Quick-release valve: every ESL-MD has one, so the pad lets go quickly at set-down and the next pick can start. On repetitive palletising, the time saved at each set-down adds up.
Two-Handle ESL-MD
ESL-MD two-handle vacuum tube lifters, 45–200 kg
The ESL-MD is the heavy end of the Cowest vacuum tube lifter range: six two-handle models from 45 to 200 kg, each built with a 1,700 or 2,500 mm lifting height and all six fitted with a quick-release valve, with a 90° tilt available to order. The operator steers with both hands, the grip that heavy and bulky loads call for. To set it beside the single-handle, compact and mobile units, compare all series.
- Six ratings: 45, 60, 80, 120, 150 and 200 kg
- Blowers from 3.0 kW on the smallest to 5.0 kW on the three largest
- Quick-release valve standard on every model
- 90° tilt to order, with a rating of its own
Catalogue ratings are for airtight loads such as PE film sacks and steel or plastic drums; porous loads such as paper sacks and plain cartons are tested with your samples before you order.
- Rated capacity:
- 45–200 kg
- Lifting height:
- 1,700 or 2,500 mm
- Blower power:
- 3.0–5.0 kW
- Tilt:
- 90° on request
Use cases
Built for 50 kg sacks and heavy loads
Pick the ESL-MD for the weight, the two-hand steering or a tilt on a heavier load; for small loads that need tilting, the ESM compact series, rated 25 and 35 kg, also tilts, sized on its own tilt rating. Two hands keep control of a heavy or bulky load, and the higher ratings of this series, up to 200 kg, carry it. Below about 50 kg and at high cycle rates the single-handle series is usually the quicker tool.
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Palletising feed, cement and resin sacks
Feed and cement are packed in sacks of up to 50 kg, and plastic resin mostly in 25 kg PE film sacks. At that weight the ESL-MD model turns on whether the sack is PE film, lined or plain paper, as the selection table below works out. The bag application in full, with country lifting limits, is on the vacuum bag lifter for 50 kg sacks page.
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Drums lifted from the top
The three smaller models take a round drum pad: the ESL-MD140/22, 160/30 and 180/30, rated 45, 60 and 80 kg. Choose a rating above the full drum weight, and if the drum is at or close to the rating, take the next model up; for a drum close to 80 kg or heavier, ask us. Drum handling in detail: vacuum drum lifter.
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Heavy cartons and cases
SFD and HB carton pads fit all six models, so the larger ESL-MD models take cases beyond the reach of the ESL-SG and ESM series. Plain cartons let some air through and are planned below the rating; box handling in detail is on the vacuum box lifter for cartons page.
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Airtight loads up to 200 kg
The ESL-MD275/50 and 300/50, rated 150 and 200 kg, take airtight loads that no other Cowest tube lifter series reaches, with the pad for the load agreed with us. At that weight the crane under the lifter becomes part of the selection, as the mounting section below explains.
Specifications
ESL-MD models and specifications
Both lifting heights are offered on every model; how to work out the stroke you need from your pick and place heights is step two of the 5-step selection guide.
| Model | Rated capacity | Lifting height | Blower power | Lifting speed | Power supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESL-MD140/22 | 45 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | 3.0 kW | up to 0.8 m/s | 380 V three-phase |
| ESL-MD160/30 | 60 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | 3.0 kW | up to 0.8 m/s | 380 V three-phase |
| ESL-MD180/30 | 80 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | 4.0 kW | up to 0.8 m/s | 380 V three-phase |
| ESL-MD200/40 | 120 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | 5.0 kW | up to 0.8 m/s | 380 V three-phase |
| ESL-MD275/50 | 150 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | 5.0 kW | up to 0.8 m/s | 380 V three-phase |
| ESL-MD300/50 | 200 kg | 1,700 or 2,500 mm | 5.0 kW | up to 0.8 m/s | 380 V three-phase |
A tilt, when ordered, carries a lower rating than the figures in this table, and that rating is stated in the quotation.
