2Lift / Products / Tools for Lifters / Electrical Manipulators / ERM – Electric Roll Manipulator

ERM – Electric Roll Manipulator

The electric roll manipulator (ERM) allows for easy roll handling through the core. The image a shows the manipulator in both a horizontal and vertical position.

ERM – Electric Roll Manipulator:
Powerful Roll Handling Tool for Heavy Lifting and Turning

No more straining your back trying to maneuver a heavy roll from a pallet to a mandrel.

Our electric roll manipulator (ERM) makes hazardous, manual roll handling a thing of the past – all with just the push of a button on the remote. It’s a practical, ergonomic solution for any industry where you need to lift, transport, and tip heavy rolls safely and efficiently.

The ERM is fully electrically powered and designed to grip the roll (or reel) through its inner core using an expanding mandrel activated by an electric actuator. With the help of another electric actuator, the roll can then be tipped to either a vertical or horizontal position.

At 2Lift, we offer two versions of our electric roll manipulator: the standard ERM, which can handle most rolls, and an extra-powerful version that’s built to manage very heavy rolls (over 200 kg and / or broader than 1000 mm).

Our two versions of electric roll manipulators. Picture of our standard version for ordinary roll handling and our extra powerful roll manipulator for very heavy and broad rolls.

The Main Feature of the Electric Roll Manipulator Is Its Ability to Tip Rolls from a Vertical to a Horizontal Position… and Vice Versa

Many industries deal with heavy rolls and reels daily, whether it’s for packaging, manufacturing, or other uses. These rolls usually arrive on pallets and need to be moved from point A to point B – often requiring a change in orientation along the way.

Therefore simply being able to transport and lift the rolls up and down isn’t enough. Often, the rolls need to be tilted from vertical to horizontal to fit onto a mandrel – a tricky and dangerous task if you only have your own hands to rely on.

This is where the ERM comes in handy. Not only does the ERM let you safely reposition the roll from vertical to horizontal position, but it being fully electrically powered also means you can handle all these tasks comfortably from a distance using a remote control. This can be very useful if there isn’t much space around the lifter for manual handling. (If the roll isn’t too heavy and space isn’t an issue, we might recommend considering a manual alternative, like a manual roll manipulator.)

Lot of images showing the process of our electric roll manipulator handling a roll. Photos of the entire roll handling process from picking up the roll, lifting it, tipping it, and swinging it.

How Exactly Does the Electric Roll Manipulator Work?

Component overview of our standard electric roll manipulator showing e.g. expanding and tipping actuators, expanding mandrel, rear swing unit, tooth plate and more.
Component overview of our special electric roll manipulator for extra heavy and broad rolls. Image of e.g. expander actuator, tippping actuator, expanding mandrel etc.
Close-up of expander mandrel inside roll core.

The ERM is designed to lift and tip rolls (or reels) that have a tube-shaped core. It will grip the roll using a tooth plate that’s placed on an expander unit, which then expands inside the roll’s tube.

Once the roll is gripped, it can then be tipped into either a horizontal or vertical position.

Both the gripping and tipping actions are powered by electrical actuators, which are battery-operated and controlled via a remote.

Roll Cores (Inner Tubes)

Photo of rolls of film from the front displaying a thick cardboard inner tube / core.

The ERM is designed to work with rolls that have an inner tube with material tightly wound around the outside.

For optimal performance, the inner tube must be strong and made of a material that allows the gripper teeth on the expander to grip it securely. Core tubes made of thick cardboard or soft plastic are ideal.

The diameter of the inner tube can vary slightly. Standard inner diameters are 3” (76 mm) and 6” (152 mm). It’s important to ensure the core’s inner diameter doesn’t vary more than ±3 mm from the nominal diameter for which the gripper teeth are designed. If there are variations, they can be accommodated using a shim plate or extra gripper teeth.

Tipping Capacity

Tipping actuators on our roll handling equipment for turning rolls. Images of electric roll manipulators with either one or two actuators.

The tipping capacity of the electric roll manipulator depends on the properties of the roll and the type of electrical actuators the ERM is equipped with.

The ERM can have either one or two tipping actuators, and these can have one of three different gear ratios.

We’ve made it easy for you to determine whether a roll is safe to lift with a simple standard calculation. By using the roll’s properties (length in millimeters and mass in kilograms) and the actuators’ specifications (gear ratio and number of actuators), you can quickly find the tipping capacity of your ERM in the chart provided in the accompanying manual.

