Dock levelers are used for the safe and easy transfer of goods from a storage area or warehouse to a cargo truck or trailer and vice versa. They are positioned at the loading dock door and facilitate the quick and convenient loading, or unloading of good carrying vehicles.
There are different kinds of dock levelers available. The type of dock leveler that is suitable for your business will depend on your requirements. You’ll have to consider several factors before deciding to purchase a dock lever.
Some of the important factors that will influence your choice include:
- The frequency of using levelers
- The gross weight of loads that are transferred
- The kind of equipment used to handle goods (e.g. conveyor belt, forklift, etc.)
- maximum size of goods
Original illustration unavailable: wooden-planks-on-trailerWhat is the most commonly used type of dock leveler?
Most people would agree that pit dock levelers are the most commonly used type of dock levelers. These kinds of dock levelers are recessed near the dock door in a sturdy part of the building. Pit dock levelers are further divided into three sub categories: mechanical, air, and hydraulic.- Mechanical pit levelers are the most popular kind of pit levelers as they do not cost much. A spring is used in these levelers to raise the leveler in the upward direction. A restraining mechanism is used to keep the leveler in the downward position. The advantage of using mechanical pit levelers is that it does not require a power supply to operate.
- Air Pit Levelers have a pneumatic system for changing the deck’s position. They require a power input and are more expensive than mechanical pit levelers. However, they have a lower maintenance tag than their mechanical counterparts.
- Hydraulic Pit Levelers are the most flexible type of pit levelers. In these kinds of levelers, a hydraulic system is used to alter the deck’s position. They also require a power input and are more expensive than other two types of pit levelers, but they require very little maintenance.