Request a quote
tell us the load, its weight and surface, pick and place heights, cycles per hour and power supply.
| Load | Starting model | Why this one |
|---|---|---|
| 25 kg PE film sack, or a sack with a PE liner, with two-hand control | ESL-MD140/22, 45 kg | A lined sack still leaves about 34 kg of the 45 kg rating at 75% |
| 25 kg unlined paper sack, with two-hand control | ESL-MD160/30, 60 kg | At 50% it keeps 30 kg, where the 140/22 would keep about 22.5 kg, so the 140/22 follows only a sample test showing at least about 56% |
| 40 to 50 kg PE film sack, or a sack with a PE liner | ESL-MD180/30, 80 kg | At 75% it keeps about 60 kg, so one model covers film and lined sacks up to 50 kg |
| 50 kg unlined paper sack | ESL-MD200/40, 120 kg, sack pad confirmed in the quotation | At 50% it keeps about 60 kg; the 180/30 would need at least about 63% of its rating, so it follows only a sample test |
| Steel or plastic drum up to 80 kg full weight, lifted by its flat top | ESL-MD140/22, 160/30 or 180/30, with a rating above the full drum weight, and the round drum pad | Drum pads are listed for these three models only; a drum at or close to a model's rating goes on the next model up, near 80 kg ask us, and pails go on the ESL-SG or ESM |
| Plain carton over about 60 kg and up to about 90 kg, sealed and sound enough to be lifted by its top | ESL-MD200/40 with an SFD or HB carton pad | Plain cartons are semi-porous: at 75% the 180/30 keeps about 60 kg and the 200/40 about 90 kg, so lighter cartons start on a smaller model; a heavy carton gripped only on its top can tear, so test one first |
| Airtight load over 80 kg and up to 120 kg, other than a drum | ESL-MD200/40, 120 kg; ask us about the pad | Catalogue ratings are for airtight loads; drums over 80 kg are a question for us |
| Airtight load over 120 kg and up to 200 kg, other than a drum | ESL-MD275/50 (150 kg) or 300/50 (200 kg) by weight; ask us about the pad | Above the 120 kg of the ESL-MD200/40; the crane class is then checked against the full suspended weight |
These are starting points. A sample test or the load data can move the choice one model up or down, and the model named in the quotation is the one that counts.
Suction pads by load
On the ESL-MD140/22, 160/30 and 180/30 one lifter has a listed pad for sacks, for cartons and for drums, so a single station can serve all three loads with a pad change.
| Load | Pad | Models |
|---|---|---|
| Sacks and bags | SUS230×380R sack pad | ESL-MD140/22, 160/30, 180/30 |
| Sacks on ESL-MD200/40, 275/50, 300/50 | Sack pad confirmed in the quotation | ESL-MD200/40, 275/50, 300/50 |
| Cartons and cases | SFD / HB carton pads | All ESL-MD models |
| Drums | Round shaped drum pads | ESL-MD140/22, 160/30, 180/30 |
| Drums over 80 kg, special loads | Ask us | — |
Features
Quick-release valve and 90° tilt
90° tilt: available to order on the ESL-MD, it swings the load from flat to upright, for emptying a sack into a hopper or standing a case on its side; the models it is fitted to and its rating are confirmed in the quotation. Sideways grip costs capacity: one manufacturer's published tilt ratings run about 15–35% under its horizontal ones, which is why a tilt job is sized on the tilt rating given in your quotation.
Tilt jobs: what we need to know
| Job | What we need | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Emptying sacks into a hopper or mixer | Sack weight and type, hopper rim height, and whether the area is a classified zone | The zone decides whether a standard unit may be used there |
| Standing a case or carton on its side | Case weight and size, and the face to be gripped | A side grip is a tilt job and is sized on the tilt rating |
| Turning a load at the place point | The angle needed and the weight | The ESL-MD offers a 90° tilt; any other angle is a question for us |
Mounting
Mounting, headroom and power
At up to 200 kg the ESL-MD asks more of its crane than any other Cowest tube lifter series. The crane or rail carries the rated load plus the lifter, tube, handle, pad and trolley; our catalogue has WJC pillar jib cranes in 125 kg and 250 kg classes and AM150 and AM250 aluminium rails rated 150 and 250 kg, and the crane class for your model is checked against the full suspended weight in the proposal.
