LCM Systems, the load measurement equipment manufacturer, has launched a new range of ATEX/IECEx certified, hazardous area load cells and enclosures.
The certification means Isle of Wight-based business can now offer its load cells for use in Zone 1 and 2 hazardous areas without danger of causing, or contributing to, an explosion when used in flammable gas and dust environments.
Examples of these environments include offshore drilling platforms, petrochemical plants, flour mills. They can also be used in industries where there is a possibility of a presence of potentially explosive gases, vapours, mists or dusts
In addition to the standard range of ATEX load cells that include load pins, load cells, load shackles and load links, which range in capacity from 2 to 1000+ tonnes, the company also provides customised products that are specifically designed to meet "exact customer requirements"
Steve Sargeant, managing director of the manufacturer explains: "Everyone at LCM Systems has been working hard towards the launch of this important new range. As with all our products, these load cells are manufactured to the highest industry standards to ensure that our customers can be completely confident they are getting the best in terms of quality, reliability and accuracy.
"We are delighted that we can now deliver load measurement solutions to industries around the world that have a requirement to measure loads within Zone 1 and 2 hazardous areas."
All of the company’s ATEX load cells are supplied with full environmental protection, ATEX certification and a certificate of calibration. In addition, its amplifiers and displays can form a complete measurement system for potentially explosive atmospheres can also be supplied.
J D Neuhaus has recently outlined its crane system offering for customers wanting products with Atex classifications EX II 2 GD IIA T4 / EX II 3 GD IIB T4.
The company also offers systems with increased spark protection also available for explosion level II C. Standard applications for products in this space are generally found in mining, tunneling, foundries and cement plants, as well as toxic and hazardous locations.
All load lift, lower and traverse operations operate off a pneumatic air-line pressure of 85psi (6 bar), with optional hydraulic operating systems also available. This eliminates the potential hazards and dangers associated with electrically powered equipment when operating within areas of high dust or humidity.
According to the manufacturer, the JDN range covers both single and double girder overhead travelling cranes, as well as slewing jib cranes and underslung cranes that incorporate purpose designed low headroom hoist trolley designs.
Load capacities
The firm can supply cranes with individual hoists with load capacities up to 100 metric tonnes, as well as multiple hoist crane products operating with single or twin parallel beams, while also providing individual or synchronized hoist control systems.
”For offshore lifting operations, including on sea going vessels, cranes can be supplied with rack and pinion drive systems for safe operation even in bad weather conditions. Super-silent operation is combined with sensitive controls including an automatic safety function for load-lowering in the event of power supply failure,” the company said.
It added: "Special purpose, fully customized cranes can also be supplied to customer specifications.
For companies looking for self-build projects, JDN also supplies crane kits. These are designed for the manufacture of overhead travelling cranes and underslung cranes.
"They feature the use of a single span beam providing the hoist support and running platform. This includes both overhead travelling and underslung mountings which are supplied with crane drive motors and space saving energy chain systems for the power supplies for both long and cross travel movements."
According to the manufacturer, its cranes arrive insensitive to dust, humidity and aggressive atmospheres as standard, and operate within a temperature range of -20°C to +70°C. Manfred Müller from J D Neuhaus tells Hoist that despite the ongoing development at the company, its customers "basic demands haven’t changed with regard to the operation in hazardous environments".
"It is our own demand and philosophy to improve our products continuously," he says.
For load specialists Scotload, the business has made further inroads into the hazardous environments sector with the launch of ATEX certified versions of its SmartLoad wireless load links and shackles.
According to Adrian Coventry, engineering director at Scotload, who oversaw the project, said: We have been producing systems and products for use in hazardous areas for many years and have built up a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area that we have been able to apply to the SmartLoad product."
Phil Shaw, sales director at Scotload told Hoist: "The system has already generated significant interest among major oilfield service companies worldwide who are looking to reduce maintenance costs and downtime and improve safety and reliability. The Smartload technology is easily adaptable to various applications and is set to appear in a wide range of solutions for hazardous area operations"
"Our technology is constantly moving forward and wireless capabilities are no exception. As a result of SmartLoad 2Ex load links and shackles encompassing both wireless technology and now being ATEX certified, the applications for us to provide wireless telemetry solutions for our customers have greatly increased."
Elsewhere, Motion Software has unveiled a tablet for use in extremely hazardous areas in the offshore oil and gas industry. The system, which will be available to users for the first time in early 2015, is zone 1 ATEX-compliant tablet solution.
