SAFETY
Helping your cranes perform safely and optimally To keep expensive capital equipment running safely and optimally requires regular servicing and maintenance, but operational issues can appear outside of these timeframes, needing to be addressed promptly so that the equipment continues to operate effectively. Hoists, runways, ropes and other lifting components can be analysed by Konecranes specialist technicians who undertake inspections that can help identify why a piece of equipment is not performing as it should. “At times, issues occur with crane performance outside of the normal servicing schedule, leading to a need for a more detailed evaluation, a function that is not always possible during scheduled and preventive maintenance cycles. Konecranes offers a variety of Consultation Services to meet these needs so that expensive equipment is not left underperforming. This would have a direct impact upon the overall safety and performance at a factory or plant,” said Emil Berning, Managing Director. “For example, cranes that are straight, square and aligned experience fewer repair costs and are more reliable. The CraneQ Crane Geometric Survey has been designed to provide accurate information detailing the alignment and square of the crane. The survey measures dimensional tolerance of wheels, end trucks, girders 24
Lifting Africa - Jul/Aug 2020
and other critical components of the crane,” said Berning, adding “Likewise the Konecranes RailQ Runway Survey gives accurate information on the alignment of the crane rail and expert recommendations on the corrective actions required.” Undetected defects or deficiencies in load-bearing or safety-related components can lead to equipment failure because they are not visible to the naked eye. Other failures may occur within components which would not normally be disassembled for inspection during servicing. This is where Konecranes Consultation Services and their technical expertise in analysing non-performance issues in crane equipment becomes a vital partnership for the customer. The RailQ Runway Survey Cranes should travel or track along their runway with a minimum of skew and without binding. Improper tracking leads to premature wheel and rail wear, which might result in unexpected costs and equipment downtime. If
left to operate without corrective action, the crane will operate inefficiently and sub-optimally. The RailQ Runway Survey can be performed on virtually any runway including those for overhead cranes, port cranes and yard cranes. The survey includes: • Visual inspection of the crane runway • Measurement of the alignment of the crane runway • Calculations based on measured data with proprietary analysis and visualisation software • 3D and 2D visualisations of the runway rails • Identification of straightness, span or elevation issues RailQ requires less time than a traditional survey and provides accurate and in-depth information on the condition and alignment of the runway and is reviewed by Konecranes specialist engineers. The Konecranes Roborail, a remotecontrolled robot trolley, assists in the collection of data, eliminating the need for a human to walk the rails taking measurements manually.
