Air Bearing Modules Vs. Lift Decks: Which Is The Best Solution For Your Business?

Air bearings and lift decks are incredible solutions for heavy load moving and lifting or transporting heavy machinery, equipment, and other materials. You may be wondering what the difference between the two is and which is the best solution for your own business. Well, regarding the question of air-bearing modules vs. lift decks, you should note that both the lifting solutions are pretty much the same. Whether you call them air-bearing modules, air casters, or lift decks, they all perform the same function.

What Do Air Bearing Modules And Lift Decks Do?

Air-bearing modules and lift decks are thin disks or slabs connected to a control unit and a compressed air supply. They can be slid underneath heavy loads, and once the air is turned on, they create a thin layer of air between the heavy load and the ground. With this thin layer of air in place, the heavy load floats above the surface and can be moved to a different location.

Air-bearing modules and lift decks offer many advantages for heavy load moving. They offer a mostly contact-free way of moving heavy loads and create a friction-free layer between the load and the ground or any other surface. They also allow for making soft turns and swerves when moving the loads.

Air Bearing Modules vs. Lift Decks

Now we know that air-bearing modules and lift decks work the same way and use compressed air to lift up to 100 tons of weight. And they only need about one or a half inches of clearance space to fit underneath a heavy load. But when we think about air-bearing modules vs. lift decks, the only real difference is in the size and shape of the two.

Air-bearing modules come in kits with about four smaller modules. The common options include 12-inch round steel modules, square aluminum modules, aluminum modules, or even VL stainless steel modules. On the other hand, lift decks are about the same size as a standard forklift truck or a pallet truck, which means they are significantly larger than a 12-inch air-bearing module.

While air-bearing modules and lift decks can also be used for similar purposes, air-bearing modules are usually used to move heavy machinery. Four to six air-bearing modules are placed underneath a large machine and used to lift that machine. Lift decks can also be used for large machines but are usually used for moving loads like containers and cargo.

Get in Touch with Hovair Systems for Air Bearing Modules and Lift Decks

If you are looking to invest in air-bearing modules or lift decks for your own heavy load-moving needs, then Hovair Systems is the company for you! You can get in touch with us for heavy load handling systems to improve your business’s productivity and efficiency. We also offer automobile and industrial turntables, load-leveling airbags, and other lifting and rigging equipment.