grab’s design and minimize its dead weight. The
pulley blocks without penalizing the reliability.
rubbing during loading cycles. That’s why BLUG
performances.
and the most demanding conditions.
product range to enhance its reliability and efficiency. One of
applications. Due to the environment-unfriendly pollution that
proof closed valves structures.
includes variable flow piston pump operated hydraulic system.
grab’s developed power during opening/closing operations.
systems’ behaviour. These tests results have been controlled by
with fixed flow hydraulic systems. Consequently, the electric
operation costs and the environmental impact of the grabs.
The booming Australian bulk market continues to be a growing
opportunity for the Tauranga-based company PM Grabs. Recent
deliveries include three 14m3 diesel hydraulic grabs to P & O
Automotive and General Stevedoring in Darwin, and delivery of
two heavy duty 10m3 grabs to Northern Stevedoring Services in
Townsville, Australia.
The extra heavy duty remote grabs delivered to Townsville
were developed working closely alongside the client Northern
Stevedoring Services. The client had requested extra robust
grabs capable of handling high specific gravity materials in
demanding conditions. A low drift profile was also required to
cope with the broad tidal range experienced in Queensland
ports of Townsville and Mackay.
Northern Stevedoring Services operations manager Jos
Pascoe says the ability to change the grab operating chains from
double to single purchase to adjust drift profile is proving a
critical advantage for the port operations.
He says the grabs’ seal integrity has also proven a big plus
when unloading valuable bulk cargoes including high analysis
fertilizer.
“Loss onto the berth surface immediately contaminates the
cargo and devalues it, something our clients want to avoid at all
costs.”
The ability of the grabs to discharge without having to
contact the load like touch grabs significantly reduces wear and
tear damage on discharge hoppers.
While built around a 10m3 capacity, the remote grabs have
several features that enhance their robustness for demanding
conditions.
PM Grabs focus on environment and productivity
Side fenders have been incorporated, stiffer grab arms
developed and heavier 100 grade Kuplex chain were added. The
additions effectively boosted the grabs’ safe working limit to 20t.
The addition of bucket spill windows to control capacity adds to
the grabs’ flexibility, allowing them to be tailored according to
high specific gravity loads or limited crane capacity.
“The 10m3 frames also mean we can transport the grabs
legally by road between our port facilities.”
DIESEL HYDRAULIC GRABS OFFER FLEXIBILITYPM Grabs’ new diesel hydraulic grabs also represent a new
generation of bulk discharge equipment that focus as strongly
upon minimizing environmental impact as they do upon
maintaining productivity.
“We have incorporated the very latest design, construction
and technology into this range to enable our clients to meet the
stringent conditions so many are now having to operate under
when it comes to noise and dust emission issues,” says PM
Grabs manager Bruce Ennis.
At the heart of the ‘green grab’ design is a Tier 3 Euro
standard Deutz diesel engine. The 89KW engine has been
subject to extensive noise suppression using acoustic sound
reduction materials. The entire grab head profile was also
redesigned in order to improve maintenance access, reduce dust
ingress and contain noise emissions more effectively during
operations.
The grabs have also been built with a hydraulic system that
can operate on biodegradable vegetable oil. The components
have integrated leakage catchments so in the unlikely event of
fluid loss the significant quantities of oil and fuel within the grab
system will be contained within the grab profile.
DESIGN MINIMIZES PRODUCT LOSSESInnovative design focusing on the grab jaws has meant product
run out and spillage is minimal. The 10–14m3 grabs feature a
unique overlapping blade seal design that maintains its integrity
across a wide range of product densities. Bucket dust control
flaps can also be supplied, while all grabs are fitted with a two
stage adjustable bucket opening. This makes them flexible
enough to discharge into narrower hopper spaces and allow
better control over dust emissions in high wind situations.
MAINTENANCE AND DOWNTIME MINIMIZEDThere has also been significant focus on improving on the
previous model’s enviable reputation for quality, low maintenance
performance. A state of the art Eaton Vickers integrated PLC
IP67 control system has enabled control box components to be
significantly reduced. This has all but eliminated fault and
maintenance issues around circuit relays and panel connections.
The technology also provides operators with greater
information on grab performance and fault diagnosis. Information
will scroll up on the grab’s control panel screen, along with
alerts arriving to the crane operator’s hand held remote unit.
“Diagnostics is a simple exercise, making maintenance and
repair work straightforward, and minimizing down time,” says
Ennis. The compact easy to use remote is rechargeable with
batteries and provide 72 hours of use before requiring
recharging.
The Deutz engine and hydraulics are mounted on an easily
removed sliding module. Sitting on its own subframe, this allows
full access to the systems for maintenance and for the engine to
be tested outside of the grab body before being reinstalled.
Locating the engine within the body of the grab, rather than
above it, has not only helped reduce the noise emissions but
also gives the grabs a lower centre of gravity and operating
profile.
The resulting low drift profile was a critical requirement for
the Port of Darwin delivery where variable ship size and
significant tidal movements dictated a grab that could operate
over demanding drift conditions, while minimizing ship and dock
damage.
