• Why use automatic columns?

Handling, storage and transportation are areas of growing importance within the company structure.
ALPA S.L.’s products are designed to optimise loads during transportation and prevent damage caused by improper handling.
Racks with automatic columns which stack parts whilst respecting safety gaps are the ideal solution for parts requiring careful handling (those with areas that should not come into contact with each other, those that are especially fragile due to their large dimensions, those handled by robots, etc.).
ALPA automatic load columns can be adapted for use with a wide range of parts. They are mainly used in conjunction with interior and exterior bodywork parts and ensembles: floors, roofs, side panels, wings, bonnets, doors, lift gates, spare wheel casings, chassis, reinforcements and windscreens, etc.

• The advantages of ALPA automatic columns

The ALPA automatic column system offers many advantages, making it a simple, safe, versatile and longlasting choice.

Simplicity
The working of ALPA automatic columns is very simple. A standard column consists of:
1. A main body, which contains the following components.
2. A sliding angle or guide.
3. Support paddles. Each paddle includes a return spring, a joining spring (connecting two paddles) and two joining spring fastenings.

Safety
The careful design of the ALPA column system guarantees the safe handling of parts, since paddles in the loading queue protrude from the guide to same extent as those in the load position.
This special feature, added to the fact that there is no limit to the length of the paddle, means that the working of the columns is completely safe and will remain unaffected by sudden movements during the handling process.

Strength
The main body of the column is made from 5mm-thick sheet metal, giving it the strength to withstand the weight of stacked parts as well as any mishap resulting from the improper handling of racks.
The paddles on which the stacked parts rest are made from a special steel, which is thermally treated for high resistance to buckling.

Durability
In addition to the use of highly resistant materials, the column components are also chemically treated.
Thanks to these two factors, the racks can be stored in the open without risk of rusting or damage caused by foreign bodies, thereby guaranteeing that they remain in perfect condition throughout the entire manufacturing process.
ALPA’s thirty-year-long performance record in the manufacturing of main series and countless models of these specialised racks with automatic columns, bears witness to the quality of its products.

Versatility
Each company sets its own safety standards and ergonomic priorities etc. with regard to handling, storage, packaging and transportation, although the objective is invariably the same: to optimise resources. ALPA automatic columns offer a flexible solution which can be adapted for use with any platform, regardless of height or location.
Our services also include the manufacturing of paddles with additional folds, special shapes, greater length or width, small stoppers, extra guides, complicated contours or greater thickness, all geared towards ensuring that the part rests as safely and stably as possible on its supports. Where necessary, plastic protection sheets are also provided.

ALPA columns can also be adapted for vertical loading (horizontal columns) and incorporate a paddle selfanchoring system where required.