TOOL BALANCER SIZING & USAGE GUIDELINES

WHAT A SPRING BALANCER CANNOT DO

WHAT SHOULD I HANG MY BALANCER FROM?

ORDER RELATED QUESTIONS

Balancers should be sized to carry the total weight to be balanced (tool plus all accessories) and stroke (maximum to minimum) required.

Size to the upper end of the capacity range of the balancer when possible. For example, if the total weight to be balanced is 12 pounds, the TE9322 (8.8lb-13.2lb capacity range) is a better choice than the TE9354 (8.8lb-15.43lb capacity range.) Using this sizing method provides the safest, most ergonomic “zero gravity” results.

Typically, balancers are hung vertically and the rope is pulled out and retracted vertically. To prevent wearing on the cable, it should not be pulled out at an angle from the balancer body. A trolley and bridge rail system can be used to help the balancer adjust to changing angles. If the balancer selected does not have a long enough stroke to reach our work height from the height the balancer will be mounted, extensions can be added.

If multiple balancers are used close together, install them at staggered heights to prevent them from hitting each other.

For additional safety ALWAYS attach the secondary support cable(s) to the eyelet provided.

Our spring tool balancers are not designed to carry variable weight loads, and cannot be used for material handling where an item is loaded and unloaded. A spring balancer is not a hoist, and should not be used as such. If you like the floating movement a balancer provides, but need to load or unload an item, we suggest considering the Gorbel G-Force ( see https://www.gorbel.com/products/ergonomic-lifting/g-force-servo-powered-intelligent-assist-device/g-force-q2-lifting-devices ) which is a servo-electric hoist that allows for a floating movement.

Cylinderical Drums vs Tapered Dums

We sometimes call a spring balancer with a cylindercal drum a spring retractor. With a cylinderical drum, the tension on the cable increases as the cable is extende and when the tool is let go of it returns to whatever position provides equalibrium between the spring tension and the load.

On a true spring balancer the drum is tapered, so that the effort required to move the load stays more constant throughout the stroke of the balancer. The tapered drum offsets the spring getting wound tigher or looser. This style of spring balancer is often called a "zero gravity balancer." All of the zero gravidty spring balancers with the cylindrical drum utilize the stainless steel cable. All polypropolyne rope spring balancers featrure standard cylinderical drums and some stainless balancers also have cylinderical drums.

Cylinderical drum units are less expensive; you need to evaluate your application to determine if the extra cost of a cylinderical drum is justified.

How you hang your balancer varies greatly depending on your application. Please ensure that location and method of balancer installation is rated to carry the the anticipated weight of the balancer and the load carried!

Some are good in fixed locations, while others work best when on a trolley and rail system or on a jib crane to allow left-right, front-back movement in addition to the up-down that the spring tool balancer provides. We have had good experience with the Gorbel workstation bridge rail systems, though other brands can also provide this functionality. We offer some standard Gorbell options, as well as can work with you on custom quotes.