Wood’s Powr-Grip® Introduces Intelli-Grip™ Technology, Improving Material Handling Safety

Laurel, MT - Wood's Powr-Grip®, a leading manufacturer/supplier of vacuum lifting equipment for metal panels and other materials, has developed the next generation of vacuum lifters featuring Powr-Grip’s® proprietary Intelli-Grip™ technology. This state-of-the-art design monitors the lifter’s vacuum and power systems, adjusts resources as necessary, and notifies the operator when something requires special attention.

Intelli-Grip will be featured on a Cladding Lifter at METALCON 2016 in Baltimore, October 26 -28, in Wood's Powr-Grip's booth #2539.

"At Wood’s Powr-Grip®, our customers are our priority," said Bryan Strobel, New Product Development Department Manager. "Handling large sheets of glass, stone, metal and other materials can be challenging and inherently risky. As a result, we continually work to improve our products by making them safer, more efficient and more responsive to your needs."

Strobel said that Intelli-Grip™ "tells you what you need to know, when you need to know it, enabling you to focus on your material handling job and not the nuances of lifter operation. Vacuum lifters with Intelli-Grip™ communicate critical information at a glance via a color LCD display screen. A flashing amber strobe light and audible alarm warn you about conditions that may compromise safety. These vacuum lifters also host a variety of safety features that help prevent anyone from performing dangerous actions. On every lift, Intelli-Grip™ tests for a good vacuum seal and checks for low power. If the battery is dangerously low, it also prevents the lifter from attaching to loads."

He continued, "Every time the vacuum lifter is powered up, Intelli-Grip™ automatically performs self-diagnostics, to make certain the lifter is ready-to-go. Unique service codes quickly identify potential problems, minimizing lifter down-time. Smart power management enables the lifter to work longer on a single charge."

Intelli-Grip Technology will be available for order beginning December 1, 2016, on the following Dual Vacuum System Lifters:

• MRTA8 - Quadra-Tilt™ Rotator 1400 (DC)

• MRTALP8 - Low-Profile Manual Rotator / Tilter 1100 (DC)

• MTCL6 - Cladding Lifter / Tilter 700 (DC) with Oval Vacuum Pads

• MTCL8 - Cladding Lifter / Tilter 700 (DC) with Round Vacuum Pads

• MRT4 - Manual Rotator / Tilter 700 (DC)

The MRTALP Panel Master lifters (with VPFS10T pads or VPFS625 pads), used for insulated metal panels, will be available for order with Intelli-Grip Technology on January 1, 2017.

Strobel noted that with advanced electronics working their way into an ever-increasing array of industries and consumer goods, Wood’s Powr-Grip® believes that Intelli-Grip™ represents the future of vacuum lifting. "We’re confident that its ease of use and safety features will prove the value of Intelli-Grip™ every single workday," he said.

About Wood's Powr-Grip

Wood's Powr-Grip Inc. designs, manufactures and distributes tools and equipment that improve efficiency, enhance safety, and lower costs for the industries that it serves. The company offers a full line of hand-held vacuum cups, below-the-hook vacuum lifters and vacuum mounting cups that make material handling and equipment mounting easier. The products are used to lift, hold and position a variety of smooth, nonporous materials such as insulated metal panels, glass, plastics, engine valves, sheet metal, solid surfacing, laminates, stone slabs and appliances. Powr-Grip products are individually tested before being shipped from the production facility, in order to ensure quality and promote safety for the user.

Wood's Powr-Grip's headquarters are located in Laurel, MT, and its vacuum cups and equipment products are distributed internationally in nearly 50 countries through an extensive network of dealers and distributors. For more information, visit www.wpg.com.