Coating and painting large, complex aerospace parts in a controlled environment demands a handling solution that can safely support the load, keep parts in the right orientation, and operate without electrical power if necessary. Project 36213 is an air powered Alum-a-Lift designed to handle parts weighing up to 250 lb. [113 kg] for rotorcraft and military aircraft manufacturing and other applications. Built to Class I, Div 1 construction requirements, the lift operates on compressed air (90 PSI at 15 CFM minimum) and uses no electrical components, making it well-suited for use in classified painting and flammable vapor areas. 

The air-powered lift is configured with custom fixtures designed around the customer’s specific component shapes so that parts can be held and sprayed directly while supported by the lift. Many of the pieces have complex configurations, so the fixturing and mounting points were engineered around the approximate center of gravity of each part. This allows technicians to position them in a convenient, stable attitude for painting. A manual 360-degree rotation capability enables the operator to rotate the workpiece to access all sides without rerigging, while a pull pin system allows for quick exchange tooling, so different fixtures can be swapped in and out as parts change. 

For control and safety, the air-powered lift includes a foot operated plunger floor brake to lock the unit in place during spraying and part manipulation. By relying solely on compressed air and mechanical controls, this Class I, Div 1 air-powered lift eliminates electrical ignition sources while still providing the functionality needed for lifting, supporting, and rotating critical aerospace parts in controlled environments. The same basic architecture including air powered actuation, quick change fixtures, and balanced, manually rotated work positioning can be adapted for other painting and finishing operations in defense, aerospace, industrial equipment, and automotive manufacturing where flammable solvents and vapors are present.