www.konecranes.com
A magazine about Lifting BusinessesTM
TM
6 Taking the top spot: MPS, Port of Tema, Ghana
13 Italian Trafilspec-ITS relies on tradition and modern know-how
18 The globalization of the planet will generate global ethics
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6IN FRANCE
MODERNIZINGSAINT SAULVESTEEL MILL
2 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
Editor’s noteKonecranes
Mikael Wegmüller Editor-in-Chief
THE THIRD INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
© M
irva
Kak
ko
The industrial internet, or the internet of things, is today’s buzz word. It’s sometimes also referred to as the second wave of digitalization. The opportunities presented by the industrial internet are immense and industries are just scratching the surface of all that potential. So what’s it all about?
In short it’s all about making equipment “smart”, self aware and able to communicate in real-time with other equipment or services. This is possible now through existing technologies—such as sensors, data transfer, data storage and mobile devices–and most of all due to the low cost of these technologies. For example, some of the benefits in material handling will be improved safety, productivity and eco-efficiency, which will be achieved through detailed remote monitoring and real-time data analysis of equipment usage. This is a very wide-ranging and fascinating topic and we will most certainly be visiting the world of the industrial internet several times in the coming issues of Way Up.
This issue of Way Up contains several stories relating to the industrial internet. First, the CXT NEO on page 4, then the story on megatrends on pages 18–21, and thirdly our Tech Report on pages 32 and 33. For further interesting reading, see our article on how technology brings a competitive edge to a West African container terminal and our Agenda and Life Cycle articles, which consider the importance of an in-depth understanding of the customer’s business. Bearing in mind the current wave of digitalization, I want to take the opportunity to mention that we are constantly developing our digital Way Up, which can be found at http://www.konecranes.com/resources. Please visit, read, rate and share.
Embark on the third industrial revolution.
Konecranes is a world-leading group of Lifting Businesses™, serving a broad range of customers, including manufacturing and process industries, shipyards, ports and terminals. Konecranes provides productivity-enhancing lifting solutions as well as services for lifting equipment and machine tools of all makes. In 2013, Group sales totaled EUR 2,100 million. The Group has 11,800 employees at 600 locations in 48 countries. Konecranes is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki (symbol: KCR1V).
Sales by Business Area 2013
Sales by Market Area 2013
Service
Equipment
Europe, Middle East, Africa
Americas
Asia–Pacific
2 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
60%(62)
40%(38)
FY 2013 2,100 MEUR(2,172)
47%(48)36%
(33)
17%(19)
FY 2013 2,100 MEUR(2,172)
40%
3
CONTENTS
™
34
32
30
12
4
13
SECTIONS
3
6
22
Megatrends are major trends that affect the future of humanity and will radically change the civilization. Increasing globalization and exponential technologies are the two most challenging global megatrends for business and industry.
INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES
Turning the Saint Saulve steel mill, France, into one of the most advanced high-performance plants in the world.
A MAJORMODERNI-ZATION
Konecranes RTG technology gives a crucial competitive edge to Meridian Port Services Ltd. in the Port of Tema in Ghana.
TOWARDSTHE TOP SPOT
LIFTING SOLUTIONSThe new CXT NEO industrial crane is raising the bar for the entire crane industry.
AGENDAHeikki Lappalainen: The key is to have a close interaction with the customers.
LIFE CYCLEThe Italian steel specialist Trafilspec-ITS counts on Konecranes’ know-how.
TECH #1Introducing SMV 4531 TB5 HLT, an innovative new hybrid reach stacker for container handling.
TECH #2Monitoring of data gathered with sensors plays a crucial role in optimizing the operation of the machine.
EXOTICThe Linthal 2015 power plant project in Switzerland is the biggest energy-related construction project in the Alps area.
May 2014
Publisher Konecranes Plc., P.O.Box 661 FIN-05801 Hyvinkää, Finland, Telephone +358 20 427 11, www.konecranes.com Editor-in-Chief Mikael Wegmüller Managing Editor Anci Sandås Production and Graphic Design Otavamedia Customer Communication, Finland Producer Mauri Kaarre Art Director Ari Hirvonen Translation English, German and Spanish: Nou-veau Language Printed by Öhrling Cover Photo Lucas Schifres ISSN 1796-9700 © 2014 Konecranes. All rights reserved. ‘Konecranes’, ‘Lifting Businesses’, ’TRUCONNECT’, ’SMARTON’, ’BOXHUNTER’ and are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Konecranes Plc. Please send your feedback to: [email protected].
