Choosing the Right Mobile Loading Dock Ramp for Your Facility

The mobile loading dock ramp is a valuable and critical material handling equipment, which works with a forklift.

The equipment is helpful in places with frequent material handling work and without a fixed loading and unloading platform.

You can easily adjust its working height to fit the size of containers or trucks and drive the forklift into the container’s interior for batch operations.

Uses of Mobile Loading Dock Ramp

Mobile or Movable Loading Dock Ramp helps in loading and unloading goods safely and fast.

They find broad uses as cargo handling equipment to work with transportation systems, such as containers, trucks, forklifts, or trolleys.

Mobile Loading Dock Ramps are usually used in workplaces like warehouses, factories, stations, docks, and logistics bases.

The advantage of the equipment is that only one worker is sufficient to operate it and adjust the height quickly without necessitating an external power supply.

You can use a mobile loading dock ramp to transfer gathered materials to other places.

Components of a Mobile Loading Dock Ramp

The critical components of a mobile loading dock ramp are—a lip plate, guide or tail plate, bridge ramp plate, horizontal working platform, hydraulic system (cylinder, manual hydraulic pump, oil tank), wheels, hauling parts, manual hydraulic supporting legs, safety fences, and safety locking hooks.

These components work in unison to reduce the manual labour required, increasing the efficiency of loading and unloading materials. And the result is that firms can lower operation costs substantially to boost their profitability. 

The loading capacity is the categorizing factor for mobile loading dock ramps. You can categorize them into—6, 8, 10, 12, 15, and 20 tons, characterized by full hydraulic lifting power, simple operations, reliability, and safety.

Working Mechanism of Movable Dock Ramps

In layman’s terms, you can regard a mobile dock ramp as a bridge between forklifts and trucks or semi-trailers with containers, enabling effortless goods loading or unloading.

Anti-slip Platform

The typical design of a mobile dock ramp is with 13 degrees gradients and 12 metres in length to make the top end of the ramp parallel with the bottom edge of the container. The notable feature of the platform is the implementation of an anti-slip technique that increases friction to restrict slips.

The fundamental working of a mobile docking ramp is functioning as a bridge between forklifts on the ground and higher containers to ease loading and unloading of goods.

Solid Tyres

Installation of solid tyres in the dock ramp helps in holding the weight of forklifts and goods. The selection of solid tyres, instead of gas tyres, is based on the rationale that solid tyres are more robust and more rigid that helps to support the entire weight of forklift and goods. Moreover, they do not require frequent inflation, saving labour requirements and costs. As such, solid tyres are the best options for use in container loading dock ramps.

Manual Hydraulic Cylinders

Usually, loading dock equipment works in places where there is no power supply. Manual hydraulic cylinders are used in mobile loading dock ramps to allow the workforce to lift them at any time and any place.

Iron Chain

An iron chain is used to tie the top end of the mobile loading ramp and the bottom edge of the container to assure that there is no separation between the ramp and containers during the loading and unloading process. The type of goods determines the length and tightness of the iron chain.

Brake Pads

Brake pads prevent the solid tyres from moving around during the loading and unloading process. It is a safety mechanism. Brake pads are placed before and after the tires to prevent the tires from moving.

Additionally, safety mechanisms, like the leading board, guardrail, and supporting legs, provide safety during the entire operation.

Factors to Consider Before Making a Purchase

Before you purchase a movable container ramp, consider and assess a slew of factors to ensure you invest in the right equipment to suit your needs. The factors are:

Deck Grating or Checkered Ramp Plate

A heavy-duty mobile yard ramp has to be built with anti-skid serrated steel for robust strength. It should be able to spread the stress or weight of forklifts and goods to prevent deformation and extend the service life of the whole dock ramp.

Strong Supporting Legs

As the supporting legs hold and stabilize the ramp, make sure they are strong enough in your prospective ramp. The legs help avoid risk when the ramp is not connected to the truck container.

Hydraulic Cylinder or Undercarriage

A hydraulic cylinder or undercarriage system allows the ramp to move up evenly. You can easily access the undercarriage for maintenance and repair. Ensure that it has fewer parts to maintain or replace to save costs and minimize downtime.

Guard Rail

The guard rail is a mechanical structure that distributes the weight along a wider area, and the even weight distribution makes the ramp more durable and robust. Besides, it encloses all working materials and protects them from possible damage.

Tyre Blocks

Tyre blocks stabilize the wheels to enable the forklift to remain steady and secure while it moves on the ramp. Tyre blocks are a must for a yard loading ramp.

Safety Chains

Safety chains assure that the ramp stays firmly on the container body or dock floor. The chains join the ramp and vehicle into a single unit, providing safety and security.

Leading Board

A leading board provides stability by providing a smooth ground-level entry, eliminating jolts and bumps. When you do not require it, you can fold the board up and store it in a convenient place.

Towbar

The towbar attaches container ramps to the lower end of the ramp, allowing the ramp to be towed for a short distance.

How Sabtech’s Movable Dock Ramp Helps to Boost Productivity?

If you are looking for a mobile dock ramp for sale for investing in it, you can try out Sabtech’s best-in-class movable dock ramp systems.

Our mobile dock ramps offer a host of features to boost your business’s productivity.

Sabtech‘s mobile dock ramps are flexible and ease movement to actuate quick loading and unloading of goods, forklift, and other handling equipment into the carriage, saving valuable time. And for business, time is money.

Watch this video to know more about Sabtech’s dock ramps:

Conclusion

Investing in a mobile loading dock ramp is not a luxury but a necessity for businesses carrying out material handling operations. Refrain from purchasing in haste. Instead, consider and assess the factors outlined in this article. And, do not fall behind in choosing a reliable and reputed manufacturer.