Technical Archives - J S Burgess Engineering Ltd

5 Most Common Types of Stillages

Johanna Munoz — Mon, 30 May 2022 09:56:00 +0000

At JS Burgess Engineering Ltd we produce thousands of Stillages every year in our UK factory and specialise in producing a large numbers of Stillages within each production run.

We are aware that despite the fact Stillages are commonly used throughout a huge range of industries, many people within the manufacturing and wider business world are unaware of what stillages are. This makes it particularly difficult for buyers to make an informed decision when it comes to providing detailed specifications, or in comparing different products against each other.

As such, we’ve produced a brief article outlining the key types of stillages utilising the knowledge and experience our team have garnered over the years. It should be noted that this is just a very brief introduction – there are hundreds of variations and we actually produce bespoke stillages for each of our clients.

1. Profile Stillages

Profile stillages are most commonly used for handling extruded profile – for instance aluminium extrusion or extruded plastic. We provide a wide range of profile stillages.

2. A-frame Stillages

A-frame Stillages are used to bear weight in an economical manner.

Most A-frame’s will have a cross beam between the two legs, which stops the legs from slipping apart and collapsing the structure. Find out about our A-frame style Stillages, here.

3. Post-Pallet Stillages

Post-pallets are similar to more traditional pallets, apart from the fact that they have posts attached – often at each corner with a square or rectangular pallet.

The use of posts on the pallets allows for them to be stacked, utilising space better than a traditional wooden pallet which may collapse if the product is too heavy for it to bear.

4. Cages and Bins

Cages and Bins are movable Stillages which can be used to safely move or manoeuvre products around a warehouse or factory.

When designing our Cages and Bins, we take the situation into account – ensuring for instance that the floor and sides are made from material which will be able to stand up to the conditions of use. It is considerations like this which make our products highly durable and long-lasting.

5. Automotive Stillages

We produce a wide range of automotive stillages, including specialist Vehicle Component Packaging Stillages and Tyre Stillages and.

Automotive stillages vary in their design and application, but they are generally specialised to be used within a specific element in the manufacturing process – for instance transporting wind-screen glass, or moving large numbers of car bumpers around a factory.

Have you got a question or enquiry about our Stillages?

We are the largest Stillage manufacturer in the UK, with extensive experience designing, manufacturing and supplying Stillages into many industries and sectors – the possibilities are endless!

If you have a question and enquiry about any of the Stillages mentioned above, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling +44 1663 719 300 or emailing us at enquiries@jsburgess.co.uk.

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A-frames – Testing & Certification

Johanna Munoz — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:36:00 +0000

Although frames lifted by a fork-lift-truck or via ‘under slinging’ can be lifted without a LOLER certificate, A-Frames that are to be lifted via lifting hooks require a physical load test and LOLER certificate.

Our A-frame certification process is shared below

JS Burgess A-frame Certification Process

Once the A-frame design has been proof load tested by our third-party LEEA certified testing partners, a LOLER certificate is then issued by JS Burgess for the design and all subsequent frames are thoroughly inspected and given a manufacturer’s certificate of conformance.

This document provides traceability and gives our customers confidence that all frames ordered from JS Burgess are manufactured to the highest quality and safety standards.

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JS BURGESS ENGINEERING LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

Johanna Munoz — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 09:44:00 +0000

JS Burgess Engineering, one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of bespoke stillages, is pleased to announce the launch of a new and updated website. The new site, which will remain live at www.jsburgess.co.uk, more effectively portrays the size and scale of the company’s offering.

“In the last two decades we have developed a vast amount of knowledge and experience as a company, and have had the pleasure of working with a number of major clients from a broad range of sectors.

This new site demonstrates our commitment to continue to invest and grow, and to continue delivering the highest quality products.

We are among the leading stillage manufacturers in the UK, and to have achieved this as an independent company is a phenomenal achievement.

I would like to thank all our staff, suppliers, customers and colleagues throughout the industry who have helped make JS Burgess the success it is, and we are looking forward to another two decades of continued growth and success!”

Thea Patoff, Director

Established for more than twenty years, JS Burgess operates across the entirety of the Stillage design and manufacturing process – including the design and construction of Stillages, Glass Handling Equipment and waste related products such as Skips and RoRo Containers.

Based in Whaley Bridge the High Peak, JS Burgess has always placed a high value on ensuring that our products are created by skilled engineers, working with the highest quality materials in a UK-based manufacturing plant. The company now supplies stillages to organisations across the UK and Europe, and has clients in a range of industries.

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Stillages & A-frame’s – Wind Loading Considerations

Johanna Munoz — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 08:48:00 +0000

Wind can cause the overturn of A-frames & Stillages on building sites and is an important safety consideration for glass companies, site managers and logistics companies.

This article aims to demystify the calculations used in wind speed calculations and give professionals involved in the handling of A-frames and Stillages a useful primer in the factors involved in wind loading.

Disclaimer: each loading scenario, site and environmental conditions require a separate assessment so this article is for informative purposes only. If you need any further advice, please contact us directly on (01663) 719 300 or send an email to info@jsburgess.co.uk discuss further.

What makes an A-frame or Stillage overturn?

