Dollies (or “carts”) are an integral part of a lean material flow in any production process. They eliminate the need for forklifts, reduce floor clutter, and increase efficiency in transporting materials and parts throughout a facility. But with all the different options available for dollies, how do you choose the right one for your purposes? That’s what we’re here to help you figure out.

Considerations for Choosing the Right Dolly

Carts vs. dollies — they’re actually one in the same, simply two different times! The two main types of dollies or carts we’re going to talk about are static or rotate dollies vs. tilt dollies. In general, you’re going to use static or rotate dollies for transporting racks and tilt dollies for transporting containers, but the specifics will depend on what you’re putting into those racks and containers. Here are a few considerations to take into account.

Load Rating

Load rating is about more than just the weight of the parts or materials; it also includes the weight of the rack or container and the weight of the dolly itself. It’s important to not risk overloading, as doing that by enough weight can risk tipping the dolly. When tilting, the load rating is typically around 1,500 lbs. Static and rotate carts can handle a bit of a heavier load with a capacity of 2,000 – 3,200 lbs.

Push-Pull Force

The push-pull force is the initial force in pounds that it takes to get a dolly or cart to start moving and to keep moving it at a normal walking pace. Think of this like pushing an empty shopping cart versus one full of groceries: it takes more effort to start, move, and turn the cart when it’s full. It would also be more difficult to push the shopping cart through grass or carpet versus a smooth grocery store floor because of the added friction of a textured surface.

Fortunately, a lot of push-pull force can be mitigated by the creative use of casters. Using different caster sizes or configurations can result in better load ratings and keep your dollies within an acceptable push-pull force limit.

Pick Height

Having an ergonomic pick height will make it both safer and more efficient for operators to pick parts out of containers or load them into containers. That’s why tilt dollies are so valuable compared to a static dolly for transporting containers. The tilt feature adjusts the pick height so operators can reach the bottom of the container without undue strain.

Common Mistakes When Choosing a Dolly or Cart

At American Manufacturing, we work with many automotive and heavy equipment manufacturers. Oftentimes, what they come to us for is not what they end up getting because we’re able to recommend a better dolly set-up that is more suited to their needs. Here’s a rapid fire of some of the most common mistakes we see manufacturers make when choosing a dolly:

  • Not getting enough dollies. Even when you know your line side needs and fleet size, it’s common to underestimate the number of dollies needed to continually supply the line side with parts.
  • Incorrectly estimating weight capacity. This can result in underloading or overloading dollies because they don’t know the most effective weight for proper use.
  • Choosing based on the written procedure, not the actual operation. Oftentimes, the way things happen on the floor isn’t an exact match for what’s on paper. Dollies need to match the actual process on the floor to best serve the operators and improve efficiency.

Custom Dolly Solutions for Lean Material Flow

Dollies or carts can make or break your lean material flow goals. With the right dollies, you can shave hours off of your material flow processes and significantly improve production on the floor. At American Manufacturing, we make it our mission to help our customers find the right manufacturing solutions to meet their needs. It’s why we are proud to be Chrysler’s exclusive supplier for dollies in their automotive manufacturing facilities!

If you’re looking for a leaner flow and the right carts to make it happen, contact us and let us help you make the right choice.