Motorsport company Bischoff + Scheck AG approached industrial equipment supplier Demag to supply a lightweight crane system that would not damage the newly installed, solar-paneled roof of its new assembly facility. Demag suggested DMR rope hoists and double-girder overhead travelling crane with V-type girders.

Bischoff + Scheck AG had invested in a new facility to expand its manufacturing capacity, and Demag South Africa MD Emil Berning explained that, “[owing] to the solar panel installation, the additional weight meant that the roof structure had a reduced load capacity. The facility needed a crane model that was as lightweight as possible and that would not overload the building structure.”

Demag believed that the most efficient method for the safe handling and dedicated positioning of large and heavy loads was to operate cranes in tandem and recommended two DMR rope hoists with a load capacity of 6.3 t, which could work individually or in tandem.

“Both crabs travel on a double-girder overhead travelling crane, with V-type girders, that can transport the truck bodywork components across a span of 28.7 m.

“The corresponding cranes are used to lift the large and heavy truck bodies onto the chassis and install them. This requires a high level of precision that the Demag solution met perfectly,” added Berning.

The roof structure’s reduced load capacity has been accommodated by reducing the load bearing capacity of the crabs in tandem crane operation to 5 t each in the outdoor area of the bay.

If necessary, crane operators can use a radio control system to switch between individual and tandem modes safely and easily.

Special Features

The V-type girder design with diaphragm joints reduces the equipment’s weight. This has a positive effect and makes it possible to use the crane’s load capacity while adhering to the restrictions posed by the building’s structure.

The smart SafeControl system continuously monitors the crane data and ensures that the equipment will be shut down if any irregularities occur – with reference to the starting conditions in the outdoor area of the bay. Crane operators can lower the load or move it back to the area that has no load reduction. Load summation provides protection against crane bridge overloading. In addition, SafeControl can prevent accidental collisions between the two crabs with optical distancing.

Meanwhile, the DRC-10 radio control system enables operators to control the crane intuitively and ergonomically.

“This is another example of how Demag technicians can resolve what seem insurmountable challenges when a company contemplates manufacturing expansion in a new facility that taps into [using] natural energy and lighting technologies,” says Berning.

He adds that, “not only is the Demag range of lifting equipment powerful and reliable, but it has the flexibility to meet the challenges that come with new buildings that incorporate environmental technology”.