Lift-Assist Devices Improve Ergonomics at Pump Manufacturer

In 1965, a New York OEM decided to sell off its small line of sump pumps, along with the tooling used to make them. Entrepreneur Frederick C. Cook saw that as an opportunity. So, he gathered all of his available finances, bought the line, and launched Liberty Pumps in Bergen, NY.

“He was familiar with Bergen. …He appreciated the rural roots here, and the work ethic of the people is just unbelievable,” says Charlie Cook, Fred’s nephew, and Liberty’s CEO and chairman of the board. “So this is where we started and where we plan to continue.”

Initially, the company only made sump pumps. In the late 60s, Fred modified some of the those early pumps to handle sewage, and he earned new business by assembling those pumps into basins so contractors could have preassembled systems that were easy to install at homes and businesses.

As the business grew, Fred added more space to accommodate new products and personnel. Then he retired in 1975, handing control of the company to Charlie.

Cast-iron pump housings can weigh 50 to 70 pounds. A finished pump can weigh 300 pounds or more. Photo courtesy Liberty Pumps

“Working with Fred was very educational,” he recalls. “To his credit, he let us do everything. We would build pumps in the morning. We would go to trade shows, sell products, write the purchase orders for raw materials. We would have to pay attention to profit and loss. There’s no better way to learn the roots of a business than to go through that process.”

In 1979, Liberty moved from its original location to a new one four times its size. Then, a near disaster occurred. In February 1984, a fire broke out. A corner of the building was destroyed, and there was smoke damage elsewhere. But, with a great deal of effort from employees and help from suppliers, the company was producing pumps again in a matter of days.

The company kept growing throughout the 1980s, and it entered the Canadian market in 1989. Today, the company’s pumps are sold in more than 30 countries.

“I take the greatest pleasure in walking through the plant, seeing people perform their jobs, knowing they are very focused on the quality of the product they’re making,” says Charlie. “They’re very focused on the customers that will be getting those products.”

Through the years, the company has developed and patented many new products and features. Continued expansion of the product and staff meant another move to a larger factory in 2000. The company has been listed multiple times on the Inc. 5000, a compilation of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.

Heavy Lifting

Overhead cranes help workers load finished assemblies onto pallets. Photo courtesy Liberty Pumps

Pumps for handling ground water and waste water are not light. Made of cast iron, a 5-hp sewage pump can weigh 300 pounds. Handling heavy parts and assemblies represents a significant safety and ergonomics challenge. Over the years, Liberty Pumps has come to Gorbel Inc. for help with material handling.

“We got our first Gorbel crane years ago,” recalls Randy Waldron, vice president of sales and marketing. “The products are good quality, and they work.

“Gorbel is always coming up with new products,” he continues. “We need to provide a safe work environment for our employees to handle our pumps, and Gorbel always seems to come up with a good solution. It’s surprising how many different areas of the factory use Gorbel’s products. They make life easier and safer for our employees.”

Gorbel systems are used throughout Liberty’s factory, from the machine shop, to the paint line, to the assembly line. The engineered pump systems department also uses a Gorbel overhead crane system.

“The Gorbel system definitely makes it easier to lift some of the heavy parts here at Liberty Pumps,” says Michael O’Connor, machine shop team leader. “Some of them weigh as much as 60 or 70 pounds. Lifting those all day using the Gorbel system makes my job easier.”

Liberty uses Gorbel workstation cranes, jib cranes and G-Force intelligent lift-assist devices throughout the facility. The latter constantly sense the load and adjust to changes in load capacity and speed. The device makes loads of up to 150 pounds feel like they weigh only 3 pounds. It enables workers to lift loads and manipulate objects like it was an extension of their own arms. Servomotors provide smooth, precise motion. A “float mode” option lets operators both move and steady a load using minimal force throughout the system’s vertical range of travel.

“With the weld construction of the enclosed track and how well the bridges move without binding or getting off track on long spans, I think the cranes are the best in the industry,” says Don Cunningham, manufacturing manager. “The G-Force product is very innovative and effective in certain applications. It’s a well-liked product.”

For more information lifting equipment, visit www.gorbel.com or call 800-821-0086.

Robots Tend Machining Center

Manually lifting cast-iron pump housings in and out of a horizontal machining center is no easy task. The parts are heavy, and workers must bend at the waist to reach into the machine. To improve ergonomics and increase throughput, Liberty wanted to automate the process.

Local systems integrator Adaptec Solutions LLC helped Liberty do just that. Based in nearby Rochester, NY, Adaptec designed and built a completely automated system that increased production by 35 percent.

Safety fencing with an interlocked door controls access to the system and ensures worker safety. An automatic door opens and closes while the machining center is running. Raw castings are presented on a pair of flat-top steel chain conveyors to a Fanuc M-710iC/50 six-axis robot equipped with two end-effectors for handling parts. Each conveyor is paired with a high-resolution camera connected to the robot controller.

When the parts arrive at the end of each conveyor, the camera determines their position and orientation. Finished parts are placed onto one of two out-feed conveyors.