Archivo de la etiqueta: Bridge cranes

THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS STARTING TO BECOME IMPORTANT IN MINING

Mining customers value the incorporation of safety systems in the cranes.

In many markets the mining sector represents an important part of global economic activity. In countries such as Chile, Peru and also Mexico, the activity linked to this sector defines the state of their economies and the investment trends that governments apply to their budgets and expansion plans.

GH has been closely linked to this sector with a considerable fleet of installed cranes and specific solutions that have contributed important experience with this type of solution.

To evaluate the situation and perspectives in this sector, we contacted the GH collaborators in Chile (LUAGHER), whose activity in the sector has led to the company becoming a real expert.

LONG TERM INVESTMENTS

How is the sector performing at the moment? Is there investment in new facilities or expansion of existing ones?

The market value of the mining resource determines the performance and investment programmes in the sector, which are usually long-term.

The volatility of commodity prices in an already global market also marks the evolution and perspectives of the sector.

There are two lines of development in the sector: new plants and modernisation and/or expansion of existing plants.

Where is the investment taking place? Are we supplying equipment?

Investment in recent years has been more on the side of state mining (CODELCO) but in the future it is expected to be more focused on private mining, with several new projects and modernisation of existing plants.

For the CODELCO projects we have supplied a large number of single girder hoists and many overhead cranes for both maintenance and production, with capacities from 5 to 80 tonnes.

What is the main reason for the growth/contraction of activity at present?

The main cause of growth or contraction is the market value of copper the “commodity”: with a low value, investments stop; with a good projected future value, they are activated.

This doesn’t only happen with copper. All raw materials are subject to the same parameters.

INCLUDE WEIGHT INDICATOR SYSTEMS

What do customers demand in terms of technology for hoists in mining applications?

In general, mining customers value safety in their new equipment: limit switches, overload, anti-collision and anti-storm protection. The type of enclosure is important; dust and moisture are elements that are always present.

For equipment installed high in the mountains (over 3,000 m in altitude) the issues of derating and heating are important.

Have we implemented any specific feature for the sector?

Although it is a standard product, the request to include lifted weight indicator systems is a constant requirement in the new equipment to be supplied, a situation that is not common in the industrial area.

This weight information is requested either through a macro display or as a screen on the control unit (radio control). It is requested primarily for safety procedures.

Safety First

Automation, collision avoidance and scale systems are a few add on items that increase equipment operation safety.

Manufacturers of cranes for the metals distribution sector are designing their technologies to provide greater levels of safety for operators, and offering improved data analysis.

Cranes and handling systems used in the metals distribution category have to be able to withstand the rigours of lifting extremely heavy materials, as well as the ebbs and flows of production which result in intense, peak periods of demand.

As a result, suppliers are increasingly offering equipment with enhanced safety features, plus the addition of monitoring tools that ensure operators can keep track of the safe working period (SWP) of their machines.

Customers are becoming more aware of the need to monitor how much of the design life or SWP of a crane has been used up, and how much remains.

IMPROVING RELIABILITY

Dovetailing with operator safety, reliability is also seen as a crucial demand from the metals distribution sector.

“Technology has to be designed for the peak use period during the day, which may often be three to four hours of intense production. Averages don’t really work in this sector!”

Juan Agirre, Special Solutions Business Unit Sales Director at GH Cranes and Components, notes that customers are increasingly looking for reliability, as well as robustness, high speeds, sway control, plus accurate load positioning and identification.

Projects GH been involved with in recent months include for steel manufacturer Acerinox, which was supplied with five cranes and a motorised hook to handle stainless steel coils with tong.

In addition, the company sold one automatic crane for handling steel sheets with an electromagnet to a steel service centre in northern Spain, as well as ten cranes for handling steel coils for the automotive industry for Gonvvama in China.

Source: http://www.hoistmagazine.com