How Foxtrot Moved Two 33,000-Pound CNC Machines Through Hydraulic Technologies HQ

Hydraulic Technologies used the compact, portable Foxtrot SOLO 20 to move two new 33,000-pound CNC machines through its Rockford facility. Each machine traveled approximately 150 to 200 feet from the shipping and receiving area to its installation location. The SOLO 20 gave the rigging team a controlled, easy-to-use solution for moving the machines through areas with limited maneuvering space while minimizing forklift traffic and manual intervention.

Hydraulic Technologies needed to replace aging CNC equipment with two new machines weighing approximately 33,000 pounds each. The machines had to be moved 150 to 200 feet through an active facility and carefully positioned in their installation locations.

Using forklifts for the move would have increased forklift traffic around employees and equipment while requiring additional space to maneuver. The team needed a compact, controlled solution that could move the machines through the plant with fewer equipment interactions and less manual handling.

Hydraulic Technologies selected the Foxtrot SOLO 20 because the application matched exactly what the compact, portable system was designed to do: move heavy equipment safely and efficiently through industrial environments where space may be limited.

The rigging crew positioned the SOLO 20 and load skates beneath the CNC machine frame. Once the system was properly placed, the machine was ready to move without special facility preparation or continuous manual repositioning. Its small footprint allowed the crew to navigate the machine through the plant without relying on forklifts for the move.

The SOLO 20 was also easy to operate. Despite having no previous equipment-rigging experience, the operator was able to pilot the machine successfully using the system’s intuitive controls. A three-person rigging crew supported the move, while an additional operator piloted the SOLO 20. The additional operator was not required, as a member of the rigging crew could have operated the system.

The Foxtrot SOLO 20 successfully moved the CNC machines approximately 150 to 200 feet through the Hydraulic Technologies facility. Its compact footprint gave the rigging crew the control and maneuverability needed to move the machines through areas where space was limited.

The move was completed without using forklifts to transport the machines. By eliminating the need for forklifts to transport the CNC machines, Foxtrot helped reduce equipment interaction on the plant floor and lower safety risk during the move.

The successful move also demonstrated the SOLO 20's intuitive operation. A first-time operator with no previous equipment-rigging experience was able to pilot the machine successfully, demonstrating Foxtrot's capabilities in real-world heavy-equipment relocation.