Heavy Machinery Moving & Positioning

Moving a heavy machine across a workshop can demand more planning than lifting it in the first place. Garrick Herbert load skates provide a compact, low-profile solution for moving & positioning heavy equipment over short distances, making them practical for machinery installation, plant maintenance, workshop reconfiguration & industrial equipment relocation.

A controlled move starts before the first roller turns. Machine weight, centre of gravity, support points, under-machine clearance, floor condition & the complete travel path all influence how equipment should be moved. When machinery needs to be raised before the skates can be positioned, suitable Lifting Equipment can form part of the wider handling setup.

Different machines demand different support arrangements. Garrick Herbert offers individual load skates that can be used in multiples, along with a coordinated load skate kit for supporting, linking, steering & positioning substantial equipment. For wider workplace movement requirements, Material Handling Equipment provides complementary handling options.

What Are Garrick Herbert Load Skates?

Load skates are low-profile rolling platforms positioned beneath heavy machinery to enable controlled movement across a suitable surface. Rather than repeatedly raising, shifting & resetting a machine, correctly selected skates allow the supported load to travel along a planned short-distance route.

The Garrick Herbert GLS-10T individual load skate is rated to 10 tonnes, with a 206 mm support length, 100 mm support width & 67 mm overall height. Individual skates can be combined where the load, support arrangement & application permit.

For coordinated machinery moves, the GLS-20T-KIT provides a complete 20-tonne-rated arrangement incorporating four roller skates, turntables, packing plates, steering handles, link-up bars, a draw bar & a wheeled storage container.

Individual Load Skates vs Load Skate Kit

Capacity must be considered at system level, not simply added together. Although the GLS-20T-KIT contains four individually rated 10-tonne skates, the complete kit is rated to 20 tonnes. Real machinery rarely distributes its mass perfectly across every support point, particularly where the floor or equipment footprint introduces uneven loading.

For jobs involving additional attachment, rigging & load-control requirements, Heavy Lifting & Rigging Gear can help complete the handling arrangement.

Why Choose Garrick Herbert Load Skates?

Lifting equipment solves the vertical part of a machinery move; load skates tackle what happens next. Once equipment has been appropriately raised & supported, machinery skates provide the horizontal movement needed to bring the load towards its installation, maintenance or relocation position.

Low-Profile Machinery Support

With an overall height of 67 mm, the GLS-10T provides substantial rated capacity within a compact profile.

That low height can be particularly useful beneath machinery bases where clearance is limited & unnecessary lifting height is best avoided.

Flexible Support Arrangements

A lathe, pump skid & fabrication machine rarely place their weight in the same locations.

Individual skates allow support positions to be planned around the actual equipment. The important considerations are where the machine can be structurally supported, where its centre of gravity sits & how the weight will transfer through the selected skate arrangement.

Controlled Direction Changes

The GLS-20T-KIT includes turntables & steering handles to assist with directional movement.

This becomes particularly useful where machinery must approach a foundation, move through a restricted workshop area or enter its final position from a particular direction.

Part Of A Complete Handling Setup

Moving several tonnes safely isn't a single-tool job.

Raising, supporting, moving & final positioning are separate stages that need to work together. Where suitable controlled lifting forms part of the plan, Hydraulic Equipment can complement the machinery-moving setup.

Common Applications

Picture a new lathe sitting at the workshop entrance while its prepared position is several metres inside the building. Transport has finished, but the most precise part of the move is still ahead: supporting the machine correctly, navigating the workshop floor & bringing it into position without losing control of the load.

Machine Tool Installation

Lathes, milling machines, drill presses, grinders & other fixed equipment can require short-distance movement between an unloading point & their final operating location.

Load skates can assist once the machine has been correctly raised, supported & prepared for movement.

Workshop Reconfiguration

Changing production flow sometimes means moving the equipment that defines it.

Manufacturing facilities can use machinery skates when suitable machines need to move between bays, work cells or production positions. Related Workshop Equipment can support the wider setup around a changing industrial workspace.

Plant Shutdowns & Maintenance

Large motors, pumps, gearboxes & machine assemblies may need to be moved clear of surrounding plant before inspection, overhaul or replacement can proceed.

Quarry Crews Crusher Maintenance explores the demanding maintenance environment around substantial industrial machinery & plant.

