CONTROLS
ALL UNDER CONTROL
The old way of controlling a crane or hoist was to have a man who pulled or pushed a lever. As digital technology becomes all-encompassing, the old ways have now disappeared. Even simple overhead cranes have different options for controlling them – some with very complex control systems. Julian Champkin investigates.
the trolley of the overhead crane. Up, down, forward, back, left and right give all the axes of control that you might need while the operator can walk along, following the gantry, trolley, the hook and the load, pressing his buttons as he goes to get the load where it should be. Or you can make it safer by removing the cable and replacing it with wireless controls. The operator can walk the factory floor as far from the crane as he likes, no longer limited by the length of a cable but pressing similar buttons on a hand unit such as Autec’s ‘LIFT’ series, which is roughly the size and shape of a TV remote. Autec have recently expanded their range to include two more models – the T10 and T12. The new additions feature more pushbuttons and available functions than their predecessors with 13 or 15 activations,
Y
ou can control a hoist or crane with a pendant with six buttons on it, hanging from a cable and dangling from
respectively. Both models are available with either rechargeable or built-in batteries. An alternative to the hand-held remote is the not-very-attractively-named ‘belly box’, which hangs on a strap around the neck – Magnetek, Danfoss, Scanreco and Hetronic are among many that offer this alternative. Or your operator can sit in a control room above the factory floor, pressing essentially the same buttons but looking down on it all, well out of harm’s way.
In earlier days, secure and interference-free connectivity was an issue with such systems; now, simple plug-ins are the rule, generally using the standard 2.4GHz or frequency- hopping technology. For instance, Street Crane Express offer their Street Sabre control system, with up to 12 pushbuttons on the hand-held controller and with frequency- hopping that allows up to 50 systems to run simultaneously without interfering with one
The LIFT wireless controller from Autec.
www.hoistmagazine.com | May 2025 | 25
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