General Motors in the USA has awarded KCI Konecranes an $8m contract for new cranes. It is one of the largest special crane orders ever given by an automotive manufacturer, according to KCI.
The contract includes 15 stamping plant process cranes for General Motor’s modernisation of assembly plants in the USA and Canada.
Deliveries are to begin in December 2000 and due to be completed sometime during the third quarter of 2001. The order is to supply 14 units at 65/25t, and one 80/25t die-handling crane.
The top-running bridge cranes span 100ft (30m) and are equipped with KCI’s Dyna range of stepless inverter controls, with hoisting speeds of 40ft/min (12m/min), trolley speeds of 150ft/min (46m/min) and bridge speeds of 200ft/min (61m/min).
The cranes will also feature electronic sway prevention systems and will be operated by Telemotive Maxtec 18K unlicensed radio controls.
Also specified are front and rear platforms with crosswalks, full trolley platforming, automatic lubrication systems for bridge and trolley and fall hazard protection lines for safety harness use.
The General Motors contract is the latest foray into the North American automotive industry for KCI Konecranes following previous work with Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, BMW and Hyundai.
Meanwhile, in the UK, ABB Alstom Power Generation has awarded Scotland-based KCI Konecranes (UK) a contract, worth more than $1.5m, to supply eight double girder cranes to its operations at the Staythorpe combined cycle power station in the UK. Installation is scheduled to begin in November.
The order is for four sets of two overhead travelling cranes which are designed to work in tandem. Each ‘master’ crane will be 70t/20t with 30m span and the ‘slave’ cranes will be 70t/20t/2t. These duos are specially teamed to lift the power station turbines.
The cranes will be fitted with DynaMove inverter variable speed control on the long and cross travel motions, DynaHoist inverter variable speed control on the main hoists and dual speed control on the 20t and 2t auxiliary hoists and trolleys. Also fitted will be girder platforms, floodlights, radio control and condition monitoring.
