Logistics for heavy loads |
Cranes on 3 levels in the assembly bay at SMS Meer
The plant engineering company SMS Meer has equipped its heavy-load bay with cranes supplied by Demag Cranes & Components at its central location in Moenchengladbach/Germany. The intralogistics concept includes the handling and in-house transport of parts weighing up to 180 tonnes. Demag Cranes & Components supplied five overhead travelling and wall-mounted cranes, which have been installed on three operating levels.
Heavy-load bay with 3 crane levels
A Demag process crane which is fitted with two open-winch crabs is used to transport the heavy loads on a runway installed at a height of 14.15 m. The crane primarily serves a gantry milling centre. The two MPW multi-purpose open-winch units installed on the crane have load capacities of 180 and 90 t and operate at load-dependent variable speeds. Frequency inverter-fed drives for the long and cross-travel motions also provide for convenient handling and precise positioning.
The two MPW open-winch units on the process crane are also employed in tandem for handling large-volume components. In addition, the open-winch units are designed for safe, reliable and precise turning of the workpieces to ensure that both sides of the unfinished parts are machined by the gantry processing centre.
Other unfinished and assembly parts are transported by two standard overhead travelling cranes that have a span dimension of 20.32 m, and operate on a second crane level at a height of 10.28 m over the entire length of the bay. Crane 1 operates in the east sector of the heavy-load bay and is fitted with an EK-DR Pro monorail travelling hoist that has a load capacity of 10 t. A further double-girder overhead travelling crane is equipped with a DR 20 rope hoist for loads weighing up to 32.5 t as well as a 10 t auxiliary hoist unit.
To enable also smaller parts to be turned, it was necessary to install the already compact rope hoists in a space-saving arrangement. By installing two hoist units on one crab, all machine elements made by SMS can be prepared for machining on both sides with the help of the Demag cranes.
Additional safety devices with distance-measuring sensors were installed to avoid any collisions between the crane system and the gantry milling machine during normal operation.
Two identical wall-mounted cranes with a maximum lifting height of 6.24 m and an outreach of 7 m operate on a third level below the overhead travelling cranes. Fitted with a 5 t DR-Pro rope hoist, they travel on a crane runway measuring a total length of 98 m and are responsible for transporting material to the individual workplaces. In addition, they are used for positioning tasks at the assembly stations.
The five cranes installed in the heavy-load bay are operated by radio control. This enables the operators to handle the loads with ease and affords them the maximum possible freedom of movement at a safe distance to the load.
About SMS Meer
SMS Meer is a part of the SMS Group, a world market leader in the construction of plants and machinery for the industrial processing of steel, aluminium and NF (non-ferrous) metals. SMS Meer was established as a machine factory by the Meer brothers in Moenchengladbach in 1872. By means of organic growth and the acquisition of renowned companies in its “Tubes”, “Long Products”, “Forging”, “NF Metals” and “Heat Treatment” segments, SMS Meer has become a full-range supplier in the metal forming sector. Besides various locations in Germany, the company is also represented by its own subsidiaries in Austria, Italy, Russia, India and China. Its annual sales amount to some EUR 1.2 billion; the company currently has some 2,400 employees.
About Demag Cranes & Components
Demag Cranes & Components GmbH based in Wetter/ Ruhr is a subsidiary of Demag Cranes AG and a supplier of industrial cranes and crane components for material flow, logistics and industrial drive applications. Services, such as spare parts, maintenance and refurbishment services, are another key element of the Company’s business activities. Demag Cranes & Components is represented in 22 foreign subsidiaries and agencies in 46 countries all over the world. With more than 650,000 Demag brand cranes and hoists for industrial applications in operation, the company has the largest installed base worldwide.
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Contact:Product and trade media
Christoph Kreutzenbeck
Telephone +49 (0) 211 7102-3907
Fax +49 (0) 211 7102-53907
