Executive summary
This packaging equipment is a hydraulic dual-arm sheet and frame flipper that turns a load between faces on a fixed station. Our FPFT-12 class takes up to 12 t with dual working tables and 15 MPa hydraulics. A worked example checks a 6 t frame stack against that load and sketches forklift takt around the empty-cycle demo kinematics.
Table of Contents
- Why frames and sheets need a dual-arm flipper
- Layout: twin arms and a side hydraulic power unit
- The machine shown
- FPFT-12 class data for this station
- Worked example: a 6 t frame stack
- Selection checklist: what to send us
- Safety and EN 415-10
- Engineering FAQ
- Next step
- Related reading
- Sources
Why frames and sheets need a dual-arm flipper
Large welded frames and plate stacks are hard to turn with a crane alone. A dual-arm hydraulic flipper keeps the load on a guided path so both faces can be worked, inspected or packed without swinging the piece in free air.
This station is the blue dual-arm layout: two arms rise and fall together through a flip cycle while a separate hydraulic power unit feeds the cylinders. It is a sister to the dark-grey parallel-bar sheet flipper, not a coil upender.
Layout: twin arms and a side hydraulic power unit
Two blue flip arms sit on a common base. Yellow hydraulic cylinders drive the arms; yellow hoses run to a black power unit (motor and pump) at the side of the machine. The pack is cradled between the arms for the flip; at mid-travel the arms keep the load sandwiched so it does not free-fall onto the receive face. Speed is adjustable. Max system pressure on the FPFT-12 page is 15 MPa (allowance 20 MPa). Loading is by forklift, crane or hoist.
Empty-cycle demos show the arms moving through a full flip and back without a workpiece; that is how the kinematics are checked before load trials.
The machine shown
Our blue dual-arm hydraulic flipper runs empty in the workshop. The left arm starts raised and the right arm tilted down; the arms then swing toward a near-horizontal mid position and reverse back to the start pose. Yellow cylinders and hoses feed from a black hydraulic power unit on the right. No sheet or frame is loaded in this demo.
FPFT-12 class data for this station
| Item | FPFT-12 class |
|---|---|
| Platform (L × W × H) | 4,600 × 2,500 × 1,400 mm |
| Max flipping load | 12 t |
| Motor output | 8.0 kW |
| Working tables | A/B contact faces 500 × 1,800 mm each |
| Max pressure | 15 MPa (allowance 20 MPa) |
| Power supply | 380 V 3P 50 Hz |
| Loading | Forklift / crane / hoist |
Exact arm span and pad layout for frames are confirmed on the order drawing. The FPFT dual-arm series is built for frames and sheets; do not mix its numbers with the FPMT mold-upender series.
Worked example: a 6 t frame stack
Illustrative welded frame pack: plan about 2,200 × 1,600 mm, mass 6 t, forklift load.
Load check. 6 t < 12 t → FPFT-12 class OK with 6 t headroom.
Cycle sketch. Typical split: arm flip about 45–60 s under a tuned valve curve, forklift place about 90–120 s, forklift remove about 90–120 s. Empty-cycle demos look faster because there is no rigging. Gross station time commonly lands around 4–5 minutes when the forklift is the bottleneck.
Takeaway. Send real frame footprint and weight before we freeze arm span and pad type.
Selection checklist: what to send us
- Frame or sheet plan size, thickness and max weight.
- Flip angle (180° total inversion vs 90° upending).
- Loading method and forklift takt.
- Pad material need (painted frames vs bare plate).
- Destination market for the safety file.
Safety and EN 415-10
For CE markets EN 415-10 applies to safety design on this non-pallet handling machine, evaluated with an ISO 12100 risk assessment. The main hazards are the swinging arms, cylinder pinch points and the forklift interface. Keep people out of the arm envelope during motion. Soft covers, stop blocks and position lock on power loss are confirmed on the project file.
Engineering FAQ
Q: How is this different from the parallel-bar sheet flipper? A: This station uses two blue hydraulic arms and a side power unit. The parallel-bar machine uses a platen of metal bars on a dark-grey body. Both can sit in the FPFT-12 load class; the arm geometry differs.
Q: Why show an empty cycle? A: Empty-cycle runs prove the arm path and valve tuning before the first loaded trial. Loaded times depend on mass and forklift takt.
Q: Can it stop mid-flip? A: Yes. Hydraulic pressure holding and position lock support intermediate stops; confirm the option on the order.
Q: Which standard do you cite for CE? A: EN 415-10 with an ISO 12100 risk assessment.
Next step
- Send frame or sheet size and max weight to info@fhopepack.com.
- We map it to FPFT-12 class and note arm/pad options.
- We reply within 24 hours with a layout sketch and a cycle estimate.
Related reading
- Big Frame Flipper for 180 Degree Turning
- Hydraulic Upender Rotates Drywall Sheets (Sheet Turner)
- Mechanical 90 Degree Tilter for Palletized Sheet Stack Handling
- Steel Sheet Flipper And Upender Machine: Technology and Best Practices
- Steel Sheet Flipper and Upender machine (product)
Sources
- FHOPE Hydraulic Steel Sheet Flipper and Upender machine product page: FPFT-12 class data
- Machine features from our blue dual-arm flipper demo (arms, yellow cylinders, side power unit)
- Worked example: illustrative frame figures
- Standards: EN 415-10; ISO 12100:2010
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