Headroom:
your highest place point, the height of the load, pad and handle, the retracted lifter, the trolley and the crane structure together set the clear height, which we check on the factory drawing for your model before the order.
Foundation:
a heavy load on a long jib arm puts a large overturning moment on the column base, so the foundation follows the factory drawing supplied with the order.
Power:
the six models run 3.0 to 5.0 kW blowers on 380 V three-phase as standard; other voltages and 60 Hz are on request, confirmed before the order.
Safety
Safety on power failure
Two habits from published safety guidance carry particular weight at up to 200 kg: carry the load low, and never leave it hanging, because a tube lifter lowers its load when the power is lost and is not a place to park one.
How a tube lifter of this type behaves on power loss is explained on how a vacuum tube lifter works; check the behaviour of your ESL-MD model in its manual, and keep everyone clear of a suspended load at all times.
On a heavy-load station
- Carry the load low, ideally below about 1.5 m, and keep people out from under it
- Do not leave a load hanging between lifts
- Size tilt jobs on the tilt rating, never the horizontal one
- Use the crane class checked for the full suspended weight
- Follow the checks and intervals in your model's manual; the maintenance checklist sets out usual industry practice for lifters of this type
Request a quote
For an ESL-MD proposal, the details that shape the proposal are the heaviest load and whether it is film, lined or plain paper, whether the tilt is needed and where, the crane radius and the clear height, and the zone at any tipping point.
- Heaviest and lightest load, with the sack or drum type and a photo
- Tilt: needed or not, and at which station
- Crane: an existing crane or rail and its rated class, or the radius you need
- Site: clear height, voltage and frequency, and any classified zone
The model, the pad for each load it can take, whether the tilt is fitted and its rating, the crane or rail class, the voltage, and the lead time, warranty and payment terms.
What a complete tube lifter quotation should contain, and how the trade term moves the price, is set out in the vacuum tube lifter price guide.
Scope
What the ESL-MD does not cover
The series ends at 200 kg; heavier single items, which from about 300 kg the industry moves to vacuum lifting devices, are outside this range. There is no explosion-proof ESL-MD, and drums above 80 kg are a question for us.
Cowest Machinery designs and manufactures vacuum tube lifters at its factory in Qingyuan, Guangdong, China; CE marked, with Attestation of Conformity No. CE-1629-01-011123 (CGS Test, valid to 2028) available on request.
Tools
Tools and documents for the ESL-MD
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ESL-MD data sheet (PDF):
the six models on one printable page
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Lift capacity calculator:
put in a porous 50 kg sack and read off the airtight rating it calls for, as a check before the sample test
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NIOSH lifting calculator:
score the 50 kg manual lift that the ESL-MD would take over
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Spare parts:
pads, lifting tubes and filters, ordered by model
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Factory and documents:
the CE attestation and what to ask for by market
ESL-MD questions
Which ESL-MD for 50 kg paper sacks?
Plain paper sacks start on the ESL-MD200/40 and film or lined sacks on the ESL-MD180/30; the selection table above shows the arithmetic, and your sample test settles it.
Can it lift a full 200-litre drum?
Not with the listed pads. A full 200-litre drum can weigh about 200–250 kg depending on the contents, at or above the 200 kg top of the series, and drum pads are listed only up to the 80 kg ESL-MD180/30. Tell us the drum and its full weight, and we say before quoting whether a tube lifter is the right tool.
How much does the tilt take off the rating?
The tilt rating for your model is written into the quotation. As a guide, one manufacturer publishes tilt ratings some 15–35% below its horizontal ones.
Which crane does the ESL-MD300/50 need?
The crane or rail has to carry the 200 kg rated load plus the lifter, tube, handle, pad and trolley. Our catalogue cranes and rails go up to the 250 kg class, and the class for the ESL-MD300/50 is checked against the full suspended weight in the proposal.
Is there a sack pad for the ESL-MD200/40 and up?
It is not listed in the catalogue; the sack pad for these three models is confirmed in the quotation.
Does every model come with the 2,500 mm lifting height?
Yes: each of the six is offered with 1,700 or 2,500 mm.
Is the quick-release valve an extra?
No, all six models have it as standard.