Since 2014 Hamburger Rieger (Containerboard) operates the company location in Gelsenkirchen where several hundreds of thousands of tons of corrugated broad base papers and gypsum-grade paperboards are produced every year. To further increase the capacity of the location the company charged TEICHMANN CRANES with modernization of an overhead travelling crane that had to be used in the paper mill for transport of the paper reels. For this it was equipped with two double rail trolleys with lifting capacity of 40 t each that can be moved together or separately. Thanks to the higher lifting capacity with the TEICHMANN crane even transport of the big paper rolls weighing 36 t will be possible and consequently there is nothing standing in the way of the intended production expansion. Within only 6 weeks the workshop overhauled crane was ready for assembly and it was assembled during a scheduled plant shutdown in a time frame of just 8 hours. Hamburger Rieger is one of Europe‘s leading producers of high quality corrugated broad base papers.
As specialist for manufacturing and reconstruction of cranes and lifting devices TEICHMANN CRANES have set themselves the goal to keep the prices low and the delivery times short while consistently maintaining high quality standards. That is why the company located in Essen focuses on the use of second hand components to the greatest possible extent.
Complex special reconstruction of an Overhead Travelling Crane within just 6 weeks
In this case production and delivery of a new crane would have taken at least 9 months. But as TEICHMANN CRANES disposed of the suitable crane and as the necessary spare parts were immediately available from stock the workshop overhauled overhead travelling crane could be handed over to the customer within only 6 weeks after assembly by the TEICHMANN specialists during a scheduled plant downtime of just 8 hours. Commissioning of the crane could as well be carried out to the customer’s full satisfaction.
In addition to general reconstruction and adaptation works on the mechanical and electrical equipment the altitude difference had to be compensated by unilateral jacking of the crane bridge, similar to the existing 20 t cranes in the factory building.
The trolley track gauge could be adapted by prolongation of the steel construction to a length of 9 meters. The span of the crane is 16,42 m after its adaptation. In order to optimize the statics during crane operation the steel construction was strengthened. By the use of new DH2100 hoists the lifting height could be adapted to 13,5 m.
For relief of the crane runway the end carriage beams in the centre were extended and the trolley frame was rebuilt. The wheelbase in the centre was extended to 7 m. The drive units were overhauled in the workshop and a cable drum for alimentation of the existing lifting beam was installed.
Complex assembly with very narrow time frame of only 8 hours
In the course of the maintenance works carried out in the paper factory during the day of assembly the TEICHMANN specialists had a time frame of just 8 hours for mounting the crane on the existing crane runway in a height of about 13,5 m with the aim of assuring smooth operation afterwards. After standstill of the machines the ambient temperatures still exceeded 50° C and there was high air humidity. Another challenge was the angled construction of the hall through which the huge crane segments had to be maneuvered in a clever way before being put into lifting position on the floor of the hall.
Due to the angled hall entry the assembly turned out to be precision work and it could only be managed with the help of two mobile cranes; one of them inside the hall and one of them standing outside the hall letting down a hook through a small assembly hole in the roof of the hall. Before start of assembly the low and angled intermediate level required patient shunting operations of the mobile crane driver when entering the hall and positioning the crane inside.
The yellow connecting pieces between the two bridges also represented a challenge. However, assembly of the second one was already much easier than assembly of the first one. Thanks to experienced handgrips, proactive working and detailed planning the TEICHMANN crane specialists were always well on schedule.
Finally with one of the existing overhead travelling cranes the second trolley could also be shifted from the loading area of the truck into the hall. It was placed on the floor and positioned afterwards. After having been attached to the hook it was lifted by the mobile crane standing outside for being turned and positioned with the help of a rope fixed at the trolley. Both trolleys were pulled with two chain hoists to the outermost position.
