Manufacturers are expanding their industrial crane product portfolio by launching new series of products made specifically for specific purposes. Jenny Eagle launched an investigation.
Chains and manual hoists are used to lift smaller loads rather than bridge cranes, because they can be fixed in one position instead of being installed on a slide or beam. They are generally used for lifting and handling components, and come in various types, such as manual, electric and hydraulic, and can be used with ropes, chains, cables or wires, rather than the "pick and place" applications often used by bridge cranes.
We have summarized the latest chain hoist technology, and focused on new products and trends that promote development, such as digitization (data transmission, real-time load monitoring and display), easy maintenance (with easy access and other functions) parts that need to be replaced regularly), And the capacity is getting larger, partly because the chain is stronger and lighter.
According to Transparent Market Research (TMR), industrial cranes are expected to see increasing demand in various industries due to their reliability, performance and low failure rate.
Safety, quality and service issues related to lifting equipment will drive the development of this market in the next decade.
TMR claimed in its report: "Electric Hoist Market-Global Industry Analysis, Scale, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecasts from 2018 to 2028", more and more manufacturing industries in various economies may produce high-level material handling Process demand is expected to drive the industrial crane market.
The booming construction industry, the trend of shifting production facilities to developing countries, and the increasing popularity of e-commerce and the need for warehouses have led global manufacturers to enter the local market and sell their products. An example is Liftket in Germany, which recently launched an industrial crane shop so that customers can order electric chain hoists for industrial applications online and configure their hoists from a large number of additional options by activating a user account on its website Online, available 24/7, four languages, live chat and 2% online discount.
But with this growth in the market, changes in raw material costs hinder the production cycle and overall cost. Socio-political and economic instability may also limit the market. The maintenance of industrial hoists is also an important factor that customers need to consider, including regular maintenance to ensure their effective operation over time.
Increasing productivity and overall performance while reducing operating costs is a key factor affecting the demand for industrial cranes. Manufacturers are expanding their product portfolios by launching new series of products made specifically for specific purposes.
One such company looking to expand into other markets is Tiger Lifting UK. The company’s technical manager Andy Sutherland said that although its CSS (Security Screw Cam Clip) is not a new product, it is seeking to introduce it to other markets because it is not only suitable for off-road applications. It also applies to other industries.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges in the UK and globally. We are fortunate to be in a position where our business continues to grow but there are restrictions and restrictions to protect everyone. Some of the key issues we face are trying to keep up with supply and demand. , While dealing with logistics issues," Sutherland explained.
"In the industry, people are looking for upgrades, they want equipment to be more protective and robust, and as a whole, they are always looking for products and new technologies that need to be improved. Customers are always looking for safer and better products, But with it comes the cost factor.
"CSS fixtures are beginning to receive attention, which was not common in the past. It is a multi-functional fixture that is not fixed to the typical beam of a heavy fixture, but fixed to the side of the flange. This provides the end user with the ability to lift more Multi-objects, pulling activities and the versatility of the lifting plate part. A key safety factor in the design is the clamp part itself. We have a torque mark. The operator does not need to know the torque value that the clamp must set, he only needs to tighten the clamp part to On the beam, and when the torque marks are perfectly aligned with each other, he will know that this is the proper torque level and will not move on its own. This is a patented system because it is the only system in the world with this design, and Make the operation of the end user faster and easier. Therefore, through security innovation, you want the product to be more reliable and robust, but at the same time you also want to find a way to let the end user complete the work faster without compromising safety.
"Currently, we are seeing great success for CSS fixtures in Scandinavia. It is also a popular product in Australia, South Korea and Singapore where the large shipyards are located, but we have to look at the UK department. There are many different departments in the northern ocean, offshore drilling platforms, construction sites, and renewable energy departments, and because it is a multi-functional fixture, it does not have to be limited to a specific area."
Sutherland added that one of the main driving forces in the future will be ease of use and product safety, but as technology advances, as the digital age advances, challenges will follow, but manual lifting will always market. "Of course, in the current climate, the budget will play an important role in project planning. From a manual lifting point of view, this will always provide a cost-effective way to accomplish this work. When comparing pneumatic and electric systems, the cost increases significantly. Whether it is a generator, a backup power supply, the actual device itself or a fully automatic system, these costs will not be the same as the cost of manual hoisting, so it is difficult for us to see When will manual lifting become obsolete. After all, everything has to be put in place in some way," he said.
"The difficulty is that everyone is accustomed to the type of fixtures they use, but we are trying to break this model and get rid of tradition by providing different and more versatile things. This is the challenge we face, trying to break the routine and try new things. Instead of using the fixtures or equipment they have been using."
One of its customers is a Danish oil and gas company, which ordered hundreds of fixtures for its offshore projects through its supply chain distributors. This is a key contract for Tiger Lifting and the main driver for bringing the fixtures to the market. The company is willing to use this clip because it is similar to the clip they have used before and sold in Scandinavia.
