Konecranes introduces new inspection tools

August 2013 Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration

Three innovative devices have been introduced into the South African market by global crane manufacturer, Konecranes, as part of the service package offerings to its customers.

The ‘RailQ’ Runway Survey is an advanced survey technique that uses a remote controlled robot trolley which runs along the rail the crane routinely travels on (called the runway), collecting and feeding information into a specially designed station survey instrument. Any information on misalignments of the runway, missing clips, worn pads or uneven, bent or twisted sections of the runway structures is processed by Konecranes’ analysis and visualisation software. This allows the runway to be surveyed faster, safer and more accurately – time savings can be up to 75%.

The ‘RopeQ’ checks the state of the inside and the outside of the wire ropes. These can contain up to 400 individual wires which can become worn over years of use. During a visual inspection damage to the internal wires will not show up, in many cases leading to a wire rope being classified as safe whereas it could be highly dangerous. Through Konecranes RopeQ’s magnetic-inductive method internal rope faults are quickly and accurately detected.

The Truconnect remote monitoring functionality allows customers to check on the performance of the cranes on their own computer through online access to a special Konecranes report-back system. This data allows customers to make better decisions and increase the productivity of the cranes.

Konecranes engineers compile focused safety-related data and make recommendations regarding the maintenance, repairs and possible costly problems that can be avoided when detected early enough. “Service and maintenance are a very high priority for us,” says John MacDonald, sales & marketing manager for Konecranes Southern Africa. “These new products put us at a huge advantage in terms of fulfilling our mandate to service and maintain all makes of cranes.”

For more information contact John MacDonald, Konecranes, +27 (0)11 864 2800, [email protected], www.konecranes.co.za

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