Industrial skids are essentially steel pallets, or flat steel structures built to carry some type of industrial apparatus. Skids are by no means standardized, but are nearly always customized to fit a particular application, and can come in sizes ranging from a few feet square to 15 feet or more in length. Industrial skids have all sorts of uses, especially in manufacturing applications, but generally must satisfy the following requirements:
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Portability. One of the principal purposes of skids, especially oilfield skids, is to act as a self-contained package that is easily moved from one location to another as needed.
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Exceptional structural integrity. For example, equipment skids may be called upon to support thousands of pounds of machinery or specialized equipment without warping or twisting. Depending on the application in question, skids may need to be manufactured from exceptionally strong material to carry heavy loads without being structurally compromised.
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Worker accessibility. Skids usually require easy access to their contained equipment by technicians while stationary. Some skids have built-in walkways or areas for employees to stand while operating the included equipment.
In addition, the environment in which the skid will be used should be considered. For instance, skids being used in offshore platforms may need to be manufactured from stainless steel or some sort of corrosive-resistant coating such as powder coating or galvanization.
