DEVELOPMENT OF AN ELECTRO-HYDRAULICALLY OPERATED SCISSORS-TYPE LIFT PLATFORM

Abstract

A multi purpose scissors type Electro-hydraulically operated Lift platform has been designed and fabricated using locally available materials. The structural members consist of frames, scissors arms, push blocks, which were fabricated from high section modulus steel to provide exceptional stiffness and strength. The platform and scissors arms' were designed to minimise deflection and to maintain rigidity. During testing, the equipment was able to raise loads of 5040 N to a height of 3.66 m and it was able to hold at this level for several hours without tilting or failure. The machine operates at an upward velocity of 0.23 ms- 1 and at a minimum downward velocity of 0.52ms- 1. The upward travel time when loaded was 16 seconds while downward travel time was 7 seconds. The efficiency of the equipment was found to be 79.7 percent.