JW Automarine of Fakenham, Norfolk is a designer and manufacturer of inflatable lifting bags including parachute type lift bags and totally enclosed lift bags used in the offshore industry, civil engineering and defence organisations.
Founded in 1972, the company has established a reputation for high quality and today maintains a world wide network of sales and service agents.
While the manufacture of inflatable products for the marine market remains JW Automarine’s core business, the company has applied the principles of its lift bag technology to the design and manufacture of products for bulk storage and transportation of liquids.
JW Automarine lifting bags pass rigorous quality control standards and are inspected and registered to BS EN ISO 9001 requirements, to defence standards 05 – 91 and also to IMCA D016 repair and test procedures for lifting bags.
Parachute type lifting bag range
Fabricated from high tenacity polyester Trevira™ cloth coated with PVC, each parachute lifting bag is complete and ready for use when leaving our manufacturing facility.
On lifting bags from 3t, Model PR3, to 35t, Model PR35, a load restraining harness of heavy duty polyester webbing is fabricated into the skin of the bag. The harness, together with the air bag skin has a safe working load ratio of 6 – 1. The smaller range of parachute lifting bags 50kg, Model M1, to 2t, Model PR2, have load restraints of heavy duty polyester webbing sewn and welded to the air bag skin and again have an SWL of 6 – 1.
All parachute type lifting bags have top mounted lanyard and push button operated high flow dump valves and, from Models PR3 to PR35, ¾ BSP ball valves with Kamlock quick release hose connections which are supplied as standard.
Totally enclosed lifting bag range
In situations where insufficient depth of water precludes the deployment of parachute type lifting bags above the object to be raised, an effective alternative is the use of cylindrical totally enclosed lifting bags. Totally enclosed lifting bags offer an invaluable method of reducing the draught of vessels when launching, slipping or manoeuvring them in limited depth. They can also be employed as pontoons for bridges, floating platforms and dock gates. These lifting bags also provide an ideal form of buoyancy for cable or pipeline float-out operations and are extremely stable under tow. Specification of the fabric and webbing is as for the parachute range.
The arrangement of the load restraint harness is designed to maintain the air bag in the horizontal position to ensure maximum stability. However, it is recommended that lifting beams are used wherever possible. Details of these are available on request. All models have ¾ BSP inlet ball valves with Kamlock quick release hose coupling, overpressure relief valves are also incorporated at the bottom of the air bags and are automatically set to function at 2psi above ambient with flow rates in excess of 80cfm.
Totally enclosed parachute lifting bags
A hybrid of the parachute and totally enclosed range is the closed bottom parachute lifting bag. This model suffixed with “TE” would be suited for situations where the lift is in shallow water, perhaps fast current, and where lift and tow is required.
JW Automarine offer a ‘tailor made’ manufacturing service on all models to meet client’s special requirements. Why not “click” to our home page for further lifting bag information and other products within the JW Automarine design and manufacturing range.
In addition, a wealth of advice and assistance based upon practical manufacturing experience and deployment is available from our team of experts whose competence is without equal anywhere when a call to our office is all that is required.