In 2001 and 2010 there were further advances says Terex. The lightweight aluminium Aluline series was followed by the establishment of KBK II-H for distances between suspensions of more than 6m and profile section loads of up to 1,200 kg.

The system now offers overhead transport solutions for loads up to 3,200kg with single and double-girder suspension cranes, suspension monorails, slewing jibs and cranes. Portal and stacker cranes can all be individually configured for both stand-alone solutions and with suspension monorails and linear transport up to areaserving crane systems.

The system uses different profile section sizes; for loads up to 2000kg these are hollow track sections with protected inside running surfaces. KBK III outside-running profile copes with higher loads.

To prevent bending stresses and to minimise horizontal forces in the superstructure, the profiles are suspended allowing pendulation. Plastic shells in the ball joints cushion impacts, reduce noise and minimise maintenance work.

In the heavier end of manufacturing Terex Materials Handling has recently complete a major installation of overhead cranes for the industrial mixer and grinder manufacturer Maschinenfabrik Gustav Eirich based in Hardheim in the Neckar- Odenwald district near Heilbronn.

Future plans

The company has been making a major investment to both reorganise and expand now capacity level production lines. Manufacturing line logistics are being streamlined for greater output and to cope with new larger mixer units that the company is now making. New manufacturing machines are being complemented with new crane systems.

Eirich factory manager Uwe Greissing says the new master plan focused on three working areas: painting facilities, crane equipment and production.

The new mixers now weight up to 46t and are beyond the capacity of previous 32t capacity cranes to move in fully assembled condition says Greissing. "They had to moved as semi-complete units and finished outside the building, loaded by expensively hired in mobile crane. That tied down production organisation too."

A new logistics centre and assembly lines for some machines were relocated to a new site 10km away leaving room for expansion work in Hardheim. Here a state-of-the-art production bay 105m long has been put up next to the oldest building. Next to this bay, the state-of-theart painting facilities were installed.

Major commitment

The facility includes seven Demag crane installations. Universal cranes, based on standardised crane components, were designed to Eirich specification. Current maximum weight for a mixer machine was used for maximum load capacity to ensure just one crane can move a unit.

Two ZKKE double-girder overhead travelling cranes, which each have a load capacity of 50t and a span of 22.22m, operate on a 12.5m high runway at a height of 12.5m. They can operate in tandem for a double sized load. DR20 hoist units on them have two-stage operation to allow assembly operations at a microspeed of 0.3m/min.

For final assembly and sub-assemblies supply a second crane level features two 12.5t Ekke single-girder overhead travelling cranes at a height of 9.60m. The split level means every crane works independently. The cranes have hand-held radio controls rather than cable control, to avoid tangles.

Monitoring devices on the 50t cranes improve operating safety by indicating when the upper hook position has been reached to allow cranes below to pass.

Two more 50t cranes, this time with a 9.85m span and a single girder 12.5t overhead travel crane at a lower level are used in the paint shop. way,

All the seven cranes have frequency inverters for smooth starting and variable travel speeds in the cross-travel direction and all are equipped with active load detection.

Very large loads are also handled by hoists from maker SWF Krantechnik whose CRABster winch deals with loads up to 250t. It comes with a NovaMaster hoist overload protection with strain gauge load measuring, a closed loop hoisting frequency inverter, a hoisting motor with encoder and frequency

inverter-controlled travelling machinery. The unit has a compact design and optimal approach dimensions with no horizontal hook movement and uses CraneMaster software for calculation support. It comes with four frame sizes and is available as solo winch or with a crane kit and with either double girder trolley or fixed hoist.

Broad portfolio

SWF sells mainly to independent crane manufacturers, lift equipment resellers and service companies which it claims like the high performance of the components compared to average products on the market.

It makes a wide range of equipment in a comprehensive product portfolio and adds to that a complete service package which includes support, customer specific configuration software, as well as technology and sales training says marketing communications manager David Rennert.

Recent developments include the CHAINsterGT electric chain hoist with hoisting inverter, A and S motor technology for energy efficient material handling and our Sway Control electronic load-sway protection

The CHAINsterGT chain hoists for loads up to 2500kg come with an integrated hoist inverter. This preprogrammed unit has a range of functions and ensures greater operating safety the company says; no extra effort is required when starting up. The inverter gives a wide range of speeds with greater hoist speeds at partial load, as much as double at 30% or less. Lower hoist speeds can be used for precise positioning of loads.

Other features include electronic monitoring of the slipping clutch, permanent calculation of the safe working period, mechanical and electronic overload protection and prevention of shock loads which reduces the impact of sudden shocks.

In general says SWF the use of frequency inverters for the hoisting process increases productivity. "This leads to an extended lifetime of motors and brakes as well as cost savings for maintenance work and spare parts. Furthermore, the hoist works in a far more energy efficient manner than a conventional contactor-controlled solution."

The new electronic Sway Control loadsway protection feature prevents harmful load peaks. "It therefore reduces the stress exerted on both electrical and mechanical components and as a result cuts the time and money spent on maintenance.

Ease-of-use

According to SWF cranes are easier to control and allow the load to be placed in just the right position. "The crane operator can focus his concentration entirely on the load and does not have to take into consideration the cross and long travelling movements. This represents a considerable saving in time and enhances the safety of the operation in progress."

Sway Control monitors all movements. These includes the lifting height which gives the sway length, speed of travel and the load carried. The system uses these values to regulate acceleration and braking curves correspondingly, thus preventing sway on the load suspended.

Medium-sized family-owned firm Kuli meanwhile says that it is increasingly looking to tailor solutions to meet specific demands of customer's requirements with higher speeds, synchronisation, alignment control) in order.

It makes various kinds of crane components and cranes from 125 kg to 200t including overhead travelling cranes, underslung cranes, gantry cranes and wall-mounted travelling jib cranes.

"They are used in various applications and duty classes from maintenance to production at low life-cycle costs" says Bielinski.

"These crane are equipped with our space saving Kuli Electric wire rope hoists, travel drives and control systems " says Bielinski. "For smaller capacities our compact electric chain hoists are available."

Recent developments include a new trolley launched at the recent Bauma exhibition. It used a wire rope hoist for a DG EOT Crane with 120t capacity. The compact designed hoist can lift to a height of 15m.

The crane is also equipped with an additional crab with a lifting capacity of 80t to enable the two crabs to jointly turn over large machine components.

Germany is home for many key firms in the hoist and crane market