Automatic Coil Crane With Railroad Coil Removal at Nucor Gallatin
Edgardo La Bruna, Janus Automation & Dave Reynolds, Nucor Steel Gallatin
Implementation of an automatic storage and retrieval system with the functionality to automatically remove coils from railroad cars at Nucor Steel Gallatin. This paper will present state-of-the-art automation and safety functions, including housekeeping operation, no-fly zones, intelligent positioning, detection of objects and area access.
Identifying a Disaster Crane Project Before It Happens
Larry Dunville & Tad Dunville, Overhead Crane Consulting LLC
Crane projects can be classified by Pareto's 80/20 Rule. About 80% are simple cranes, while 20% are projects one wishes to never encounter. This presentation will identify three factors that separate the 80 from the 20 and will examine how to avoid the 20% and what to do in a 20% cluster situation.
Use of Non-Contact Sensors to Provide and Improve Safety and Reliability in the Operation of Overhead Cranes
Steven Lubeck, Laser-View Technologies
Traditionally, overhead cranes have utilized mechanical means of providing safety features to protect equipment and personnel. Some examples are end stop limits, crane-to-crane spacing, no-fly zone perimeters, obstacle detection, temporary maintenance stops, and hoist side pull and anti-snag. Several sensor technologies exist that are applicable to provide non-contact solutions to applications previously handled with mechanical methods. Non-contact solutions oftentimes are more reliable and can provide a level of operational flexibility that is not possible solely with traditional methods. This presentation will provide descriptions of the various non-contact sensing methods commonly used, along with a comparison of advantages and disadvantages of each technology. New techniques will also be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the level of reliability and safety provided by each method, along with the relative levels of complication related with the integration. Examples will be provided with the intent of sparking interest in creative approaches to using sensors on cranes to establish safer and more reliable operation.