Streimer Duct Lift
June 2023 - September 2023
Overview
My 2023 summer internship at Streimer had me developing a method of converting a hand-cranked duct hoist to a motor driven system. Streimer is a sheet metal manufacturing company and would use these duct hoists to raise various materials up to 20 feet in the air. The company was running into issues with field workers attaching drills to the hand crank mechanism to make the device operate faster. This led to the hoists breaking, causing extensive downtime on the sites. My task was to find a solution that would speed up the operations while not wearing down the lifts.
Solution
My solution, was to attach a DC motor to the lift with a custom sheet metal chassis, that could activate the lift using a gearing system. The lift was operated with a 3d printed pendant I designed, that operated the motor though an Arduino. The whole device was powered by two DEWALT drill batteries since they were the most accessible to operators on the field. This project required me to use many skills I have acquired including but not limited to:
3D Design
Rapid Prototyping
3D Printing
Arduino Programming
Sheet metal Manufacturing
Electronic wiring
Results
The final product was able to achieve 16-20 cycles of operation with a 180lb which is the equivalent of about half a days work. The lift was able to achieve its maximum extension in approximately 1.5 minutes which effectively halved the time required for extension. All of the manufactures safety mechanisms were preserved and the integration of the motor itself enhanced the safety factor of the lift. Overall the product exceeded client expectations increasing operational speed, safety, and was delivered on time and under budget.
