| Well-established team |
Efficient combination of crane and rope hoist optimised for crane applications
When Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG was looking for an efficient solution for handling in its recently constructed press facility, the decision was made in favour of single-girder overhead travelling cranes and the new DR rope hoists optimised for crane applications by Demag Cranes & Components. Although this is one of the first practical applications, the precisely matched combination of crane and rope hoist already operates like a well-established team.
Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG is a renowned full-service supplier to the automotive and electrical industry all over the word with the focus of production on metal component systems that ensure automotive safety and comfort. Progress customers include many national and international automotive manufacturers and suppliers to the industry. Characterised by continuous growth, the Group achieved sales of a good Euro 190 million with almost 1,100 employees.
As a result of the positive business development, Progress established a new press facility for shaping sheet metal parts with space for four presses, of which a 630 ton installation will initially go into operation, for the manufacture of various semi-finished products for the rear seatback of the new DaimlerChrysler A-Class.
Combination of crane and rope hoist optimised for crane applications
In its new press facility, Progress uses two single-girder overhead travelling cranes supplied by Demag Cranes & Components, each fitted with the new DR rope hoist optimised for crane applications. Demag standard cranes largely consist of standardised modules, which are manufactured in series and supplied with a short lead time. The cranes supplied to Progress have a more rigid box-section crane girder, which is less susceptible to vibrations. This makes them suitable for large spans with a low headroom dimension and for high operating speeds.
The cranes have a load capacity of ten tons each for a span dimension of 28.2 meters. Since the crane girders are adapted to the roof design with bevelled sections at both ends, the bottom edges of the crane girders are at the same height as the crane runway rails. This enables the height of the building to be used to full capacity with a hook path of ten meters. The operators can – unlike in the old factory buildings – travel with the load above all presses.
The cranes achieve travel speeds from ten and 40, the crabs from one and a half to 30 metres per minute. The operator can select between hoist speeds of five and 0.8 metres per minute. Furthermore, the cross-travel speed can be infinitely varied by means of frequency inverter control, enabling the crane to position with virtually no sway, and therefore quickly, gently, safely and precisely. In addition, the cranes and crabs are fitted with two-stage limit switches to switch off the normal and creep speeds, and prevent impacts with the relevant limit stops. An optical distance-maintaining system integrated into the crane also ensures that a safe distance is maintained between them both.
Progress prevents any possible bottlenecks from occurring by operating two cranes in one bay. If required, the crane can be operated in tandem in order to handle particularly large and heavy loads.
Rope hoist equipped to meet future needs
Loads are picked up by the new DR rope hoist optimised for crane applications, which travels along the crane girder on a crab. The compact design of the crab makes it possible to achieve smaller approach dimensions. With the DR rope hoist, Demag also satisfies the customer's requirement for infinitely variable lifting and lowering speeds and, therefore, easier and more precise positioning. Attention is also paid to safety, as Demag prevents anything being caught in the rope lead-in of the DR unit. Further benefits include the fact that the combination of rope hoist and crane are fitted as standard with the RC-10 CAN radio remote control system, which features signal transfer via CAN BUS to ensure smooth operation. The ergonomic operating elements and the display of the RC-10 CAN further improve ease of operation and offer even greater transparency, by referring to maintenance cycles and providing a warning if the permissible load capacity is exceeded, for example.
Demag's integrated monitoring system, fitted as standard, also provides greater efficiency, enabling individual operating parameters of the hoist and the entire crane installation to be read by means of remote diagnostics. Examples of these features are the error memory, the operating hour counter, the load spectrum recorder, which facilitates verification of the total time the crane has been in operation, as well as information on the load suspended from the hook at any given time and the condition of the brakes.
Demag has also increased the rope hoist service life by approximately 20 percent. The basis for this is its 2m+ classification according to FEM. Thanks to these optimised characteristics, the DR rope hoist is specified for a service life of 1,900 hours at full load, thereby exceeding the usual value found in the market by 300 hours. This higher design rating is very important for Progress, as the company then also benefits from longer availability, since repairs or general overhauls do not have to be performed until a later date, which ultimately results in greater efficiency.
Efficient integrated package
Overall, Demag Cranes & Components has created an efficient integrated package with its standard cranes and the DR rope hoists. This is reflected by the optimum design of the high-performance, convenient and well featured DR rope hoist which is tailored for crane applications, and also due to the C configuration of the hoist.
Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG is highly satisfied with the solution. Decisive for the award of the contract to Demag were the longer service life of the new rope hoists, the good value for money, as well as many years of good experience already enjoyed with many other crane installations supplied by this manufacturer. Progress sees a further strong argument in favour of Demag in the use of state-of-the-art technology combined with good a outlook for the future. Parallel to this, Demag guarantees the necessary high availability of the cranes and rope hoists by means of a service agreement.
