Loading Arms
SEMCOR is a leading supplier and fabricator of all types of fluid handling products for companies throughout the Midwest. Every product we sell is geared toward providing less maintenance and longer service to minimize the total cost of ownership. As a valued SEMCOR customer, you will also have access to our capable, experienced sales and support staff, who can suggest the ideal product to resolve your most challenging fluid control issues.
Loading Arms Uses & Applications
Loading arms facilitate the transfer of liquids or liquefied gases between storage tanks via a specially designed articulated piping system. The two basic types of loading arms are top and bottom. A top loading arm is typically used for loading and unloading truck or railway tanks that are equipped with manholes at the top of the unit. A bottom loading arm can unload tanks from beneath, as well as at the rear or side of the unit. There are also loading arms specifically designed for ship loading and unloading applications.
Top-Loading Arms
Top-loading arms are popular choices for truck loading arms or railcar loading arms because they are simple, flexible and affordable ways to load or unload your solid or liquid material. They are especially useful when modified for tight-fill and vapor recovery operations but are versatile enough to load and unload in a wide variety of situations.
You have a number of top-loading arm options, including:
- Single-arm fixed-reach. Ideal for loading or unloading railcars through open domes.
- Scissor-type arm. Good for challenging tank-truck loading operations.
- Supported boom arm. Great for high-usage installations.
- Unsupported boom arm. Good for variable-reach applications.
- Side sleeve arm. An arm that telescopes to meet the needs of the application. Great for situations where the type of vehicle you are using varies.
Bottom-Loading Arms
While a top-loading arm is often quite effective as a truck loading arm or railcar loading arm, there are a number of reasons why some companies prefer to use a bottom-loading arm in their truck and railcar loading systems. These can include:
- Safety. Since your worker can operate the loading arm from the bottom, they can do it standing on the ground, rather than on top of the truck or railcar, where they risk falling off and getting hurt. In addition, there is less agitation when loading with a bottom-loading arm, reducing the chance of generating potentially dangerous static electricity.
- Speed. Bottom-loading truck loading arms and railcar loading arms allow you to load much more quickly, as you can make connections faster, fill tanks faster and load multiple compartments at once.
- Environment. Bottom-loading arms are better for the environment because you create fewer vapors that could be released into the atmosphere.
- Cost-effectiveness. A bottom-loading rack is cheaper to assemble than a top-loading one, and the increased productivity and efficiency can mean greater profits in less time.
Loading Arms Brands
SEMCOR can provide high-quality loading arms and complete loading arms systems from top manufacturers such as OPW Engineered Systems. Understanding the importance of serving as a valuable resource for our customers, we have forged close relationships with OPW to deliver reliable technical support to our customer base.
View Products & Contact Us
Browse our current loading arm offerings and feel free to contact us for additional information and to discuss your specific fabrication and modification requirements.