TECHNOLOGY REPORT | ANTI-SWAY/COLLISION AVOIDANCE


in maintenance costs and control capital expenditures in highly competitive industries. “If you haven’t looked into crane modernization, you’ll likely be surprised by the range of safety and productivity enhancements possible through updating older cranes,” adds Beckwith. He believes modernization reduces the


weight of older cranes, as new motors, trolleys, hoists and other components are significantly lighter than original equipment. Reduction of dead weight can often increase the capacity of an overhead crane as the load demands on equipment have likely increased over the years. The objectives of any crane modernization should be more efficient operation and improved productivity, both of which lead to increased profitability. Enhanced safety is also key. Sway control


technology, one of the more popular safety upgrades in crane modernization projects, limits load swing by controlling the bridge and trolley acceleration and deceleration. Active sway control is designed to dampen also the existing load sway. It is based on continual measurement of the rope angle. Waiting for load sway to stop or attempting to prevent or reduce it can considerably lengthen the duty cycle. A variety of automated features can be added in crane modernization projects. For example, cranes in busy, congested facilities can be automated to run on selected safe travel paths. And automated zone control allows a crane to be programmed to operate only in certain areas, to protect personnel and property. Another high-tech upgrade is distance-detection control, which senses proximity of other cranes on a runway to prevent collisions. One of Konecranes crane modernization services includes


S The ABB ACS880 drives.


TRUCONNECT digital technologies responding to Industry 4.0, which can be retrofitted to EOT cranes, such as those employing CXT wire rope hoists. TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring collects condition, usage and operating data from control systems and sensors on an asset and provides alerts of certain anomalies. Remote Monitoring data is used in maintenance planning and in predicting possible component or equipment failure. “Crane modernization offers more possibilities than you might imagine for updating old equipment to new standards of productivity and safety,” says Beckwith. Companies considering whether a modernization is a valid option can use Konecranes Crane Reliability Study (CRS) and Steel Structure Analysis for a deeper


insight into the condition, safety and efficiency of lifting equipment. “Sometimes the best option may be


a new crane. But the number of existing cranes out there is huge, and many properly maintained cranes can be cost- efficiently modernized,” adds Beckwith. “Modernizing a good existing crane to the best global standards can be a very attractive option where the machinery is assessed as fundamentally sound after thorough compliance, condition and safety audits to help to establish which is the best choice for each operation and industry.” Precise loading and unloading of material


is of utmost importance in the industrial sector. Numerous parameters are involved to achieve these daily operations including but not limited to wind flow, speed direction, inclination, and container positioning.


R An indoor EOT crane used in the steel industry. Photo: ABB.


REMOTE SUPERVISION ABB goes one step further to suggest there are more advanced features manufacturers should be aware of when choosing a drive for crane applications. These include: inbuilt sensorless anti-sway; brake match (catching the load on the fly, if there is a problem with a mechanical brake); HSO - Hoist Speed Optimization (running with or without a load and optimising the speed); smooth lifting (when starting with loose ropes, to avoid shock load when the rope tightens up); master/follower (a motor working together in the same gearbox) and synchro control (electrical shaft, to synchronise multiple hooks).


www.hoistmagazine.com | April 2021 | 39


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