In simple terms, there are two factors that determine whether a stillage will overturn: firstly, the position of the centre of mass relative to the base; secondly, the tipping force applied to the frame.

1 — Centre of Mass

When loaded, any given A-frame will have a centre of mass. The taller the A-Frame, the higher the centre of mass. As common sense dictates, the higher the centre of mass, the more unstable the A-Frame.

The frame itself will have its own centre of mass (CoM) but this will of course be altered by loading the frames. The glass company should always try to load stillages with glass so that the load is balanced. JS Burgess designs bespoke A-Frames and can use CAD Data to determine the CoM but this is largely academic as the handling characteristics of the frame are changed the second it is loaded. This is why you will often see structural engineer’s reports that calculate site-specific tipping conditions.

The A-Frame or stillage will only tip when the CoM acts outside the base of the frame. This is shown in the sketch above where both frames are shown to be on the verge of tipping.

With a tall, thin-based A-Frame, the tipping angle is relatively small. Having a shorter wide-based A-Frame means that the tipping angle is much larger and therefore the stillage can be considered to be more stable.

As we will see shortly, the economics of transport means that it isn’t always possible just to specify a wide base on the A-Frame and so the glass handler may have to deploy other means of preventing the frame from tipping.

2 – Tipping Forces required to overturn an A-Frame

As shown above, the glass handling A-Frame or stillage will tip as soon as the vertical line of the CoM falls outside the corner of the base in contact with the ground; but what can cause the frame to tip?

Gravity – if an A-Frame is loaded on uneven ground, or worse a inclined plane or ramp, it is possible that the CoM will naturally fall outside the base and will tip immediately. The more inclined the ground, the more likely it is that the frame will tip. An assessment of the ground conditions should always be taken into consideration.
Impact – if a frame is struck or pushed by site equipment, a vehicle or even by personnel, it is possible that the frame can be inclined to the point the CoM falls outside the base and the frame tips.
Wind – a loaded A-Frame is a large flat area that acts like a sail. A sustained or sudden gust of wind has the potential to exert the necessary force to overturn a frame. As an unpredictable natural phenomenon wind loading calculations are relatively involved and governed by EN1991-1-4:2005 Wind Actions on structures.

The site manager has complete control over the first two items, they can ensure the stillage is stacked on stable, level ground and they can introduce preventative measures to protect the frame from unwanted impact or improper handling. The final point, wind loading, is less predictable and needs the input of an independent structural engineer.

Wind Loading Calculations for A-Frames & Stillage

You may have found this article because you have been passed a structural engineer’s report (or been asked to commission one!) to assess the wind loading factors on your site. These reports at first glance seem complex but they generally share the same features.

Not all sites require these reports but if they do, they have to be produced by a third party structural engineer experienced in the use of EN1991-1-4:2005 Wind Actions on structures.

These reports at first glance appear very complicated but typically comprise of the following sections:

a. Static analysis of the loaded A-Frame – the structural engineer will determine the position of the CoM of the loaded frame which will require the glass handler to provide a loading plan. From this the tipping angle can be determined.

b. Wind Pressure Calculations – EN1991-1-4:2005 Wind Actions on structures has various tables that give constants specific to different sites, topographies and seasonal variations. These pressure coefficients are used to determine the peak force for a given wind speed.

c. Tipping Analysis – the final part of the report comprises of a moment balancing equation which balances the gravitational moment of the CoM of the frame against the counter-moment produced by the peak wind force. This will determine whether the stillage is likely to overturn for a given wind speed

How to prevent an A-Frame from Tipping

Preventing an A-Frame from tipping, in theory at least, is very simple. Keep the CoM low and the base wide!

Practicalities however mean that having a very wide base is not always cost efficient.

Flat bed lorries are around 2400mm wide meaning that if an A-Frame base is 1200mm wide or less, then two can be stacked across the width of the wagon. Going above 1200mm doubles transport costs so simply specifying a wide base is not always economically feasible

A potential solution is to specify extension bars which are bolted on to the base of the frame. This will have the effect of widening the base without affecting the transport volume. It does of course increase costs and introduce demountable components that may be lost or damanged.

Keeping the CoM low is possible through careful load planning but sometimes the situation will be “what it will be”. This is particularly the case when a single large panel is placed on either side. In the case where multiple units are being loaded, care must be taken to balance the load on each side of the A-Frame.

The final consideration is very much under the site manager’s control. Once a suitable flat stable site has been chosen, stillages can be stacked at 90degrees to the prevailing wind direction so that the wind is more likely to blow through the ‘A’ of the stillage rather than act on the “sail” that is the glass panel. The A-Frames can be block stacked to provide extra stability and it may also be possible to tether the frames to the ground.

With most of the weight of a frame in the base anyway, A-Frames are naturally very stable structures, but with increasing health and safety demands it may be necessary to commission a wind loading report, especially if the frames are to be used at height.

Why choose JS Burgess?

JS Burgess are very experienced in working with glass & curtain wall manufacturers and can help with every aspect of the design and build of A-Frames and curtain wall module stillages. If you need further advice, please contact us on (01663) 719 300 or send us an email atenquiries@jsburgess.co.uk to discuss. We’d be delighted to help.

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