Sutherland said that in addition to maritime applications, CSS can also be used in the railway network sector. Tiger Lifting recently held a meeting with stakeholders of the British Ryslip HS2 high-speed railway network project to discuss the versatility of its fixtures.
It also launched some new product lines and upgraded products last year, including its TAH21 pneumatic hoist and ULT series hoist, which are designed for mining, industrial and general engineering applications, including locomotive battery compartments, pump rooms, and underground workshops. Applications with limited headroom.
Industrial pneumatic hoists are also used in shipyards, offshore constructions, power stations, automobile plants, foundries and heat treatment plants. The hoist operates at an air pressure of 4 to 6 bar and meets the requirements of ASME B30.16 and EN14492-2.
EMM is one of the largest manufacturers of customized rigging in Europe. Recently, it provided Allseas with some new Tiger 5t single drop pneumatic hoists, beam clamps and chain hoists for the removal of two natural gas production platforms in Morecambe Bay, UK. Mainly prepare for retirement.
The South Morecambe field was discovered in 1974 and production began in 1985; it extends to licensed blocks 110/2a and 110/3a on the British continental shelf. DP3 and DP4 each consist of six wells and one device, which are connected to the central processing platform CPP1 through two pipes (24-inch and 2-inch nominal bore diameter).
The DP3 and DP4 installations and pipelines are operated by Spirit Energy Production UK Limited. They were installed in 1985 and are usually unmanned units (NUI), supported by a four-legged steel sheath with a water depth of 22m-25m.
As production is declining and the design capacity is much higher than the current production rate, the focus is on ensuring that the South Morecambe field continues to maximize the economic recovery of remaining reserves. Therefore, a series of simplification projects are underway to reduce operating expenses, reduce maintenance and integrity burdens, and optimize facilities. As part of this strategy, it has been decided to decommission DP3 and DP4 facilities and infrastructure.
Tiger Lifting's scope of work includes: engineering design, preparation, single-lift removal and disposal of DP3 and DP4 platforms (6760 ton upper part and 2,700 ton jacket); design, manufacture and installation of lifting equipment (horseshoes), reinforcements, and lifting points , Trellis and offshore fixtures; platform preparations (including cutting and removing risers, caissons and conductors, cutting platform legs and strengthening the upper part), and removing and disposing of subsea infrastructure (mattresses, spools, cables, umbilicals and erosion resistance) shelf).
Despite the pandemic, Irizar Forge faced one of the biggest challenges last year. It delivered a SWL 1000t hook block to be installed in the DLV-2000 pipelay vessel, which was built in 2016 and is currently sailing under the Panamanian flag. A major offshore vessel project. The DLV-2000 ship is used to install large submarine spools, lay infield umbilical cables and lift submarine distribution devices.
Maria Lasa Irizar, sales and managing director of Irizar Forge, said that 2020 is "a strange year in every way." The global pandemic disrupted the company's normal activities and was forced to explore new communication channels.
"It is essential to be open-minded and think outside the box. The company I lead has a history of 100 years. Even if we encounter difficulties, we always need to look forward. We have an excellent behind-the-scenes team, which is high-quality production. Products, maintenance operations and quality management are necessary. The players we contact are willing to see safety-related cost-effective products. Safety has nothing to do with pricing, but to put safety as the first priority and bring the best solutions to the market ."she says.
"We try our best to improve efficiency and use fewer raw materials for intelligent processing to achieve the company's sustainable development, thereby producing environmentally friendly products. In addition, due to the new forging technology, the product life cycle is increasing; in addition, the surface quality of the product has been in the past It has increased exponentially over the past ten years, and maintenance costs have been drastically reduced, thereby extending the replacement time.
"In the future, we foresee smarter products that are ergonomically designed, slimmer, safer to use, focusing on comfort, and using the latest technology to connect digitally with the operator to achieve predictable maintenance Maintenance and fail-safe protection to prevent any accidents.
"Even with the significant increase in safety awareness in the past 20 years, we still see that emerging countries still have a lot of work to be done. It is not limited to safety-related routines for handling or lifting operations, but also from design, technology, material research and maintenance. From a perspective."
Steven Hong, president of Taiwan's lifting and safety component manufacturer Yoke Industrial Corporation, said that 2021 will be a breakthrough year for RFID/NFC technology. In response to the focus on digitalization, it has launched a new chain hoist technology called SupraTag , "Tech for safety".
The Yoke SupraTag digital platform means that manufacturers can put all digital documents, standards and pre-use instructions in one place, and the equipment is safe and suitable for maintenance; each user who operates the equipment can obtain safe use instructions, and the equipment is equipped with SupraTag or embedded Type chip, the equipment is in the latest and reliable state, and after inspection and thorough inspection, it can be used at any time.
