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f+h Intralogistics 4/2015

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f+h Intralogistics 4/2015

CRANES & HOISTS The

CRANES & HOISTS The Demag KBK Aluline from Terex MHPS fulfilled ergonomic principles When the company Hawe, a manufacturer of technologically advanced hydraulic components and systems in Munich/Germany, began planning its new plant in Kaufbeuren/Germany, the goal was clearly defined from the very start. The aim was to establish a production operation that consistently followed ergonomic principles. About Terex MHPS With the largest investment project in its 60-year history, the family-owned and managed company Hawe established a new production facility in Kaufbeuren in the Allgäu district. The new plant, which has office space of around 50,000 m² and a production area measuring 30,000 m², was inaugurated in 2014 following a construction phase of some two years. The core competence of the new plant lies in the production of valve blocks and directional spool valves as well as the automated assembly of modules. The production and assembly of the best-selling PSL proportional directional spool valves was concentrated from several locations into in one plant. The new production premises in the Allgäu district offer enough space to combine all required steps in production from raw material to the finished product at one location: from goodsin and pre-production, turning and block production, surface finishing and assembly to goods-out. A consistent ergonomic approach was also adopted for the cranes. Hawe selected the Demag KBK Aluline from Terex MHPS, Düsseldorf/Germany, light crane system, which features a low deadweight, good running characteristics and a wide variety of applications. Versatile production capacities with high level of integration With its lean production processes, Hawe can respond flexibly to fluctuating utilization and manufacture products in batches of one or in large series. At present 360 employees of the company’s total of 2,100 Terex MHPS is one of the world’s leading suppliers of crane technology with Demag industrial cranes and crane components. The core competence of the Terex Material Handling business group lies in the development, design and production of technically sophisticated cranes, hoists and components and the provision of services for these products. The business group manufactures in 19 countries on five continents and is present in more than 60 countries, reaching customers in more than 100 countries. employees worldwide and 45 trainees work at the new location. Besides energy efficiency, a major feature of the manufacturer of hydraulic components new plant is a comprehensive design approach according to ergonomic principles. This includes height-adjustable assembly workplaces as well as the use of vertical lift systems. To satisfy handling and transport requirements, modular crane systems were installed to lift and move steel parts and component sub-assemblies. Johannes Kaiser, who is responsible for the handling and assembly system project at Hawe Hydraulik, comments: “Our new plant in Kaufbeuren was designed completely in line with ergonomic principles. From the arrangement of the buildings to daylight control of the LED lighting and acoustic equipment, we have created a pleasant working environment for our employees. Ultimately, ergonomic workplace design has an immediate impact on productivity. Our ergonomics requirements also apply to the cranes and handling equipment installed in the plant, of course.” The crane installations are precisely tailored to match the production and assembly processes at the plant. They are used to pick up and transport loads under manual control and to position individual components or complex assemblies with a high 50 f+h Intralogistics 4/2015

CRANES & HOISTS level precision. For this reason, the hydraulics specialist decided in favor of the Demag KBK Aluline light crane system, which meets the above-mentioned requirements in full. The crane is a modular light crane system that can be used to configure suspension crane installations and monorail systems that are tailored to meet specific needs on the construction kit principle. Six aluminium profile sections are available in four sizes for loads weighing up to 2,000 kg. The low weight of the aluminium profile sections combined with the optimized smoothrunning trolleys makes these cranes very easy to move by hand and affords the best possible support for fatigue-free working methods. Even heavy and awkward loads can be moved and braked quickly and with only little effort. Kaiser explains their decision: “In the same way as for planning the entire factory, we also placed great emphasis on ergonomics for the cranes. That is why the deadweight of the crane profile sections and the smooth-running characteristics of the cranes are so important for us. The modular system design is also a significant aspect. In fact, that is what enabled us to place the system interfaces where we wanted them and to make the necessary modifications if the production layout is changed. Design aspects were also a factor that contributed towards the choice of this system. The KBK Aluline system blends in very well with the aluminium profile sections used for the Hawe assembly stations and test benches.” Quick and easy installation Planning and installation of the entire crane installation at Hawe were carried out by Markthaler GmbH, a company that is also located in Kaufbeuren. This company, which specializes in steelwork, is one of the certified Demag contracting partner. Florian Weinbrenner, Project Manager at Markthaler, underlines the universal range of applications offered by the KBK Aluline system: “Due to its modular design, KBK system can be used as the basis for a wide variety of lifting and transport solutions. Due to the KBK Designer planning tool, installations can be configured quickly and easily, including the generation of structural analyses, parts lists and technical drawings. This enables us to respond quickly and comprehensively to meet our customers’ needs.” The crane installations at Hawe Hydraulik are installed direct on the steelwork of the building superstructure. The dedicated KBK suspension fittings enable the crane runways to be aligned with millimetre accuracy. The suspensions can be spaced at intervals of up to eight metres due to the low deadweight of the crane profile sections and their high rigidity. These benefits reduce the need for extensive planning and cut costs for additional steelwork. In one of the assembly areas, for example, the workplaces are served by cranes operating on profile section runways measuring 14 metres in length. The two crane runways, which are installed at a distance of 5.4 m from each other, consist of an 18-R profile sections that have internal conductors. This safe and efficient form of power transmission eliminates the need for additional power supply fittings and provides an effective gain in overall height by avoiding any sagging cable loops. Two single-girder suspension cranes that have the same type of profile section travel on these tracks. The plastic travel wheels arranged on the inside of the cranes require only very low travel forces to be applied by the operators and provide for very smooth and quiet operation. The 6.4 m-long crane bridges have an overhang of 0.5 m at each end. This ensures that assembly and staging areas located at the side of the crane runway can also be reached. The hoist units used in the system are DCS-Pro chain hoists, which have a load capacity of 125 kg and, due to their infinitely variable speed control, make it possible to position the components carefully and precisely. Special load handling attachments, which are suspended from the hooks of the chain hoists, were developed to pick up individual components as well as full baskets of parts. In this way, the staff are relieved of the burden of lifting parts in all activities. Fully automated assembly of hydraulic components A further example for the use of KBK Aluline cranes can be found in the logistics operation in the automated assembly zone. A robot located in an area that is separated by protective glass panels assembles hydraulic components fully automatically. The necessary components are served with the help of a special handling solution. For this part of the operation, a worker picks up the staged workpiece carriers using a DCM-Pro Manulift unit that travels on a crane. The Manulift is hoist unit from the DC-Pro family of chain hoists and enables loads to be controlled and handled with one hand. The load handling attachments, which are connected to the unit by a quick-release coupling, turn the Manulift into a versatile hoist tool. After they have been fed out of the automatic zone, the workpiece carriers are picked up again by the crane and staged ready for the next step in the process. The crane data are as follows: track length: 9 m, crane bridge: 5.5 m. “We convinced our customer Hawe with a strong overall concept. The benefits of KBK Aluline in terms of smooth travel, ergonomics and simple operation are obvious. And, finally, the modular system gives us every opportunity for modifications at a later date and for simple spare parts management,” says Weinbrenner. Kaiser draws also a positive conclusion: “The crane installations provide support for all lifting, positioning and transport operations. They offer real benefits for our workers. Our requirements for occupational safety, ergonomics and efficiency have been met in full.” Photo: Terex MHPS www.terex.com MULTIMEDIA CONTENT Internal video: Learn more about the achievement spectrum of the enterprise f+h Intralogistics 4/2015 51

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