PROSPECTS POSITIVE FOR AUSTRALIA AND BEYONDPM Grabs has weathered the downturn in global bulk
commodity trade well and has benefited from Australia’s surge in
bulk handling in recent years. Grabs are now installed in several
significant ports, including Port of Brisbane.
“With a total of over 700 million tonnes of bulk cargo moved
annually in Australia we see significant potential to grow the grab
business further on our back door. The fact demanding clients
are coming to us suggests PM Grabs is well ahead of the market
in meeting increasingly strict environmental requirements,” says
Ennis.
Euromec Srl - present in all main plants worldwide
Euromec was born from the merger of two different
historical companies in the lifting and handling field and it
represents the best synthesis between experience and
professionalism.
For more than 60 years, Euromec Srl has been
producing electrohydraulic equipment for the handling of
all different kinds of bulk materials as well as for the
loading and unloading of ships.
Thanks to its unquestionable experience the company
specialized in the handling of every different kind of
material and it builds respecting the most rigorous
certifications worldwide, like ATEX, NEC500 and NEMA
rules for dangerous environments and GOST
certifications.
Because of its high level of specialization and its
capacity to satisfy all of its customers’ needs, Euromec is
present in all the main steelworks worldwide: FERALPI
group, LUCCHINI group, ACERBRAG ARGENTINA,
ARAB IRON & STEEL INDUSTRIE TAILANDIA,
ARCELOR MITTAL group, DEACERO, DUFERDOFIN,
GERDAU group, DIACO Colombia,THYSSEN KRUPP
GROUP, ALFA ACCIAI ITALIA and many others.
Furthermore, Euromec Srl’s equipment are made with
top-quality materials, with most known anti-usury sheet
metals and with all automatisms which allows work to be
carried out in 24/h turns both in extremely hot and cold
environments.
Another field in which Euromec is prominent, is the
incineration and waste treatment plants field. Thanks to
the reliability and sturdiness of its production it is present
in the main plants worldwide with the most complete
range of grabs that can be found on the market.
Thanks to its careful view of its customers’ demands, its
meticulous technical study and its in-depth knowledge in the
process of materials’ handling, Euromec is present in the most
important ports and plants worldwide. Reliability and post-sale
assistance are the elements which have always distinguished
Euromec from all its
competitors.
During the planning of its
products Euromec pays
particular attention to the
simplicity in all production
processes, so that it can keep
the production costs low,
improve the final quality of its
products and reduce
maintenance to its minimum,
therefore offering to its final
client an economical product
which is reliable, long-lasting and
with low maintenance costs.
The complete satisfaction of
its clients’ needs, both during
the planning and the
construction phase and in the
post-sale assistance are what
sets it apart from its
competitors.
All this is due to the
synthesis between the
commercial marketing strategies
and the attention to the
technical aspect.
ORTS GmbH delivers four radio-controlled diesel-hydraulic grabs to South Africa
At the beginning of the year, Germany’s ORTS GmbH
Maschinenfabrik Sereetz, delivered four radio-controlled
diesel-hydraulic grabs via air-freight to South Africa for
an emergency case.
The customer was a company specialized in such
emergencies and it was familiar with ORTS’s grabs from
a similar situation a few years ago.
ORTS’s radio-controlled diesel-hydraulic grabs are
fast and reliable and managed to discharge a big bulk
carrier, who was damaged, in a shorter time than
estimated.
From another customer, which also has radiocontrolled
diesel-hydraulic grabs in operation for
handling iron ore, ORTS received word that the cranes
have handled 750,000 tonnes of iron ore within only
three months — and these grabs were not new.
Each of them has already over 8,000 hours of
operation.
Meanwhile, ORTS’ electro-hydraulic grabs are still
top-sellers, with orders for electro-hydraulic grabs with
crane equipment reaching until 2011.
ORTS will be at the SMM in Hamburg this year and
will again exhibit a 12m3 grab.
Kinshofer unveils new C40HPX re-handling bucket
Kinshofer GMBH recently announced its new re-handling bucket
C40HPX, with four serialized HPX drives (helix powered
hydraulic drives).
The C40HPx bucket’s main advantage is its absolutely linear
closing force (versus the cylinder version which has a weak
beginning, strong half open/closed position and is weak again at
the end) while the buckets move. This is only possible through
these revolutionary helix powered hydraulic drives free of
conventional cylinders.
Working in the daily rehandling jobs the flat closing curve,
due to special position of the shell’s axes, is another important
advantage.
The completely closed system needs no short hoses and is in
use for environmentally sensitive jobs, such as excavating mud
out of protected creeks and channels, or for the discharging of
cereals etc. As it runs in a permanent oil bath, it is completely
maintenance-free.
Features include:
optimal handling due to the high volume of robust shells;
precise positioning thanks to the mounted 15t rotator;
due to the revolutionary HPX drive concept, no hydraulic
cylinders are required;
constant closing forces;
50% longer life cycle;
maximum filling volume with a flat closing curve; and
integrated non-return valve to ensure load security.