"We know that RFID/NFC technology has many wrong beginnings, but we believe that with the launch of Yoke SupraTag and related software platform Ri Connect, Yoke will firmly see that Tech for Safety will surpass anything previously seen in the market," He said. Say.
In the past two years, Yoke has been embedding RFID chips in all of its YP focus, insulating swivels, and promised to continue to extend this function to its other forged lifting components.
“This industry contains some of the most curious and technically talented people, and we think 2021 is the year they hope to digitize their inspection management system,” Hong added.
"The lifting industry is a very mature market, and it is conservative in adopting new technologies. Many people have tried but failed due to narrow methods, customized systems and high-cost hardware. SupraTag is the key to opening the door to digital technology. We Of many global partners and all other manufacturers."
According to Hong, the current legislation is risk-based because it often uses inadequate paper-based lifting planning systems, which are not always available to actual users. Safety instructions are either stored away from the workplace or in the office, and the knowledge of pre-use inspections is in the hands of a few people. He said that SupraTag will put all this information in the hands of every user through a smartphone, laptop or other device.
“This not only helps all lifting equipment manufacturers to digitize the information their customers need, but also helps other responsible persons to comply with HSE, LOLER, ASME and other global regulations to ensure that the equipment is not only in good condition, but also It is used to check critical improvements before they are performed," Hong said.
"Ensure that all lifting equipment put into use for the first time or have the correct documents and safety instructions, certifications and pre-use inspection records during their service life. This is usually difficult or time-consuming. SupraTag allows this to happen, so Surprisingly, no one can provide this kind of service to the millions of people who handle critical and potentially dangerous lifting equipment every day."
Another company that introduced technology to meet current market needs is Kito. The company launched Kito Electric Chain Balancer, a chain hoist that generates power that balances the weight of the load, allowing the operator to hold it with two hands Load and apply the force of light precision positioning and horizontal insertion of the part. The product has two operating modes; the floating mode allows the operator to hold the load with two hands to position the load, which is very suitable for assembly and cylinder mode, or synchronized with the operator's hand movements to achieve precise positioning.
The electric chain balancer combines Kito technology and years of knowledge accumulated in decades of chain hoist development. With built-in controls, it can quickly respond to operator actions, while being highly durable and easy for end users to operate.
"Visualization in factory operations is a popular concept today. Connecting production machines to high-performance computers allows manufacturers and operators to see at a glance which machine is used in which way. The same goes for cranes and cranes. Soon it will Kazuhiro Nishikawa, a product developer who will be used for Kito, said: "Of course, the positioning of anything to be assembled will be determined automatically, and the operation will be monitored in real time. As far as its network connection is concerned, this balancer has a pioneering role in this regard. "
Kito Corporation began accepting orders for its new 75kg and 250kg Kito electric chain balancers in Japan in April this year.
Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO) recently made some modifications to its chain hoist product portfolio, including its CM series 653 ratchet lever hoist, which has been redesigned to be lighter, more compact, easy to use, and even suitable for lower Application of headroom.
The CM series has a shorter handle length and optimized weight, which can provide a safer and more comfortable grip and prevent slippage.
When choosing a manual chain hoist, CMCO oil and gas vertical market expert Joe Runyon explained that the rated capacity of the hoist should be at least as high as the weight of the heaviest load to be lifted, and not higher than the rated capacity of hoist rings, monorail systems or other The capacity of the overhead structure of the suspension crane.
When determining the capacity requirements of an electric or pneumatic hoist, the manufacturer must not only consider the weight of the heaviest load to be lifted, but also determine the average effective load (MEL) and apply a MEL factor of 0.65.
"The manual chain hoist has the lowest purchase price, so it is very suitable for temporary or infrequent use, low capacity, short lifting height and applications when there is no power supply. Electric and pneumatic hoists provide faster lifting speeds and are more ergonomic than Manual hoists are more suitable for heavy-duty cycles, high-capacity and long-distance lifting, while pneumatic hoists require a lot of compressed air to operate and are usually used in applications involving long distances. Elevators or high-load cycles and areas where electricity is impractical or unavailable, "Runyon said.
"The purchase price of electric hoists is lower than that of pneumatic hoists. They do not require the purchase and installation of air compressors and are generally quieter than pneumatic hoists. If suitable electricity is available, for most general lifting applications, electric hoists are better than pneumatic hoists. Hoists are more often chosen. Electric hoists can also be equipped with special motors and control devices to make them suitable for designated hazardous areas."
For more information, the American Society of Engineers (ASME) and the Society of Crane Manufacturers (HMI) have developed and published crane standards, including crane ratings. These classifications of duties are based on a variety of factors, including the number of lifts performed per hour during a given work period, the average and maximum load lifted, the frequency of lifting the maximum load, the average distance lifting and lowering the load, and the maximum stop and start per hour frequency.
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