Fabrication Machinery Relocation

Presses, folders & other fabrication machines may require repositioning as production requirements, floor layouts or workflows change.

Once machinery is positioned, Fabrication Tools & Workholding provides complementary equipment for fabrication, setup & workholding tasks.

Machinery Removal & Replacement

The old machine still needs a controlled route out before its replacement can take its place.

Load skates can form part of a planned removal sequence where equipment needs to travel towards a doorway, lifting area, loading point or temporary staging position.

Teams preparing workshops & equipment before heavier work periods can also read Spring Jobsite Prep Getting Your Gear Ready.

Product Selection Guide

Don't select machinery skates from total machine weight alone. Start with six practical questions: how heavy is the machine, where is that weight concentrated, where can it be supported, how much clearance is available, what surface must it cross & where does it need to finish?

Confirm The Machine Weight

Never estimate several tonnes of machinery by appearance.

Check the machine plate, manufacturer documentation or verified equipment records before determining the required skate & lifting arrangement.

Locate The Centre Of Gravity

A machine's physical centre isn't necessarily its centre of gravity.

A lathe may carry substantial mass around its headstock, while motors, gearboxes, hydraulic packs, tables & machine heads can create concentrated loading elsewhere.

Understanding those weight concentrations helps determine where support is required.

Identify Suitable Support Points

Where a skate contacts the machine matters just as much as its rated capacity.

Use appropriate structural support areas rather than guards, sheet-metal panels, covers or other components that aren't intended to carry the machine's weight.

Measure Under-Machine Clearance

The GLS-10T has an overall height of 67 mm, while the complete GLS-20T-KIT arrangement has a specified overall height of 108 mm.

Measure the actual equipment rather than assuming there will be sufficient clearance. Allow for the lifting method, support arrangement & space required to position or remove each skate.

Where appropriate lifting is required before positioning the skates, Bottle Jacks may suit particular applications.

Inspect The Complete Floor Route

A clean starting area doesn't tell you what is waiting three metres ahead.

Walk the full intended route & check for:

• Expansion joints

• Floor damage

• Cracks

• Changes in level

• Drain channels

• Thresholds

• Swarf & debris

• Hoses & leads

• Restricted doorways

• Tight turns

• Adjacent machinery

• Insufficient steering clearance

Remove avoidable obstructions before the load starts moving.

Mark The Final Position

Knowing where the machine needs to finish makes controlled positioning considerably easier.

Mark machinery footprints, mounting points & relevant alignment references before movement begins. Measuring & Layout Tools can assist where workshop layout & final positioning need to be established accurately.

Expert Tips

The final half-metre can be more demanding than the first five. Clearance often decreases near walls, foundations, service connections & neighbouring machines just as positioning needs to become more precise.

Check Weight Distribution Before Positioning The Skates

Four support points don't automatically mean each point carries 25% of the machine's weight.

Look for heavy motors, gearboxes, heads, tanks, tables & other components that can shift the centre of gravity significantly.

Raise The Machine Only As Far As Required

More lifting height isn't automatically better.

Create only the clearance required for the planned skate arrangement & use lifting equipment suited to the task.

Prepare The Floor Before Loading The Skates

A small metal offcut becomes a very different obstacle beneath a heavily loaded roller.

Sweep the travel path, remove loose material & inspect changes in floor condition before movement begins.

Keep Every Support Point Visible

Don't concentrate solely on the steering end.

The crew should monitor the complete machine, skate arrangement & surrounding clearance throughout the move.

Don't Add Individual Skate Ratings Together

The GLS-20T-KIT contains four individually rated 10-tonne skates but is rated as a 20-tonne complete kit.

Uneven surfaces & uneven machinery weight distribution can place substantially greater loads on particular support points, so the rating of the complete arrangement matters.

Plan The Final Lowering Before Starting

Getting the machine to its marked position isn't the end of the move.

Determine in advance how the equipment will be supported, how each skate will be removed & how the machine will be lowered into its final position.

Inspect Load Skates Before Reuse

Machinery skates may spend long periods stored between major relocation jobs.

Check the rollers, support surfaces, steering components, link bars & general condition before returning them to service. Industrial Shed's tool & equipment Care provides an additional support pathway for equipment care.

For broader practical thinking around equipment readiness & avoiding disruption on site, The Jobsite Doesn't Forgive. We Do. provides further reading.