The short answer: a motorised trolley is a configurable transport platform (up to 150 ton) built around V-frame or U-frame coil positioning, while a pillar-type coil car combines hydraulic lifting and transport in one unit on a fixed rail, also rated up to 150 ton. Pick based on whether you need routing flexibility and a range of table sizes, or an integrated lift-and-move function on a fixed, repeated path.
How a motorised trolley works
Motorised trolleys move steel coils and heavy loads on a table sized 2000–10000 × 1500–3000 mm, powered by battery, cable reel, or busbar depending on the installation. Configurations include a hydraulic tipper trolley with a tilting mechanism for loading and unloading, an L-type transfer trolley for stable coil support, and coil transfer trolleys using V-frame or U-frame designs for secure positioning during the move. Speed runs 0–25 m/min with pendant, wireless, or AGV-integrated control. Our motorised trolley selection guide covers sizing in detail.
How a pillar-type coil car works
A pillar-type coil car combines hydraulic lifting with transport in a single unit, built around a robust pillar structure. It runs at speeds up to 100 m/min with either electric or hydraulic drive, and its hydraulic lifting mechanism means it can pick up and set down a coil without a separate crane lift for every handoff — useful where a coil needs to move and change height in the same operation. See a guide to fixed-rail coil transport for how the fixed rail shapes the layout.
Side-by-side
| Motorised Trolley | Pillar-Type Coil Car | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | Up to 150 ton | Up to 150 ton |
| Speed | 0–25 m/min | Up to 100 m/min |
| Function | Transport (with tipping/positioning variants) | Combined lift + transport |
| Power | Battery, cable reel, busbar | Electric or hydraulic |
| Table/structure | 2000–10000 × 1500–3000 mm platform | Pillar-mounted lifting structure |
Which one fits your plant
If your line needs a wide range of table sizes and power options to match different sections of the plant, or your routing changes between multiple stations, the motorised trolley's configuration flexibility is the better match. If your operation needs a single unit that lifts a coil from a lower level and transports it in one motion along a fixed, repeated route, the pillar-type coil car's combined lift-and-transport function reduces the number of separate handling steps per coil. Where speed matters, the coil car's higher top speed (100 m/min vs 25 m/min) is worth factoring in. If the load also has to change height at the destination, a scissor-type trolley is a third option worth pricing.
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