World’s strongest land-based crane
October 2024
Motion Control & Drives
Mammoet, the world’s largest engineered heavy lifting and transport company, has launched the world’s strongest land-based crane, the SK6000. As populations grow, so do our energy needs. The SK6000 redefines the scale of human construction, allowing large energy and infrastructure projects to build from bigger pieces in parallel, and reaching first power sooner and more cost effectively.
The SK6000 has a key role in offshore wind, where fast growth of components in recent years has led to supply chain issues. Lifting 3000 t to a height of 220 m, the SK6000 ensures that wind farms in the planning phase can be safely executed and delivered.
In the oil and gas sector, the SK6000 delivers reduced integration times to offshore floating projects, while onshore, new build and expansion projects can be delivered with increased uptime. Both scopes then benefit from modular construction techniques that allow critical path components to be simultaneously built offsite anywhere in the world, before transporting to site ahead of installation.
As more new-build nuclear plants are greenlit, the SK6000 helps the sector to benefit from similar tried-and-tested construction methodologies, helping projects to reach completion sooner and deliver low-carbon energy to communities.
The SK6000 has a maximum capacity of 6000 tons, utilising 4200 tons of ballast to lift with a maximum ground bearing pressure of 30 t/m2. The crane design uses containerisation techniques for ease of deployment, and can be transported using shipping containers to any location worldwide. It also offers full electric power capability from battery or supply from the grid, allowing customers to reduce the carbon impact of projects significantly.
“This crane is truly a world record feat of engineering, with a production schedule to match”, said Gavin Kerr, director of Global Services at Mammoet. “Hundreds of colleagues have been directly involved with its development across the business. There are very few companies, if any, that could have brought this crane into reality, and we are immensely proud to be able to do so.”
Further reading:
Wind energy in the Black Forest
Motion Control & Drives
For more than 20 years, numerous wind turbines have stood in the Black Forest and are now receiving a performance boost through repowering projects.
Read more...
Kollmorgen advances linear motor safety and performance
Motion Control & Drives
Kollmorgen Corporation has released the next update for the SafeMotion Monitor (SMM) firmware, SMM 3.0. This upgrade expands functional safety support for linear motors and linear axes, helping machine builders implement functional safety in industrial applications that require safety.
Read more...
PC-based control for additive machine tools
Beckhoff Automation
Motion Control & Drives
IRPD is a specialist in additive machine tools. Development is heavily focused on high system throughput and consistently high process quality. This goal was achieved with the help of PC- and EtherCAT-based control and drive technology from Beckhoff.
Read more...
Major software release for Parker PSD servo drives
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa
Motion Control & Drives
Parker Hannifin has released its PSD servo drive family delivering new control modes, advanced synchronisation functions and performance optimisations designed to improve throughput, accuracy and system efficiency in demanding industrial applications.
Read more...
Robotic positioning system drastically reduces changeover times
Beckhoff Automation
Motion Control & Drives
At the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California, an advanced robotic system by Square One Systems Design and Beckhoff speeds up high-energy physics experiments.
Read more...
Lubricant contamination costs more than you think
Motion Control & Drives
Lubrication Engineers has identified that 90% of lubrication contamination happens during storage and dispensing, not during application. To address this costly problem, it offers the isoPOD, a portable ‘plug and play’ lubrication storage and dispensing unit that’s a first for the South African market.
Read more...
New generation surface drill rig
Motion Control & Drives
Epiroc South Africa is launching a new and improved PowerROC T45. This new generation surface drill rig offers increased fuel efficiency and high availability, and is a welcome addition to the PowerROC family.
Read more...
How vision-guided robotics is transforming South African manufacturing
Yaskawa Southern Africa
Motion Control & Drives
In South African manufacturing, the final stages of production need more than manual labour or conventional automation. For many, vision-guided robotics is becoming the solution to smarter, more flexible end-of-line processes.
Read more...
Transporting substations for the world’s largest offshore wind farm
Motion Control & Drives
Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when it is completed. Mammoet was involved in providing transportation and weighing of the project’s three offshore substations.
Read more...
Lubrication application a key component for wire rope longevity
Motion Control & Drives
As part of its extensive work to help develop benchmarking standards for wire rope lubrication in South Africa, lubrication specialists Lubrication Engineers South Africa has found the Viper wire rope lubricator to be a key element for effective lubrication application and rope maintenance.
Read more...