Unique Stacker Crane Allows Customer to Meet Demand for Expanded Product Line

15-Ton Crane Allows Manufacturer to Meet Demand for Larger Products

APPLICATION:

15-Ton Single-Girder Stacker Crane

INDUSTRY:

Heavy Manufacturing /
Fused-Cast Refractories

KEY COMPONENTS:

  • Mast
  • End trucks
  • Festoon system
  • Runway system
  • Girders and columns
  • Remote-mounted operator stations
  • Remote-mounted variable-frequency drives
  • Fiber-optic cable for motor-feedback data

BUSINESS ISSUE:
The customer was facing demand from its customers and prospects for a line of larger, heavier refractories for lining furnaces that manufacture glass. The mandate: To develop a customized, heavier crane system that would fit inside the existing facility and would move close enough to the furnaces to accept pours. As the centerpiece of the customer's operation, the system must be durable enough to operate nearly 24/7, with minimal maintenance requirements.

SITUATION:
The customer's existing 7.5-ton single-girder stacker
crane, nearing the end of its useful life, was requiring
excessive maintenance. More important, the existing
crane could not handle the larger furnace-lining refractories increasingly demanded by the highly
competitive glassmaking industry. Because of the
furnace design and space constraints at the customer's facility, a more typical double-girder stacker crane was out of the question, as it would have required a cost- prohibitive building redesign.

HAN-TEK SOLUTION:
HAN-TEK customized and installed a unique 15-ton single-girder stacker crane. Unlike the more
typical double-girder stacker cranes with a center mast, HAN-TEK's unique solution is
streamlined enough to fit inside the customer's existing facility and to move close enough to the
furnaces to accept pours.

To physically support the new stacker crane and fit it into the customer's envelope, HAN-TEK
implemented cost-effective structural improvements to the existing runway system. Before
delivering the crane system, HAN-TEK upgraded the existing runway girders and columns to
accommodate the increased wheel loads imposed by the larger crane.

The HAN-TEK crane solution allows an operator to use the forks on the mast to reach into an
area and pick up an offset load -- in this case, a silica mold standing up to 10 feet high. The
crane then moves along a 100-foot runway system to one of two furnaces. The furnace pivots
vertically at the center to pour molten refractory -- up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit -- into the
mold through a tap at the bottom. The HAN-TEK crane then backs out, deposits the filled mold,
picks up an empty mold in sequence and moves back to the furnace, accomplishing several
pours per half-hour. Once cooled, the molds yield 'bricks' that will line glass furnaces. Fork-
truck operators move the molds into and out of the staging area.

CUSTOMER VALUE:
Expanded product line. Using the customized HAN-TEK stacker crane system, the
customer can now capture more market share by supplying larger furnace linings for its
customers.

Cost-effective, streamlined design. The HAN-TEK crane system's single-girder design allows it to move close enough to the facility's two furnaces to accept pours. Most stacker cranes use two girders with a center mast --.a design that would not have fit in the customer's facility without a cost-prohibitive building redesign.

Safety improvements. The HAN-TEK crane system delivers several key safety features, including greater operator control and more precise positioning. The crane's controls are programmed to deliver full torque to the hoist braking system, checking for proper adjustment a split second prior to every brake release. If any slippage is detected, the brake will not be released. The HAN-TEK crane also features a slack-cable detection system that eliminates the potential for operator error when lowering the carriage.

Versatility and ease of use. The HAN-TEK solution features variable-frequency drives on
all motions -- permitting the customer to modify a wide range of parameters including speed,
acceleration and braking distance. Operator controls are conveniently located at a festooned
pendant station and at one of two pedestal-mounted control stations at the furnaces.
Training provided by HAN-TEK allows two shifts of operators to run the crane safely and
efficiently.

Durability and reduced maintenance. The controls on HAN-TEK's crane system use variable-frequency drives that allow for soft starts, torque proving and load float -- greatly reducing the wear and tear on brakes and other mechanical components. Maintenance requirements consist primarily of regularly lubricating moving parts and checking the wire rope and bearings for wear. Minimal downtime for maintenance allows the customer to operate as efficiently as possible, gaining an edge over competitors.

To learn more about HAN-TEK crane, hoist, or other solutions, contact HAN-TEK at 800-836-0237 or email sales at Sales@HAN-TEK.com.

HAN-TEK, Inc., an ISO 9001:2008 registered company, headquartered in Victor, New York
(suburban Rochester), customizes advanced automation technology to optimize
manufacturing-assembly and product-distribution systems. Founded in 1961, HAN-TEK
specializes in overhead cranes, integrated conveyors, and systems automation and controls.