a sufficiently sized conduit between the hydraulic lift table and the chosen location, the unit can be positioned flexibly — ideally in an adjacent room or under an unused staircase.

In this project, the customer opted against integrating the unit into the lift table itself. This choice facilitates easier access to the control unit and the hydraulic power unit, offering significant advantages, especially for maintenance work or the replacement of drive unit components.

The safety of operating personnel and all nearby individuals is our top priority. Therefore, our lift table is equipped with extensive safety features, which we would like to introduce to you in this section.

The lift table has a useful lift height of 1,500 mm. To secure access to the underside, we have installed a welded wire mesh on the front side. The welded wire mesh limits the view of the danger zone significantly less compared to a PVC roller shutter.

Some users underestimate the weight of the load on the lift table. To prevent overloading, a pressure relief valve and a pressure switch are installed. The pressure relief valve prevents the platform from lifting from the lower position when overloaded, while the pressure switch monitors the system in the upper position and immediately stops the platform in case of overpressure. A corresponding warning is issued to the operator.

The toe protection safety strips prevent further lowering of the platform when activated. The upward movement remains possible to free any trapped objects or persons.

When the lift table platform is accessed by people, we usually use diamond or chequer plate to minimize the risk of slipping. However, for this project, the lift table was to be equipped with a smooth platform surface to facilitate access with hand pallet trucks and roll carts. To reduce the risk of slipping despite the smooth surface, we have provided anti-slip strips on the platform.

To mitigate the risks of crushing, shearing and falling, comprehensive safety measures such as protective plates, a portal and platform railings with an electromechanically secured door are implemented.

For environmental protection, we have used biodegradable hydraulic oil and a welded oil pan. The oil pan can hold over 300 liters of oil, which is far more than the 25 liters in the entire hydraulic system of the scissor lift table. This ensures that overflow of the oil pan is prevented.

The concrete edges of a pit are often prone to breakage, especially when heavy loads pass over them. To avoid this issue, we standardly recommend integrating a steel angle frame during the casting of the pit.

If the steel angle frame was not installed, we have a solution: the bolt-on pit edge protection. This can be easily anchored to the concrete floor and reliably protects the edge from excessive load.

When a stationary lift table is embedded in the floor and has an internal unit, it is essential to provide a maintenance access opening in the platform. This opening is placed directly above the control unit and the hydraulic unit to allow manual operation or component replacement if necessary.

Although the shown lift table has an external unit, Volkswagen AG still opted for a maintenance access. This opening is positioned directly above the hydraulic cylinders, ensuring that the cylinders are accessible in any lift position.

If you want your lift table to look presentable even after intensive use, you should consider a hot-dip galvanised platform. This is especially important if the lift table platform is used for loading and unloading. Continuous rolling movements will sooner or later cause paint to chip off on a traditionally painted platform, whereas this effect is not noticeable with a hot-dip galvanised platform.

Additionally, using a hot-dip galvanised subframe is recommended if the lift table is used outdoors and/or within a pit. Even if the pit has a drain, it can occasionally be submerged. Leaves or other debris can clog the drain, causing water to remain in the pit unnoticed. To avoid damage to your lift table, the subframe should be hot-dip galvanised instead of painted.

Of course, the entire lift table can also be galvanised. On our dedicated landing page you can get an impression of our galvanised scissor lift tables.