When to Install a VRC Freight Lift at Your Facility

A vertical reciprocating conveyor (VRC) is a type of freight lift that efficiently raises and lowers materials between levels. Importantly, VRC lifts are not elevators—they have distinct safety standards (ASME Standard B20.1), and these vertical lifts cannot carry people.

That's a limitation, but it's also an advantage: Compared with elevators, VRC lifts are much less expensive to operate. They require fewer inspections, so they're easier to maintain.

And a custom-designed freight lift can provide a quick return on investment, particularly for facilities with limited floor space. Below, we'll provide tips for determining whether a VRC  lift will appropriately address your facility's needs, along with key considerations to keep in mind while purchasing.

VRC Freight Lifts: When to Invest in Material Handling Improvements

For example, VRCs can support warehouse automation by transporting automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous forklift trucks. They can move heavy-duty loads, such as cars at multi-story dealerships—but they're also an appropriate solution for moving small materials up to a mezzanine via a single-cabin freight lift.

Put simply, if your team needs to regularly move materials between levels—but not transport workers—a VRC lift is a reliable solution.

However, if workers must also travel vertical distances, a freight elevator lift is a more appropriate option. To learn more about the differences between these systems, read: Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors (VRCs) Vs. Freight Elevators.

VRC Freight Lifts: Questions to Consider

If you’re trying to determine whether a VRC will improve operations at your facility, ask yourself a few questions:

• How often do we transport equipment or products between floors? If vertical storage is rarely accessed, forklifts may be a more appropriate option. There are a wide variety of lift truck models available, some of which may work as package lifts in a pinch.

• Is my facility using floor space optimally? If not, mezzanine flooring systems can provide a cost-effective solution—but only when you include an efficient way to move freight between mezzanine levels.

• Will installing freight lifts reduce the need for forklift trucks? This can be an excellent secondary benefit to VRC installation: VRCs work well as forklift replacements, and can make your work environment much more efficient (and safer).

• How can VRCs be integrated with other systems? Customized VRCs can feed products to conveyors, hoppers, and other equipment, dramatically improving workflow. They can be fitted into a variety of platform sizes, reach any floor level, and feature a lift capacity that matches your needs.

To read several examples of VRC lift applications, read:  Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors: 5 Sample Use Cases

Planning for the VRC Lift Installation Process

VRC material lifts are permanent fixtures. Once they're installed, they become a regular part of your material handling system. This requires professional installation services, as well as a good plan for space optimization and ongoing employee safety. Manufacturers and dealers can often provide installation technicians, so you won't have to complete the project on your own. 

Here are a few more questions to answer when planning your VRC lift installation:

• Does your building have an existing elevator shaft? If so, this makes an ideal location for an industrial vertical lift. Elevator shafts allow multi-story buildings and warehouse levels to preserve 100 percent of the available floorspace. 

• Are you using hydraulic VRCs or electric VRCs? If the later, do you have adequate electrical power running to the installation site?

• Will a standard model fit your needs, or do you need fully customized VRC systems? Many commercial and industrial facilities benefit from standard VRCs, which are ready for installation and service with minimal set-up. Unconventional facilities may need custom designs, however.

Customizing a VRC Lift for Your Facility

The efficient vertical transportation of goods is crucial for optimizing operations. If you need to grow your facility's operational capacity, a VRC can be a cost-effective solution—but the system must be appropriately designed and installed to deliver its full benefits. That's particularly important when lifts will handle loads with unconventional sizes or dimensions, and for VRC systems that integrate with other equipment.

The BHS engineering team can help you develop VRC systems for virtually any application. By drawing on decades of experience, we develop VRC systems that meet our clients' needs and fit into their existing workflows from day one.

Following VRC lift installation, we provide ongoing support and technical help. Our goal is to help warehouses, storage facilities, and other operations find better paths to productivity—while improving safety and ergonomics for workers.

To get started, contact BHS by taking one of the following steps:

• Request a quote for a VRC system.
• Call the BHS sales team at 1.800.BHS.9500.
• Send us an email at sales@bhs1.com.