REGION REPORT | CENTRAL EUROPE
KITO Meanwhile in Düsseldorf, Kito Europe has been helping to manufacture new traffic signs. In Germany there are over 500 different traffic sign designs but only a few companies are licensed to manufacture them. Criteria for the appearance and the condition of the signs are clearly defined, and construction follows strict quality management controls. One producer is a traffic engineering company that specialises in vertical traffic signs, road names and cycle path signs. For optimal workflow various steps in the production process are done at different workstations. Firstly, the traffic sign image is printed on
a retroreflective foil. Depending on the size of the traffic sign – it can be over 50 m2 – one or more foil sheets are needed. After that, the foil is cut to size and glued
to a metal shield – either individually or in strips if it is a larger sign. Finally, all the sign parts are set next to each other and screwed together from behind. As each sign must be clearly legible, no errors may occur. All signs must be perfectly aligned from front and back. There are different workstations for each
production step. Every large sign must be turned around and safely moved during processing. Lifting installation experts Hans-Hebetechnik + Metallbau solved this challenge by connecting several lifting elements together. A Kito ER2 electric chain hoist carries a vacuum lifting device, and both are attached to a double-girder crane from Erikkila. The vacuum lifter, a VacuMaster Comfort
from
J.Schmalz, can rotate the heavy and large loads through more than 180° to turn the signs around during production. Lifted by the hoist and transported by the crane, the vacuum lifter is used at one workstation to pick up and rotate the traffic signs, and can also position them precisely at the next workstation. The Kito chain hoist on the Erikkila crane track in combination give smooth movement of the 150kg vacuum lifting device without load swing. The die- cast aluminium body of the hoist protects an electromagnetic brake, a frequency inverter and a friction clutch. Both the Kito ER2 and the Schmalz
VacuMaster Comfort get their energy supply from an external electronic trolley. An innovation is that the chain hoist is not operated via its own control system but
directly from the panel of the vacuum lifting device. Crane and trolley movements, lifting and slewing are controlled in this way.
SEASIGHT DAVITS Seasight Davits of Ringkøbing in Denmark specialise, as the name suggests, in maritime lifting apparatus. Founded in 2011, it is currently setting up a third subsidiary in the US in addition to the ones already established in the UK in 2019 and in Taiwan last year. It also recently established a partnership in Japan, with Sojitz Machinery. Windfarm hoists are proving a particular
niche for them: in 2021 alone its products were sold and went into production for the Hollandse Kust Nord windfarm off the north Dutch Coast, Arcadis Ost 1 in the Baltic, and the Zhong Neng windfarm off Tawan. Its original product, the Titan, has fixed
outreaches from 3 to 5 meters according to specifications and WLL from 1 to 3 tons. The larger Hercules has hydraulic luffing, so it can cover the whole spectrum of the platform, with maximum outreach available from 6 to 10 meters. The company recently launched the
Spider, an upgrade of its davit crane with a transfer basket.
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