As part of a brand-new £40million water park, Asmech Systems have successfully supplied the Raft Lift System to deliver used rafts from the outfeed of the water slide, back up to the top where they can be used again by the next rider.
The bespoke lift stood a staggering 11.7m high to allow rafts to be supplied to the infeed of the water slide, which in turn enabled 5 rafts to be conveyed through the lift at any one time.
Once riders have departed the water slide and subsequently disembark the raft, the water is circulated in such a way that it directs the raft toward the infeed of the lift where an inclined modular belt conveyor transports them into the base of the lift. Once detected in the lift, the raft is elevated through the lift system using a series of rollers mounted to a chain system. The rollers are driven vertically on each end of the raft until it reaches the top of the lift where the chain roller assembly is returned around the sprocket to create a horizontal platform where the raft can be pushed from the lift via a pneumatic pusher unit.
The system is designed to index each time a space becomes available downstream to prevent an excess of rafts accumulating at the top of the lift.
As part of the structure will be submerged in, and exposed to the chlorine water, it was manufactured from 316 grade stainless steel. This grade of steel has similar physical and mechanical properties as 304 stainless steel. The key difference is that 316 stainless steel incorporates about 2 to 3 percent molybdenum. The addition increases corrosion resistance, particularly against chlorides and other industrial solvents. 316 stainless steel is commonly used in many industrial applications involving processing chemicals, as well as high-saline environments such as coastal regions and outdoor areas where de-icing salts are common. Due to its non-reactive qualities, 316 stainless steel is also used in the manufacture of medical surgical instruments.
For ease of maintenance the lift also features an access platform and cat ladder on each of the lift modules for safety when working on the system.
