FireLake Manufacturing of Hutchinson, Minn., manufactures incinerators and crematoriums, serving the medical, veterinary and law enforcement sectors.
FireLake's product line offers a wide range of load capacities with 16 different chamber sizes and numerous customization options. Their units are capable of incinerating 200 to 1,600 lbs. of waste at a time, depending on the user's needs and the model selected.
FireLake's president, Kent Wischmann, recognized an emerging demand for mobile incinerator units and sought a partner to develop a custom trailer solution for their Model X incinerator. The smaller-scale mobile unit would expand market opportunities for the Minnesota-based incinerator manufacturer.
Challenge
The mobilized Model X incinerator unit would serve two key markets: law enforcement and veterinary services. Law enforcement agencies needed a secure way to destroy drug evidence on site without transportation risks, while veterinary clinics sought flexible solutions to serve multiple locations.
This market opportunity required FireLake to find a partner who could design a trailer specifically engineered to support their A850XMBL-2D-SC2-X4100 Diesel Oil incinerator with its 27 cu.-ft. capacity.
Solution
Familiar with Felling Trailers' custom manufacturing, FireLake contacted Felling for assistance with its mobilization project.
"Our (FireLake's) incineration system would require specific structural support for transport," said Wischmann.
The design also would need to incorporate user safety, providing adequate space on the platform (deck) for users to move around and operate the incinerator unit. Wischmann collaborated with TJ Schwartz, Felling Trailers OEM sales manager, throughout the custom build process, ensuring all details were considered, from wiring protection to equipment layout.
"This project was a custom build from the ground up," said Schwartz.
"Felling's custom design support and options were essential to our needs," said Wischmann. "The ability to send and receive drawing files during the design process was efficient and seamless. Communication between their (Felling's) engineering team and our design department was excellent."
The engineering team at Felling carefully considered every aspect of the design, with particular attention to the suspension system and weight distribution relative to the equipment layout, which FireLake identified as "very important to the final design." The resulting trailer features dual 6K torsion axles, offering adequate support for the heavy load while ensuring a smooth ride during transport.
Result
The finalized mobile unit combines FireLake's Model X incinerator technology with Felling's custom trailer engineering. The trailer solution provides FireLake with a mobile platform allowing their customers to:
• transport incineration capabilities directly to needed locations;
• facilitate secure on-site destruction of sensitive materials for law enforcement;
• enable veterinary clinics to serve multiple locations with a single unit; and
• expand FireLake's market reach with a differentiated product offering.
"Felling is great to work with on special needs," said Wischmann. "They look for the 'how-to' solutions."
For more information, visit www.felling.com.
