CASE STUDIES

VIDEOS

BLOG

NEWS

DOCUMENTS

FAQ

RESOURCE CENTER > CASE STUDIES

Fork-Type Vertical Lifter Export to Brazil | Textile Logistics Automation Case Study

RELATED MEDIA

SHARE

Copy link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Share

POSTED: 5/13/2026

Overview

Shanghai Textile Decoration Co., Ltd. sought an automated vertical conveying system for its Brazilian manufacturing facility to address inefficient cross-floor transfer of finished textile cartons.

The Gradin team (Contract ZD-WXQ20260129, Sales Engineer Wang Xianquan) designed and delivered one fork-type vertical lifter (Model XBT-4.28-0.03), flanked by two roller conveyors, forming a complete “horizontal infeed → vertical lifting → horizontal outfeed” automated loop.

The system runs on Brazil’s three-phase 220V/60Hz grid standard, integrates Profinet industrial Ethernet, and was delivered within a 45-day manufacturing cycle (order confirmed February 3, shipped March 20, 2026) in ocean-freight-ready wooden crates bound for Brazil.

Client & Requirements

Shanghai Textile Decoration Co., Ltd. produces decorative fabrics and finished home-textile goods. Its Brazilian plant handles uniform cartons (615×375×210mm, 30 kg each) across two production floors. Prior to this project, cross-floor transfer relied on manual labor assisted by a freight elevator, creating three critical pain points:

  1. Throughput bottleneck: Manual handling speeds were inconsistent, causing production line congestion during peak periods and failing to meet the 100-carton-per-hour target;
  2. Excessive physical strain: Repeatedly lifting 30 kg cartons placed significant physical demands on workers and posed injury risks;
  3. Data isolation: The existing transfer method could not interface with the factory’s Profinet-based control network, leaving management without real-time material flow data — a blind spot in digital operations.

The customer required a vertical conveying solution that complied with Brazilian electrical codes and integrated seamlessly with the existing Siemens PLC infrastructure.

System Architecture Overview

Core Specifications

ParameterSpecification
Equipment ModelFork-Type Vertical Lifter XBT-4.28-0.03
Product Dimensions615×375×210mm
Rated Load30 kg/carton
Design Throughput100 cartons/hour
Lifting StrokeInlet: 880mm / Outlet: 4,280mm (net lift: 3.4m)
Infeed OrientationShort-side entry (615mm edge)
Stops/Stations2 stops / 2 stations
Drive MotorChengbang 2.2 kW
Power StandardThree-phase 220V / 60Hz (Brazil standard)
Communication ProtocolProfinet
Auxiliary EquipmentRoller conveyors ×2 (L1400×W500×H880mm each)
FinishRAL 6002 Leaf Green + Gray
PackagingMain body: 1 wooden crate / Roller conveyors: 1 wooden crate
Delivery TermsEx Works, exported to Brazil

Solution

To address all identified pain points, we delivered a custom-engineered vertical conveying closed-loop system:

Electrical Adaptation: The entire electrical chain — motor windings, VFD, and control transformer — was specified to Brazil’s three-phase 220V/60Hz standard, enabling plug-and-play energization upon arrival with zero on-site electrical modifications.

Mechanical Conveying Loop: At the ground level, the inlet roller conveyor (L1400×W500×H880mm) receives finished cartons from the production line and feeds them short-edge-first onto the fork trays. A 2.2 kW Chengbang geared motor drives the chain transmission and plate-chain circulation mechanism, lifting trays smoothly along vertical guide rails over a 3.4m stroke to the 4,280mm outlet elevation, where cartons are automatically discharged onto the upper roller conveyor. The lifter supports bi-directional operation, and the 2-stop/2-station layout ensures independent interaction at each floor.

2-Stop 2-Station Layout

Control & Communication: Full Profinet protocol integration connects directly to the client’s Siemens S7-series PLC backbone. The central control room monitors real-time operational status, fault alarms, and production counts — and a standard interface is reserved for future MES system integration.

Export Assurance: Split-crate wooden packaging with internal shock-absorbing and moisture-proof filling. All exposed metal surfaces treated with anti-rust oil. Each shipment includes a complete technical drawing set, wiring diagrams, and communication parameter tables, enabling the local Brazilian team to complete installation and commissioning independently.

FAQ

A fork-type vertical lifter uses a chain-driven plate circulation mechanism to move multiple fork trays simultaneously in a continuous loop, achieving throughputs of 100+ cartons per hour. Unlike a freight elevator’s single-trip up-and-down cycle with door operations, the lifter delivers 3–5× higher efficiency without dedicated operators, making it ideal for continuous production-line conveying applications.

Because Brazil’s national industrial power standard is three-phase 220V/60Hz — fundamentally different from China’s 380V/50Hz. We performed full-chain adaptation across the motor, VFD, and control circuit, so the equipment connects directly to the local grid with no transformer or electrical retrofit required on site.

Conventional lifters provide only dry-contact signals for basic start/stop control. With Profinet integration, the host PLC reads real-time equipment status, fault diagnostics, and production counters. For plant management, this means the vertical logistics segment is no longer a “data black box” — it can be incorporated directly into the MES platform and digital factory management system.

A 2-stop/2-station configuration serves two floors with one interaction point each. In this case, the ground floor handles infeed (880mm height) and the second floor handles outfeed (4,280mm height) — the two stations operate independently without interference. For customers with more floors, the layout can be extended to 3-stop/3-station or beyond.

The Brazil shipping route takes approximately 35–40 days, involving multiple cargo-handling events and a high-humidity maritime environment. We use a split-crate strategy (main machine and roller conveyors packed separately), with foam and bubble-wrap layered internally for shock absorption. All exposed metal surfaces receive anti-rust oil treatment. Bilingual shipping marks and packing lists are affixed externally. A complete technical documentation package accompanies each shipment to ensure smooth Brazilian customs clearance.

If you want to customize your material handling equipment, please contact us →.

Downloadable Documents

Fork-Type Vertical Lifter Export to Brazil.pdf

Custom Equipment Catalog.pdf

Guide Rail Installation Manual.doc

Related Customized Cases