Lift Glides for Work Platforms
Accurately and Effortlessly Position Tooling and Assembly Structures
Airfloat Lift Glides For Aerospace
Airfloat Lift Glides are air-powered material handling devices designed to effortlessly move heavy work platforms and tooling structures with precision and minimal manual effort. Commonly used in aerospace and large-scale assembly environments, these glides create a thin film of air beneath a load, allowing heavy equipment to “float” and be repositioned with ease.
Their use enhances flexibility, safety, and efficiency during aircraft production and other high-stakes manufacturing processes.
Become a Preferred Supplier
Equip your assemblies with Lift Glides and exceed aerospace expectations
From Quote to Factory Floor
Step 1
Submit Request A Quote
Step 2
Talk to an Airfloat Specialist
Step 3
We Deliver Your Equipment
Step 4
We Provide Post Sale Support
Key Benefits & Features
- Near-Frictionless Movement: Enables smooth, omnidirectional travel of heavy platforms.
- Combination with Casters: Often used in concert with traditional casters: make long hauls on casters, and then actuate the lift glide mechanism for final adjustments and precise moves.
- Precision Positioning: Ideal for aligning large tooling structures during sensitive assembly tasks.
- Heavy Load Capacity: Supports tens of thousands of pounds with minimal effort.
- Improved Ergonomics & Safety: Reduces strain on workers and lowers risk of equipment damage.
- Tooling Flexibility: Makes reconfiguration of large jigs and platforms faster and easier.
- Non-Marking & Clean Operation: Suitable for clean, controlled aerospace environments.
- Common in Aerospace: Widely used by aircraft manufacturers for fuselage, wing, and engine assembly platforms.
Standard Lift Glide sets range from 12,000 lb. to 100,000 lb.+ capacities
Yes, in fact Lift Glides are designed to be used in concert with traditional casters. Many of our customers use traditional caster wheels if they need to tow their frames long distances between stations or buildings, but actuate the Lift Glides when working in the assembly areas to allow for smooth, accurate positioning.
We recommend 80 PSI air pressure, with a flow requirement that varies by Lift Glide size. The heavier the load, the more flow is required. For example, a set of four 12″ Lift Glides will require approximately 44 SCFM.
Note that once the secondary lift bags are inflated they do not require additional air supply to maintain their lift. Please give us a call or refer to our technical references to confirm air requirement for your skid set.
Lift Glides are a low maintenance product due to their simple design. Typically the only maintenance item is the air bearing (or caster) which sits underneath the frame of the Lift Glide. The bearing is a thick urethane diaphragm and can be damaged if it crosses over a sharp object embedded in the floor. If floors are clean and maintained, an air bearing can last many years without being replaced. Should one need to be replaced it can be quickly swapped out without removing the load due to our slide out tray system.
Some Lift Glides are in stock and can ship the same week. Otherwise the lead time is typically 4-8 weeks. Please give us a call at 800-888-0018 to confirm inventory and lead times.
Lift Glides work on a variety of smooth floors including concrete, epoxy, steel, finished hardwood, and more. For areas that have unconducive floors, a variety of temporary floor fixes are available.
Lift Glides are designed to lift just enough get the structure off the ground. Standard lift is 2-3″.
