[WRE UPDATE | BUSINESS]
experience. “Te motion, the seat moving around, giving you the effect of a real-life crane cab experience impressed me,” he said. “I’m a crane operator myself and the effect was realistic. We have a CM Labs simulator at the IUOE international training site and I’ve been able to get on it.” He believes the tabletop models are good for learning a crane’s functions, such as LMI readings, and better understanding the particular crane’s operations. “But the big system, that gives you the seat simulation, the movement and the motion, is dead on to what you’re going to get in the cab of a crane.”
A crane operator would pick up skills
more quickly with a simulator, believes Templeton. “Tere are more things he can be aware of, and different skills that can be taught, in that situation,” he says, noting he’s spent 20 years in crane operations in the field and has worked around cranes of all types. “Your initial fears of being in a crane and the risks involved in operating heavy machinery—you take that risk factor out when you practice using a simulator, and you avoid the chance of damaging the equipment.” Illustrating that point exactly, CIS
reported that shortly after the CM Labs demo event, a customer utilized the cab- style simulator to prepare for a rough-terrain crane practical exam for crane operator certification. Te operator had several months of job-related experience before starting the training. After spending about 40 hours on the Vortex simulator and 10 hours on an actual crane in the yard, the operator was able to pass the practical exam on the first try. “Many trainees would require more time in the seat to pass the practical exam from the cab of a real crane, which further validates the quality of the simulator training experience,” Dickinson noted. CIS provides hands-on, classroom and technology-based training for the crane and rigging industry, nationally accredited NCCER certifications, equipment inspections, expert witness services, and consulting to the lifting industry. To learn more, visit their website at www.
centeredonsafety.com. And learn more about products from CM Labs at
www.cm-labs.com. y
TexChainTM Gets a Lift!
TEXWEB, INC., based in Eden, New York, recently displayed its TexChain product at the Associated Wire Rope Fabricators’ PIE. After the show, TexWeb Vice President Hany Tadros shared some background on the product, including its development and application. As so often happens, the story of TexChain began with a customer
who had a very specific material handling challenge. In this particular instance, a need for specialized lashing to handle fragile equipment kicked off 18 months of technical development and trials. With more than 20 years of experience including manufacturing wire rope and synthetic slings, as well as inspection and training, the TexWeb team was eager for the challenge. “As soon as we started to develop
the product, we anticipated various applications that TexChain would be suitable for” said Tadros. Some of the most frequent applications include towing and recovery operations as well as boat lifting and lashing, among many others.
Te concept itself is
straightforward enough – a pliable synthetic round lifting chain. TexChain is made with Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers, with the infill consisting of a continuous coiled fiber which is mechanically inserted into a weaved fabric sleeve. All of the manufacturing for the product is done under one roof at the Eden, NY facility. It is available in minimum breaking loads ranging from 33,000 to 180,000 pounds. Among its benefits – the chain is light and easy to carry, and has no limit for low temperature use. It does not conduct electricity, is resistant to most chemicals and abrasion. It’s also “user-friendly” with other rigging accessories, requiring no special fittings for attachment to hook or load. TexWeb first introduced the product at LiftEx 2017 in November
of that year in the UK, and it’s been well received in the marketplace. Given its unique characteristics, Tadros stated, “I’m confident that it’s going to take a good place in the market as a new product for special use and not as a replacement to existing lifting gear.” y
Visit their website at
www.texweb.us to learn more.
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE MAY–JUNE 2019
77
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
