PRODUCTS & SERVICES
A crane can only be as good as the sum of its parts Manitowoc’s Product Verification Centers have helped the company design and manufacture the most reliable cranes to ever be produced. The rigorous testing of component performance and working life cycles gives Manitowoc engineers insight into the anticipated performance of Manitowoc, Grove, National Crane and Potain cranes in the field. This process performance also speeds up product development for new designs, reduces warranty claims and on-site stoppages, and enables the direct comparison of supplier components. The Product Verification Centers test component designs earlier in the product development process than previously possible. That means component suppliers can be vetted before the products are placed in cranes. The head start enables Manitowoc to discover any potential difficulties at an earlier stage and work closely with component suppliers to devise solutions long before equipment reaches job sites. Barry Pennypacker, president and CEO of The Manitowoc Company, said that the testing processes at the Product Verification Centers have helped the company deliver on the promise of The Manitowoc Way. “The Manitowoc Way operating system has increased the velocity of our product development, so we 14
Lifting Africa - May/Jun 2020
are able to bring new cranes to the market much faster,” he said. “The testing performed at the Product Verification Centers ensures that the cranes we are producing are reliable down to the component level, and this gives us the utmost confidence in introducing new cranes. We know that our cranes bring a level of quality to the job site not previously seen in the lifting industry.” A look inside At each Product Verification Center, there are specially trained staff, with dozens of managers, technicians and engineers contributing to the processes. A proprietary verification management system organizes, prioritizes, summarizes, compares and archives the centers’ test results. Manitowoc then shares its results with its suppliers, further strengthening its relationship with these companies, and also providing valuable insight that can help them improve their component production. The Product Verification Centers feature a number of technologies that deliver detailed pictures of anticipated component
performance. Among the most significant are: • Severe environment test (HALT) chambers that can mimic extreme temperature swings and test component reaction to continuous vibration • Walk-in temperature and humidity chambers that are large enough to fit entire crane cabs, consoles and power boxes • Structural test systems with stateof-the-art data acquisition systems • Electrical and software testing labs • Imaging systems for forensic analysis, including a thermal imaging camera and microscopes • Materials lab with chemistry analysis and material strength equipment, flaw detector and hardness tester • Cyclic corrosion chambers that recreate saltwater exposure and corrosive conditions • Modular test benches for fatigue testing that improves engineering calculation models and accelerates time dedicated to new developments • Gantries that perform 24/24hr endurance tests on hoist mechanisms These facilities enable the testing of entire cranes, too. Engineers can