Andrew Ayton, software manager at Motion Software, explains: "What was once seen as a leisure tool or something to play games on is now becoming pivotal equipment for supporting business operations.
He added: "We’ve seen a 150% rise in the use of tablets with our software solutions in the past year. That’s because more companies are recognising the gains of deploying technological solutions in terms of accuracy, reliability and productivity.
"In effect, it’s added another technological dimension to the industrial arena, not least in areas which have often relied to date on time-consuming, pen-and-paper-based systems.
According to the business, the availability of the first zone 1 hazardous area tablet opens up new opportunities for oil and gas companies that are looking to increase efficiency, collaborate and collect data for tasks performed in high-risk areas.
Asset tracking
It explains that tablets have a number of benefits from asset tracking where entire order processing systems, such as order picking and mobilisation – to being deployed in onshore operations such as warehouse or depots.
In addition, tablets and other handheld devices can complement tagging processes such as barcoding and RFID (radio frequency identification).
Elsewhere, the screen enables desktop applications to become mobile in hazardous areas, allowing workers to view and interact with a series of systems including those for data collection, access to documents, technical drawings and even video conferencing.
Ayton added: "The devices frequently provide a platform for two key products: our inspection and integrity software package Motion Inspect, and our equipment sales and rental management solution Motion Aspire.
"Based on our experience, it’s a growing trend. Tablets are being used for an increasing range of practical applications in industries more used to conventional tools and techniques.
"They offer greater speed, accuracy and efficiency in operational areas where those attributes can make a genuine difference in terms of business performance and safety."
Remaining with the software side of the sector, enterprise mobility specialists TBS Enterprise Mobility recently launched TM Lift Safe, which it claims is a "complete end-to-end IT solution" designed to enable businesses to meet the legal requirements of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
The software aims to tackle the problem of non-compliance with LOLER. The regulations help ensure that all lifting equipment and accessories are safe to use, and to mitigate the risk of injury.
Steve Reynolds, managing director of TBS and president of the Mobile Data Association (MDA), said: "Despite being introduced 16 years ago, the complexity and scope of LOLER, coupled with the administrative burden it can create, means many businesses are unwittingly in breach of the Health & Safety at Work Act, opening themselves up to law suits, not to mention putting employees at risk. "At present many companies rely on laborious processes, which lack traceability. Thorough Examinations can often take a matter of minutes, but the ensuing process to produce the necessary documentation can be slow, inefficient and unreliable – inevitably resulting in downtime. TM Lift Safe streamlines this process and gives managers visibility of assets and people."
TM Lift Safe harnesses Microsoft Dynamics CRM, TM Lift Safe to provide what is claimed is a complete back end system as well as a mobile application for engineers and technicians.
This application can be easily uploaded onto any smartphone and rugged devices for ATEX Zone 1 and 2 with TM Lift Safe automating the whole thorough examination process to ensure no vital safety checks are missed with asset records kept up-to-date and auditable.
According to the company, the mobile app "meticulously" guides the assigned competent person through the examination process, and captures information that is used to automatically generate a ‘Report of Thorough Examination’ in real-time.
This is integrated with the back end system, which updates asset records and schedules follow-up examinations.
Finally, Stahl CraneSystems puts the spotlight on its involvement in a project with partner company SMI tech, where it built an explosion-protected tandem crane with radio remote control, which complies with crane standards DIN EN 13001 / DIN EN 15011.
The company was commissioned by pipeline network operator Gasunie to design and build the unique crane that features two electric wire rope hoists from Stahl. Ensuring the system met every demand from was essential for a client that, through its Gasunie Deutschland subsidiary, manages 3600 km network of high-pressure pipelines between North Germany and Northern Europe.
Safety regulations are obviously essential in such environments that will feature the presence of explosive gas, especially considering the electrical and non-electrical components featured in the new crane technology.
Setting standards
The system itself was designed, built and erected by Hannover-based SMI tech, which also calculated the crane runways and also supplied and erected other explosion-protected manual chain hoists with curved runways. Stahl supplied its SH 40 ex electric wire rope hoists, which are designed for maximum working loads of 3.2t.
"SMI tech is setting new standards with this crane. Wireless controls for crane systems in hazardous areas have been rare up to now. And there are not many manufacturers able to design a tandem crane for hazardous areas in compliance with the current standards of the EC Machinery Directive," explains Stahl CraneSystems sales engineer Jens Panzner.
