In order to get the most out of your stored liquid contents in drums, you’re going to need some drum handling equipment. This is even more true if your business relies on handling liquids such as oils, paints and chemicals, exclusively. Some liquids are known to separate while in storage, or at least lose some consistency, which is why it’s important to thoroughly mix the contents of the drum before decanting.
However, mixing the liquids manually is not only dangerous, but it’s also backbreaking and stupid. So this is where drum lifters handling equipment, such as drum rollers, come into play. Moreover, drum racks can make storing the drums and accessing them much safer and quicker, which can significantly improve workflow and worker safety.
Typically, you’ll come across various different types of drum lifters handling equipment, with the most popular ones being stationary, portable and electric-lift drum rollers. Regardless of which type you end up buying, some of the things you need to worry about include liquid capacity, drum size as well as dry contents capacity.
Portable drum rollers are compact industrial pieces of equipment which roll a horizontally closed drum to thoroughly mix its contents. Their advantage lies within their portability, as they can be moved anywhere within a facility where drum rolling is needed. Some models offer fixed and variable speeds which you can interchange between for optimum mixing.
Stationary drum rollers on the other hand, are the preferred option if the drumming takes place at a specific area in your facility. This allows for mixing contents without decanting into a different receptacle, thus saving on spillage, mess and cleaning up. Moreover, this is the safest method which can be a big plus if you’re handling hazardous materials. The drum is positioned on the roller with a lifter, and depending on the model, you can either choose between one of a few set speeds, or set the speed within a certain amount yourself.
So, as aforementioned, you need to position the drum on the roller in order for it to mix. As you probably know, the drums are usually stored upright, but you have to place them vertically onto the roller, which might be a problem, or at the very least – inconvenient. You can reduce the effort and increase the safety at the same time by investing in an electric drum lifter and rotator. These devices usually feature a plate on the front which you simply load the drum onto. Then, the drum is lifted and moved in a horizontal position and then placed on the roller. Once the mixing is done, the entire process is reversed and the drum is returned to its original position.
