Rejuvenated crane |
Demag modernises double-girder overhead travelling crane for Birs Terminal
By rejuvenating an almost 30-year old double-girder overhead travelling crane for the Swiss logistics provider Birs Terminal AG, Birsfelden, Demag Cranes & Components created a virtually new crane. Modernisation of the crane mainly focused on the motors as well as the electrical and electronic components. The entire order also included the maintenance of all cranes used at the handling terminal, as well as the delivery of an additional double-girder overhead travelling crane.
The crane which was refurbished and modernised by Demag and has a load capacity of 50 tonnes and a span of 30 metres, operates in a large enclosed terminal bay, the roof of which projects above railway tracks and a berth for barges. The free-standing crane runway was extended beneath the projecting roof. The projecting roof enables ships to be loaded and unloaded by the indoor crane and kept dry. The main task of the crane is to handle steel coils that weigh up to 30 tonnes. Furthermore, it handles long materials, such as bundles of sheet steel piling weighing 20 tonnes, as well as bundles of cellulose.
Using a spreader as a load handling attachment, the crane can simultaneously pick up ten of the two tonne bundles. Birs Terminal uses a second spreader for containers. In addition, various load handling attachments are available which can be connected to the single hook, such as special slings for the 30 tonne steel coils. A rotating crab facilitates precise positioning of the loads.
The 50 tonne crane has been in operation since 1973. As its electrical and electronic components were obsolete, it became increasingly difficult to procure spare parts. In view of this, Birs Terminal began planning. The ideas they considered ranged from refurbishment to the purchase of a new crane. The company decided in favour of modernisation. All of the motors as well as the electrical and electronic components, including their supply cables, were to be replaced. In addition, skewing movements, which frequently caused the crane bridge to move out of alignment with the runway and resulted in increased wear of the travel wheels, had to be corrected.
Five Swiss-based crane manufacturers were invited to bid. The tender not only involved the refurbishment of the 50 tonne crane, but also the maintenance of all of the cranes in operation in the terminal facilities, including the outdoor cranes and regardless of their original manufacturer. Furthermore, a new crane with a load capacity of 32 tonnes was to be installed in Storage Bay 3. In addition, an automatic crane distancing system was planned to be installed in the large terminal building to prevent any collision between the 50 tonne crane and another crane with a load capacity of 30 tonnes also operating there.
Birs Terminal awarded the complete contract to the Swiss subsidiary of Demag Cranes & Components. As the owner emphasises, Demag submitted by far the best quotation in every aspect. The customer was particularly impressed by the analytical approach to the refurbishment issues. Demag accepted the challenge of a complete refurbishment and successfully completed it. This ultimately resulted in a new product: a Demag crane. After having the crane bridge repainted, the owner acknowledged this by adding "Crane, Year of Manufacture 1973 – converted 2004, Demag 50 t Crane".
Demag is to optimise the 50 tonne crane even further in 2006. When the corresponding funds have been released, Birs Terminal intends to invest in a newly developed hoist from Demag. Its wider drum can accommodate a longer rope and therefore enables a greater lifting height to be achieved. Thanks to the modernisation, Birs Terminal already benefits from high availability. Demag also guarantees long-term supplies of spare parts and, via a maintenance agreement, that spare parts are delivered within a few hours in the event of a malfunction.
When the 50 tonne crane suffered a malfunction in the past, the customer used to go to great lengths to solve the problem by raising the crane beneath a higher section of roof in a specific part of the bay. The second crane installed in the bay, which has a load capacity of 30 tonnes, could then travel beneath the 50-tonne crane and carry out its tasks. The 50-tonne crane was then lowered again and repaired at the back of the bay.
The new double-girder overhead travelling crane supplied by Demag Cranes & Components which is installed in Bay 3 of the terminal facility has a load capacity of 32 tonnes. It stores coils and stacks of sheet metal according to specific grades and dimensions. Retrieval operations are performed on the First-In-First-Out principle. Since the radio-controlled crane can serve any part of the bay, Birs Terminal also benefits from efficient utilisation of the available space. The crane replaced forklift trucks, for which aisles had to be kept free in the store. The resulting benefit: The storage capacity increased to 5500 tons of steel.
Demag Cranes & Components GmbH in Wetter/Ruhr provides solutions for material flow and logistics requirements and drive applications with the most comprehensive range of products and services for companies of all sizes – from small workshops to the trade sector and major industrial enterprises.
With the product range of the two Cranes and Handling Technology/Drives business unit, the company provides special solutions in various industries for travel applications, ergonomics and load handling at the workplace and material flow in production and storage. The third business unit is dedicated to Service and ensures the economical use of Demag products with its complete range of services, and thus also lasting customer satisfaction.
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Contact:
Corporate Communications
Demag Cranes & Components
Mr Christoph Kreutzenbeck
Tel. +49 (0) 211 / 7102-3907
