The Advantages of Pneumatic vs. Electric Hoists

When investing in hoist technology, a full comparison between pneumatic and electric hoists can pay real dividends in areas such as duty cycle, variable speed control, weatherproofing, installation and operation, maintenance, robustness, investment costs, lifetime costs and operator safety. Electric drives can only be used for intermittent operations (S2 duty) and are not suitable for continuous use. But pneumatic hoists from J.D. Neuhaus L.P. (JDN; Sparks, MD) have no downtime and a 100 percent duty cycle rating. These pneumatic hoists also work constantly without causing excessive temperatures thanks to a patented self-cooling gearbox, where decompressed air flows through channels within the gearbox to cool the gear train and allow operators to use the hoist uninterrupted over multiple shifts. A pneumatic hoist offers easy, accurate and wide-ranging speed control at low cost for simple, sensitive and accurate positioning of loads in all environmental conditions. But an electric hoist requires a frequency converter (or VFD) and shielded wires to prevent radio interference, while the motor needs thermo-elements to avoid increased heating at the windings.

Safety becomes a major issue for electric hoists in potentially explosive environments, such as oil rigs, mines and paint shops. It is also challenging to configure electric drives for use in such areas, at least not without considerable cost. There are no such issues when using JDN air-operated hoists. By using compressed air as the driving media, these hoists can be used inside dust-laden atmospheres, including areas at risk of explosion and even where organically flammable chemicals are in use. If the hoist is intended for outdoor use, the issue of weatherproofing arises. Using an electric hoist for outdoor applications means careful selection based on its IP protection class rating, which denotes its ability to resist the ingress of solids and moisture. There are no such issues with JDN pneumatic hoists. As non-electric equipment, they are not subject to the IP rating system. Any contaminants, such as dirt or water, are simply blown out by air without any compromise to functionality. This is crucial in applications where hoists must be cleaned at regular intervals or within humid environments.

Pneumatic hoists are low in weight compared with their electric counterparts, making them more mobile and far easier to handle. This does not compromise their operational strength, because air hoists are ideal for performing large lifting heights, providing true vertical lift without any limitation in the number of starts/stops per hour. The simplicity of pneumatic hoist technology also lends itself to easier installation compared to electric hoists that require qualified personnel. Pneumatic hoists contain relatively few mechanical components compared to electric hoists – and fewer components means less to go wrong. The modular design of JDN hoists provides simple access to all parts, making maintenance easy for less downtime and faster, more affordable repairs. When comparing the cost of pneumatic and electric hoists, many factors must be considered beyond the price tag, including installation, operation, inspection and maintenance costs. Upon performing this Total Cost of Ownership calculation, the economic advantages of pneumatic hoists quickly become apparent.

J.D. Neuhaus L.P., 9 Loveton Circle, Sparks, MD 21152, 410-472-0500, Fax: 410-472-2202, info@jdneuhaus.com, www.jdngroup.com/us.