Hydraulic Coil Tilter for 90° Turning: Matching the Clip Cycle to Our FPCT Range

Executive summary A floor-mounted hydraulic tilter takes a secured load from horizontal to vertical and back in one continuous 90° cycle of about 16 s at light test load. We map that motion to our FPCT hydraulic coil upender range (2–50 t): the load and speed table, the project matching checks, and the controls set before a tilter enters a coil line.

Table of Contents

What the machine does

The hydraulic tilter turns the load on a fixed pivot via a side-mounted cylinder:

Phase Machine action
Infeed and loading Platform horizontal; cradle takes the secured load
Hydraulic upending The cylinder extends, pivoting the cradle through 90°
End-of-stroke hand-off The platform holds at the end of stroke, aligned to the next station
Return stroke The circuit reverses; the platform returns to horizontal

On dual-cradle units the machine executes a 90°×2 sequence [manufacturer rating]: one half is raised, the load seated against it, both halves rotate together. Stop-and-hold keeps the platform at the set angle [manufacturer rating].

On a production coil upender the same cradle carries a steel, aluminum or copper coil, or a palletised coil, sized to the table.

Why a dedicated hydraulic tilter beats crane flipping

Crane flipping puts the coil under a swinging hook and asks the rigger to control the centre of gravity by hand. A hydraulic tilter keeps the load on a fixed pivot and drives the turn with a cylinder, so the path repeats.

Three points decide when a tilter is the right station:

  1. Orientation change is daily work — eye-to-sky packing after eye-to-wall storage, or the reverse before a decoiler.
  2. The load has a clear CoG that sits inside the cradle once the coil is centred.
  3. The next station wants a fixed hand-off height, held at the end of the stroke.

Our hydraulic coil upenders are built for that role: horizontal-to-vertical tilt, table sized to the coil, speed set in the circuit.

Our FPCT hydraulic coil upender range

Published FPCT models from our coil upender range:

Model Max load Power Cycle time (approx.) Machine weight
FPCT-02 2 t 1.5 kW 50–70 s 2.0 t
FPCT-05 5 t 1.5 kW 50–80 s 2.5 t
FPCT-10 10 t 3.2 kW 60–90 s 3.0 t
FPCT-20 20 t 4.5 kW 60–90 s 3.5 t
FPCT-30 30 t 6.5 kW 60–90 s 4.0 t
FPCT-50 50 t 11.5 kW 60–100 s 4.5 t

Table and machine size are designed per coil size; power supply is set to the site voltage and frequency; warranty is 2 years.

FPCT models can be optioned with 90°×2 compound turning, position locking to prevent rotation, dual end-of-stroke limiters and remote control [manufacturer rating], confirmed per project.

The reference cycle of about 16 s is faster than the published FPCT band: a light test load turns quickly, while FPCT times are stated for the rated coil load. Cylinder speed is set to the real coil weight.

Matching load, table and cycle to the project

Project input What we fix on the machine
Max coil weight FPCT model (2–50 t)
Coil OD, ID, width Table / cradle size
Start and end orientation Horizontal ↔ vertical stroke and end stops
Hand-off height to the next conveyor or car Platform height at each stroke end
Target cycle time at rated load Hydraulic flow and valve setting

A hydraulic drive is the usual choice when the coil is heavy and the turn must stay smooth.

Selection checklist for a coil tilter

  • Max coil weight and the heaviest coil handled every shift.
  • Coil OD, ID and width, including the tallest eye-to-sky package.
  • Start and end orientation (eye to sky / eye to wall).
  • Load form: bare coil, palletised coil or strapped package.
  • Hand-off height to the next conveyor, coil car or packing station.
  • Guarding, light curtains and access routes around the pivot.
  • Destination market for the risk assessment package.

Controls and safety

For CE markets, ISO 12100 sets the risk-assessment method and EN 415-10 covers packaging-machine requirements, fixing guarding and the emergency-stop arrangement. Tilters, upenders and inverters fall under that pair.

On a hydraulic tilter we check, at least:

  • Emergency stop on the cabinet and any remote station.
  • End-of-stroke limits against overrun (two limiters [manufacturer rating]).
  • Position locking against drift or rotation under pressure loss [manufacturer rating].
  • Guarding or a marked exclusion zone around the load swing.
  • Overload protection sized to the FPCT model.

Engineering FAQ

Q: Can the tilter be integrated into an automated coil line? A: Yes. Platform heights match the receiving conveyor, coil car or packing station; controls are agreed per project.

Q: Why is a light-load cycle about 16 s while FPCT times are 50–100 s? A: A light test load turns fast. FPCT times (50–100 s) apply to the rated coil load; cylinder speed is set to the real coil weight.

Q: What loads can an FPCT upender turn? A: The published range covers 2 t to 50 t (FPCT-02 to FPCT-50), with the table designed per coil size.

Q: Can the same tilter handle steel and aluminum coils? A: Yes, when the cradle is built for the coil OD/ID/width and surface contact is agreed (bare steel vs soft pads for finished aluminum).

Q: Which standards apply to a coil tilter? A: For CE markets, ISO 12100 for risk assessment and EN 415-10 for packaging machines, including guarding and emergency stop.

Q: What drive power does the FPCT series use? A: Motor power is 1.5 kW on FPCT-02 and FPCT-05, then 3.2 / 4.5 / 6.5 / 11.5 kW up to FPCT-50.

Q: Can the tilter hold position mid-stroke? A: Yes. Stop-and-hold keeps the platform at the set angle [manufacturer rating].

Next step

We plan a coil tilter or upender station in three steps:

  1. Submit your layout drawing with coil weight, OD/ID/width and orientations, to info@fhopepack.com.
  2. Receive a proposal within 48 hours, with the FPCT model, table size and hand-off height.
  3. Book a site survey to confirm floor loading, guarding and the link to the next station.

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-10-29

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