FEATURE COVER STORY
BESPOKE CRANES FOR flexible hose manufacturing
Overhead process cranes installed by Dunlop Oil & Marine have been engineered by Street Crane Company to fit an existing structure which presented a limited height envelope
erving the worldwide oil and gas industry, Dunlop Oil & Marine produce specialist hoses for demanding applications for every stage of oil and gas field development. Overhead process cranes from Street Crane Company have been installed to meet the unique process requirements. These have been specially engineered to fit the existing structure which presented a limited height envelope. Overhead cranes play a crucial role in efficiently manufacturing hoses of different construction, easily switching production from one type to another in response to the varying and urgent demands of Dunlop’s global oil and gas customers. Hoses are formed on long mandrels of a defined diameter around which the hose is built using resins and reinforcement in a specified pattern. Cranes are needed to load the mandrels
S
onto the hose fabrication machines and offload the completed product for transportation down the workshop for testing. In the main production area Street have provided two triple-girder cranes of 9.6 tonnes with a 3.2 tonne hoist on each beam to support the long hose lengths. These cranes may be operated singly or electronically synchronised to move together when double length hoses are produced.
SIGNIFICANT TECHNICAL CHALLENGES “There were significant technical challenges,” explains sales and marketing director Chris Lindley-Smith. “The main area has effectively six single girder cranes but configured as two triple girder cranes by the use of rigid link beams. The limited height envelope caused a complication in that a conventional crane spanning over 18 metres would be too deep a beam to be accommodated. “To enable a crane beam of lower depth to be installed the main beam comprises two section of 9.144 metres with a mid- bay runway providing support in addition to the usual side runways. Taking account of limited height available Street’s ZX 64 LH low headroom hoists are deployed. These straddle the main beam and run on the lower flange of the beam to minimise intrusion of the hoist into the space below the beam.”
6 JULY/AUGUST 2015 | FACTORY EQUIPMENT
In a second workshop where heavy duty and higher diameter hoses of shorter length are produced a double girder crane of 15 tonnes safe working load is installed. This was installed at a time of transition from one type of hose manufacture to another. In the first phase of use the crane was fitted with triple hoists providing lift capacities of six, three and six tonnes. This allowed the bulk of the hose weight to be taken by the six tonne end hoists with the smaller hoist in the centre preventing sagging. Subsequently, a more rigid hose has been made in this area so the crane has been re-engineered with twin hoists of 7.5 tonnes taking the whole hose weight. In the test and warehousing area a double girder crane of 20 tonnes with twin 10 tonne hoists is installed for cable and drum handling.
LOW LIFETIME COST OF OWNERSHIP Street Crane’s ZX hoist technology is used throughout. The ZX is built for endurance and low lifetime cost of ownership in the world’s most advanced hoist manufacturing facility.
Based on an open chassis, components
Built for endurance and low lifetime cost of ownership Street Crane’s ZX hoist technology is used throughout at Dunlop
run cooler and are easy to access for service. The hoists include unique safety features such as the easily accessible brake, working directly on the primary gear shaft and located away from the motor to avoid heat transfer.
SAFE AND RELIABLE CRANE OPERATION Gears which run in an oil-filled gearbox are easily inspected via an access plate without the need to dismantle. Digital load displays, audible approach alarms, anti-collision protection and HBC radio controls ensure safe and reliable crane operation throughout the plant. “Cranes are often an integral part of the
manufacturing process but Dunlop Oil & Marine have taken this process crane integration one stage further,” concludes Lindley-Smith. “These cranes have been engineered to enable both tooling and product to be handled safely, efficiently and flexibly, helping the company achieve greater responsiveness in their manufacturing operations.”
Street Crane Company T: 01298 812456
www.streetcrane.co.uk
Enter 300 / FACTORYEQUIPMENT
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88