The tipping angle of the ERM may be adjusted with turning a few screws.

Swinging Capacity

Photo of man swinging electric roll handler horisontally / sideways to place the expander mandrel into the inner core / tube of a roll.

On our standard ERM, we’ve included an inbuilt swing unit at the rear of the tool to make it easier to place the expander in rolls with the core in the vertical position.

The swing unit allows the expander to move freely in the horizontal plane once the lock pin is released.

The maximum sideward angle in this range can be adjusted using two screws. The longer the screw, the smaller the maximum angle becomes.

To decrease the angle, simply replace the screw with a longer one to achieve the desired angle. (Please note that the ERM2 does not have this inbuilt swing unit.)

Features

  • Can be adapted to fit multiple core sizes.
  • Fully electrically powered, both gripping and tipping.
  • Rugged construction for industrial use. With its all-stainless steel construction, the ERM is built to last and for use in demanding industrial environments.
  • Available in hygienic design for use in cleanrooms and the food/beverage industry.

Images for the Electric Roll Manipulator (ERM):
Powerful Roll Handling Device for Lifting and Turning Loads

The roll lifter tool, the electric roll manipulator (ERM) grips the roll in the core and is able to lift and tip the roll. From the front, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 1.
The electric roll manipulator (ERM) is designed to handle rolls with cores sized from 76 mm and up. From the behind, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 1.
The customisable roll handling equipment, the electric roll manipulator (ERM), is fully electric and is managed via a remote control. From the front, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 1.
The electric roll manipulator (ERM) is an industrial lifter tool in stainless steel that can pick up rolls via an expandable mandrel. From the behind, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 2.
Also built in hygienic design for cleanrooms or the food and beverage industry, the roll handler tool, the electric roll manipulator, will fit all our electric lifters. From the behind, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 1.
The electric roll manipulator (ERM) with core grip is a strong roll handling tool able to lift and turn extra heavy rolls. From the front, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 2.
Ideal for heavy paper handling, the electric roll manipulator (ERM) will pick up and tip heavy rolls. From the behind, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 2.
The paper handling equipment, the electric roll manipulator (ERM) is both adaptable to fit many sizes of roll and easily customisable for special needs. From the front, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 2.
The roll lifter tool, the electric roll manipulator (ERM) grips the roll in the core and is able to lift and tip the roll. From the front, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 1.
The electric roll manipulator (ERM) is designed to handle rolls with cores sized from 76 mm and up. From the behind, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 1.
The customisable roll handling equipment, the electric roll manipulator (ERM), is fully electric and is managed via a remote control. From the front, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 1.
The electric roll manipulator (ERM) is an industrial lifter tool in stainless steel that can pick up rolls via an expandable mandrel. From the behind, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 2.
Also built in hygienic design for cleanrooms or the food and beverage industry, the roll handler tool, the electric roll manipulator, will fit all our electric lifters. From the behind, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 1.
The electric roll manipulator (ERM) with core grip is a strong roll handling tool able to lift and turn extra heavy rolls. From the front, mandrel positioned vertically, picture 2.
Ideal for heavy paper handling, the electric roll manipulator (ERM) will pick up and tip heavy rolls. From the behind, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 2.
The paper handling equipment, the electric roll manipulator (ERM) is both adaptable to fit many sizes of roll and easily customisable for special needs. From the front, mandrel positioned horizontally, picture 2.

Other Electrical Manipulators

Electric rotation unit (ERU) for rotating loads in a precise manner. Can be mounted on e.g. a drum lifting device or roll handling lift. From the front, picture 2.

ERU – Electric Rotation Unit

The electric tipping unit (ETU) is able to tip heavy loads forward in a controlled manner. This tipping tool is typically combined with a linear clamp and mounted on drum lifting equipment or roll lifters. From behind, picture 1.

ETU – Electric Tipping Unit

ELU (Electric Leveling Unit). A lifter tool for handling material easily and precisely with a remote control.

ELU – Electric Leveling Unit

ERG (Electric Reel Gripper): A flexible reel handling tool for vertical lifters equipped with a remote control.

ERG – Electric Reel Gripper

Go to our Electrical Manipulators page for more information on this category of lifting tools.

Go to our main Tools page for an overview of the different categories of tools that we offer.

Go to our Products page to find out how our products may help you in your line of industry and your work situation.

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