Machine Skates – also known as air skates, air casters, casters, air cushions and air sleds – are the usual tools of choice for moving heavy machines. They can easily outperform any forklift or overhead crane in most indoor locations. With weight capacities starting at 1000 pounds, machine skates can range right up to 100 tons and all points in between.

Machine skates are used when heavy machines are required to be lifted and moved. There are not many machines that an air skate machine moving system cannot handle.

Air skates machine moving kits are available in sets of four or six air skate load modules. The only power source needed is compressed air which most industrial locations have in-house to power other tools. Using only compressed air (pneumatic) machine skates can generate tremendous lifting power to handle the largest and most awkward heavy machines.

To the right is a heavy, complex electrical distribution center.
If you click on the image it will expand and you will clearly see the way this machine has been lifted.

Note the bolstering and the way it is supporting the machine.

These air skates are so versatile in how they work and the different ways they support their loads, that nothing is off the table except their weight capacities.

Air Skates machine moving casters are the perfect choice for moving heavy machines in industrial locations. A Hovair Systems article written by David Roberts.

The versatility of machine skates allows them to be place in strategic positions beneath the machine they are moving. This helps to take care of any uneven load distribution properties of the machine.

Air casters machine moving kits are very versatile in as much as they are not required to have a fixed position underneath the machines. The great benefit to this is that you can move a machine that has differing weight proportions. For instance, one side may weigh several tons more than the other side, and with the versatility of the machine skates, they can be placed at the correct places beneath a machine to allow support under the machine in the correct places. You can use any number of machine skates beneath many locations of the machine you are going to move.

Below right, is a diagram of a typical four-station air machine skate moving layout. These skate positions can be altered to suit the weight of the machine they are going to move. Using as many air skate modules as you need, you can place them in different locations beneath the machine to suit the properties of that machine. There is very little that is beyond these tremendous load moving tools.

Air Skates machine moving casters are the perfect choice for moving heavy machines in industrial locations. A Hovair Systems article written by David Roberts.Machine skates are used in series of four or six and assembled into a load moving system via air line hoses, valves, tee-pieces and other hardware. See below, right.

This form of load moving is known as air film technology.

Machine Skates