gripping pad material inquiry

[bsmet95]

My company builds a variety of lifting machinery, including below-the-hook lifters. I'm designing a grab to lift 4-ton aluminum coils on the I.D. and O.D. See the attachment. Normally we use a polymer gripping pad but the current customer has asked for a material which will absorb oil so as not to lessen friction force. Some sort of compressed fabric has been suggested, but no particulars.

Any recommendations?

 

[dhengr]

Bsmet95:
See what Fabreeka has to offer which might fit the bill or at least give you some ideas,

http://www.fabreeka.com.

But, I must say, that anything which absorbs the forming/rolling oils will sooner or later become saturated and lose its grip. Maybe you should require that each lift requires that an absorbent surface layer/sheet be replaced so the oil is absorbed, and discarded and doesn’t build up. This is not intended to be the final solution, but something as simple as a piece of kraft paper over the top of the coil and down the i.d. and o.d. might do the trick; 18" wide, by 36" long draped over the two gripping locations, and down the sides before you place your lifting device. Maybe the outer layer should be non-absorbent, so it doesn’t take on much oil. This, over a softer conforming pad material which really applies the force.

 

[bsmet95]

Thanks. I'll give that a try.