Upgrading a production line is one thing. Upgrading a line that can’t afford to stop is another. When Cummins Inc. — a global leader in power solutions — needed to add rotating capability to an existing transfer-cart line at its Columbus, Ohio facility, the new equipment had to fit the line, not the other way around.
Carousel-USA engineered and delivered a fully customized 24SRI precision manufacturing turntable that dropped directly into the existing flow: taking a railed transfer cart, rotating it a full 180° in either direction, and returning it to a fixed position with automated, repeatable precision — cycle after cycle, without reworking the existing cart or floor rails.
The completed 24SRI turntable — smooth steel top with flush-mounted tracks aligned to the existing transfer-cart rails. Designed and built in Fontana, CA.
The Challenge
An existing railed transfer cart had to roll onto the turntable, rotate 180° in either direction, and return to a fixed position as part of the normal production flow. That meant the platform had to satisfy several demands common to live production lines:
- Top-mounted tracks aligned exactly with the fixed floor tracks, in both directions of travel A firm lock and hold at position with no rotational lash once rotation stops
- Controls that prevent unintended operation
- Active detection of human presence in the surrounding work zone
The solution had to be precise, repeatable, and safe to run alongside personnel — without disrupting the broader line.
THE SOLUTION: THE 24SRI MANUFACTURING TURNTABLE
Carousel-USA engineers designed a Model 24SRI turntable built around a precision center bearing that retains its center axis through millions of cycles. Flush-mounted 1045 steel tracks, carried on smooth steel top panels, let the existing transfer cart roll across the transition without interruption.
To eliminate rotational lash, a pneumatic shot pin engages at the 180° position and firmly latches the turntable in place once it stops, while a passive mechanical cart latch secures the cart itself while it is aboard.
The turntable’s tubular steel structure set into the pit, alongside the Carousel-USA control panel that sequences rotation, locking, and safety functions.
KEY FEATURES
- NORD 1.5 HP gearmotor — 2–5 RPM rotation, clockwise or counter-clockwise
- 8,000 lb load capacity — six 2,500 lb wheel assemblies plus a 4,000 lb center bearing
- ±0.09′′ track alignment — flush 1045 steel tracks laser-set to the existing floor rails
- Pneumatic shot-pin locking — 24 VDC position confirmation, 60–70 PSI actuation, zero lash
- Integrated operator safety — area scanners slow and stop the table when personnel enter the zone
- Made in the USA — designed, engineered, and fabricated in Fontana, CA
ENGINEERING THE CONTROLS & SAFETY
The Carousel-USA controller manages the full set of input and output signals and choreographs the motion sequence — rotation, position confirmation, pin engagement, and release. A 24 VDC limit switch confirms the 180° position before the pneumatic shot pin extends, with the pin actuated through a directional control valve solenoid on a 60–70 PSI air supply.
For operator safety, Carousel-USA controls engineers integrated area scanners that monitor the surrounding zone. If a person enters the designated area, the system immediately slows and shuts down — protecting personnel without disrupting the broader line.
ON-SITE INSTALLATION
On site, the turntable was set into a 13′′-deep concrete pit, with the wheel assemblies, center bearing, drive motor, shot pin, and limit switch anchored to the pit floor. The flush-mounted tracks were then aligned to the existing floor rails — laser-checked and adjusted to within ±0.09′′ — so the existing transfer cart crosses the transition in either direction without interruption, and the smooth steel top panels finish flush with the surrounding floor for a clean transfer.
Laser alignment of the concrete pit against the existing floor tracks at the Cummins facility.
Manufacturing Turntable Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
| Model | 24SRI |
| Load Capacity |
8,000 lb (6 × 2,500 lb wheel assemblies + 4,000 lb center bearing)
|
| Rotation |
180°, clockwise or counter-clockwise
|
| Speed |
2–5 RPM
|
| Drive |
NORD 1.5 HP gearmotor
|
| Locking |
Pneumatic shot pin, 24 VDC position confirmation, 60–70 PSI
|
| Track Alignment |
Flush 1045 steel, laser-set to ±0.09′′
|
| Safety |
Integrated area scanners (slow/stop on presence)
|
| Built |
Fontana, CA
|
Watch Cummins Inc. Manufacturing Turntable In Action
Read the full case study: Cummins inc. Manufacturing Turntable
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