Different Types of Support Towers
Support towers allow industrial and manufacturing companies to work vertically as well as horizontally. A support tower can elevate bulk foods to reduce common insect and moisture risks. It may move products from trucks to storage, or it may help employees reach hard-to-access locations onsite. Support towers can serve any number of purposes at a large facility to improve efficiency and quality assurance.
Common Support Towers and Their Uses
Many industries use support towers to streamline onsite processes. The agricultural industry, for instance, uses towers to transport and store grain, hold water, and support large ductwork systems at processing facilities. Some of the most common types of support towers include:
Conveyor support towers
Both belt systems and bucket elevator conveyance systems fall into this support tower category. Conveyor system configurations can transfer products up, down, and around any number of obstacles within a facility. Many companies must move items up to or down from great heights to maintain workflows and conserve facility space.
Conveyor support towers give the conveyor system the structural support it needs to carry bulk or contained goods within a facility. A high-quality fabricated conveyor support tower can provide facility managers with peace of mind that a product will not fall or face contamination as it travels from point A to point B.
Platforms
Companies may use platform-style towers as observation decks, maintenance access points, and equipment access points. Platform usage commonly dictates the construction style, materials, and design.
Platform towers can exist as standalone structures or as built-in systems within another form of tower. Components of these specialized towers may include custom-built stairs, ladders, and safety cages to protect workers using the platforms.
Storage bins and silos
Heavy-duty storage bins and silos often rely on tower structures to reinforce the container, provide access, and support conveyance systems. Silos typically feature a cylindrical shape, but industrial storage bins may come in a variety of shapes and sizes. A custom metal fabrication shop can design and create storage structures and towers designed to maximize safety without interfering with workflow efficiency.
Preservation towers
Preservation towers are for drying and curing goods before shipment to a distribution center. These off-the-ground systems often need their own HVAC or specialized drying equipment to properly treat grains and other goods. Companies often choose custom fabrication for drying and preservation to monitor and control the conditions within the tower and the quality of the product.
Holding tanks
Holding tanks store liquids. A water tower is the most common example of a tower-style holding tank. Specialty holding tank construction prevents leaks and liquid contamination. Tower designs also feature fill and release valves and a network of pipes and measurement systems to control the liquid levels within the tank.
Ductwork towers
Large ductwork is heavy duty and often requires its own support system inside or outside an industrial facility. Ductwork towers use popular tower-building techniques to provide structural support for duct systems in and around facilities that require efficient large-scale heating, cooling, and ventilation.
Manufacturing process support towers
Manufacturing-related towers often act as support systems for heavy equipment used to create, cut, and assemble products. These towers may feature a variety of configurations to meet facility demands.
Support towers most often feature a leg tower construction with four or more “legs” and lattice-like supports moving up the tower for additional stability. Facilities often contract with custom fabrication companies to design towers that work with existing systems to improve facility efficiency and safety.
Fabricating Support Towers
Swanton Welding specializes in heavy metal fabrication services to help companies install support towers that offer strength and stability. We can construct towers for a variety of applications including utility towers, bulk material handling, oil and gas handling, and more. Call us at (419) 826-4816 to start working on a custom tower fabrication for your site today.
