Dockboards & Dock Plates | Copperloy Loading Dock Equipment
Yard Ramps | Portable Forklift Ramps | Loading Dock Ramps
800-321-4968

Dockboards & Plates

Dockboards Verses Dock Plates | Keeping Customers Informed

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Dockboards vs. Dock Plates | Which One Works More Efficiently For Your Industry?

Lots A Ramps explaining the difference between a Dockboard and a Dock Plate. Most times these get confused with one another.  Our goal at Lots A Ramps is to keep customers informed. Therefore, you can understand which one works more efficiently for your industry.

Let’s begin with the features of each one:

Dock boards

  • Provide loading and unloading capabilities in heavy-duty applications
  • Bridge any gaps that can be a safety concern.
  • Offer ease when using forklifts and other material handling the equipment.
  • Available in steel, aluminum with bolt-on steel curbs, and aluminum with welded curbs.
  • Capacities up to 20,000 pounds
  • Curbs to prevent runoff. 

Dock plates

  • Bridge a gap from one area to another in material handling operation.
  • Have a flat piece of metal with a slight bend for an easy transition.
  • Available in either steel or aluminum.
  • Capacities up to 17,000 pounds.
  • Don’t have curbs.

Additional Information For An Easier Decision

Deciding between dockboards and dock plates starts with the capacity your facility needs and type of application. If need heavy-duty applications with higher capacities and employing forklifts, dock boards are the best solution. However, if you’re not using these for heavy-duty loading and unloading, then a flat dock plate that offers an easy transition from one place to another is the more economical choice. 

When it comes to deciding on a dock plate over a dockboard, keep in mind that dock plates do offer many advantages. Occasionally,  a dockboards curb can get in the way especially with extra high-unitized loads where fork trucks cannot lift loads above the height of side curbs. For this instance dock plates are the better option. Additionally, dock plates are great for irregular or sharp turns, where, again, a dockboards curb could get in the way.

What’s the maximum capacity you will need? Interestingly, the extra capacity that dock boards are able to achieve comes from the structural addition of curbs. 

Lots A Ramps offers custom dock boards and custom dock plates to meet any requirement or unique challenge. Our custom manufacturing and fabrication team can engineer exactly what you need from start to finish! When it comes to safe material handling, our inventory does not end at dock boards and dock plates. We offer customers a wide variety of American-made mobile yard ramps that provide a loading and unloading facility where one isn’t already established. This wide range of equipment includes mobile yard ramps, dock-to-ground ramps, truck ramps, and forklift ramps. 

To learn more about what Lots A Ramps can do for your material handling needs, by calling us directly at 800-321-4968

Dock to Ground Ramp | How To Use Correctly | Lots A Ramps

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The Correct Set Up Of Your Dock To Ground Ramp

Congratulations on the investment of your dock to ground ramp ensuring proper setup is crucial for safety. Lots A Ramps provides all of our customers with detailed installation instructions and a comprehensive user manual, however, this quick guide can be used as a resource as well.

Upon arrival unload your ramp. Position two lifts, one on each side of the ramp, and have them engage the ramp, clearing it of the carrier and any supports. Then drive forward clearing the ramp, and then slowly lower the ramp to the ground, placing it atop wood blocks.

Next, you’ll be able to position the ramp into place. Setting up your ramp, first, attach safety chain brackets to the dock face. Keep bumper plates close to the dock face preventing movement, square up the ramp in position on the dock surface. Attach safety chains to the brackets on the dock face, with as little slack as possible to keep it secure.

You have now successfully set up your facility’s dock to ground ramp. Yes, it’s that easy. 

Safety Practices For All Models

  • Do not exceed 5 mph when driving ramp.
  • Never exceed the rated capacity of the ramp.
  • Never travel on-ramp unless lip is securely on the dock floor and attached safety chains are securely in place.
  • Do not use the ramp with equipment, material, or people on or in front of the ramp or lip.
  • Do not use the ramp if it looks damaged. Tell your supervisor it needs repair right away.
  • Do not use this unit to dock heights outside its intended working range.
  • If you have any problems or questions using the ramp, contact your supervisor for assistance.
  • Do not stop the truck or attempt to change gears while ascending or descending the ramp.
  • Always traverse the ramp with the forks toward the dock or elevated end.

Operating

  • Approach the ramp with the fork truck or vehicle in low gear and maintain an even rate of ascending speed.
  • DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE WHILE ASCENDING THE RAMP.
  • When traversing up the ramp toward the dock or elevated end be sure of door clearance with large loads.
  • The loaded end of the lift truck should always be toward the raised end of the ramp with the forks and load
    above the grating.
  • Fork trucks should ascend and descend the ramp in the lowest gear.
  • DO NOT STOP THE TRUCK ON THE RAMP TO CHANGE GEARS. This could cause lift truck tire spin and loss of control or undue wear and tear on the lifts tires.

Maintenance

Annually inspect ramps enamel finish, touch up any areas indicating rust with a rust inhibitive coating.
Inspect grating for excessive wear and replace as required.

Questions Or Concerns

If you have any questions, please call our team at 800-321-4968. We’ll be happy to provide you with more information or with another copy of your manual.

 

Boost Productivity | Custom Yard Ramps | Lots A Ramps

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How To Boost Your Productivity With Custom Yard Ramps.

Let Lots A Ramps help your facility boost its productivity with custom yard ramps. Your loading dock needs to be efficient as well as safe. Docks can be a dangerous place, especially when forklifts are in use on uneven grades. The risk of injury increases adequately.

Dock boards, as well as yard ramps, bridge the gap between elevations to help stabilize forklifts and keep your employees safe. With a dock board or a yard ramp, you’ll enjoy a more productive, more efficient and safer work environment.

Lots A Ramps produces a huge array of dock boards and plates with different capacities, features, and specifications. Did you know that a dock board can be a ramp as well? Even if there isn’t a height difference at the dock, dock boards are still ramps and vital to safe material handling. We offer dock boards as well as plates in both aluminum and steel, with multiple curb options.

Custom Dock Solutions For Your Facility

Have a unique loading dock situation? Even if your warehouse design is unique, our engineering team can help with a custom solution. There’s no challenge too difficult, and no specification or circumstance too unique—we can develop the perfect solution, tailor-made for your real-world application in three easy steps.

  • Initial Call – Upon your initial call, we’ll gather the details for your specific application, including any necessary measurements, such as dock height, the weight of your equipment, width requirements and any restrictions.
  • Engineering Department – Our team of talented engineers reviews your specifications and a meeting with the production manager then provides you with the time it will take to construct your custom solution.
  • Final Design and Pricing – Next, we reach out to local material providers to obtain current pricing. A design is drawn for approval, and cost determined. We send the quote to you for review.

Our custom solutions aren’t specific to industrial or warehouse settings. Their engineering team has supplied a number of custom solutions. Our team welcomes any challenging design to fit your facilities needs. Have a unique material handling or dock ramp need? Lots A Ramps is here to help with your custom design solution.