This publication is for general informational purposes only. Konecranes reserves the right at any time, without notice, to alter or discontinue the products and/or specifications referenced herein. This publication creates no warranty on the part of Konecranes, express or implied, including but not limited to any implied warranty or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The articles in Way Up magazine contain opinions of individuals. They do not necessarily represent Konecranes’ official position.
LIFTING SOLUTIONS
CXT NEO redefines the standard
in general lifting
The new CXT NEO industrial crane comes with several high-tech premium
features that used to be available only as optional add-ons. This raises the bar for
the entire crane industry.
Story by Leena Koskenlaakso Photos by Konecranes
“Konecranes is known as a technology
trailblazer that wants to offer its customers
more value for their money,” says Vice
President Jukka Paasonen of Konecranes
Business Unit Crane Products.
According to him, the new CXT NEO wire rope
hoist crane with its innovative high-tech standard
features, such as variable-speed inverter hoisting,
TRUCONNECT® Remote Services, and ergonomic
MiniJoystick radio control, proves Konecranes
can deliver on this promise.
“Up until now, these premium features
were only available as optional add-ons. Now
our customers can get a better crane for a
reasonable market price,” says Paasonen.
The benefits offered by the CXT NEO are
clearly visible and measurable.
“When compared to conventional industrial
cranes, perhaps the most radical difference
and the biggest benefit to customers is inverter
hoisting, which is based on Adaptive Speed
Range (ASR) technology. It enables faster load
cycles, stepless hoisting speed control, easier
load handling, as well as precise load positioning,”
says Konecranes’ CXT Cranes Product Manager
Tuomas Rekola.
ASR variable speed control provides up to 50
percent faster lifting speeds with light loads and slow,
safe speeds with heavy loads, while reducing the
wear of mechanical parts through inverter braking.
Benefitting TRUCONNECT® Remote ServicesAnother major user benefit is the TRUCONNECT®
Remote Monitoring and Reporting service.
According to Director Jürgen Dlugi of Konecranes
GmbH in Germany, the TRUCONNECT® service is a
new technological benchmark in the crane industry.
“It enables our customers to see what goes
on with the crane via a unique web portal, which
connects the customer and the crane. Konecranes
can remotely follow crane usage, overloads,
overtemperatures, load cycles, brake lifetime, etc.
We collect and analyze crane usage data and provide
usage-based web reports to our customers. With our
help and support, they can better plan their service
and maintenance activities,” says Dlugi.
He continues that the TRUCONNECT® service
is an exciting interface incomparable to anything
offered elsewhere in the crane business. Moving from
calendar-based maintenance to preventive, usage-
4 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
NEWS
FACT SHEET
based maintenance is a significant milestone in
the industry.
“Through better service and maintenance
planning, TRUCONNECT® Remote Services
can increase productivity. Spare part replacements
can be scheduled before seeing the crane, which
makes service faster and more efficient. What’s more,
service and inspection intervals can be scheduled well
ahead, and be moved to planned production stops.”
User-friendly radio control, new design, and new colorThe lightweight MiniJoystick radio control allows the
crane operator to move freely. Its ergonomic design
is based on user behavior studies and user needs.
The CXT NEO comes with a new, fresh grey color
and a sleek, compact design with no hanging cables
for power and controls.
First launched in Germany and Switzerland in
summer 2013, the CXT Neo will be introduced in
other markets during 2014.
CXT NEO wire rope hoist crane• For almost any application in general
manufacturing, workshop and assembly use.
• Faster load cycles, stepless hoisting speed
control, and easier load handling with inverter
hoisting based on Adaptive Speed Range (ASR)
technology, which comes as a standard feature.
• Increased accuracy in load control thanks to
stepless hoisting speed.
• TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring and
Reporting service as a standard feature.
• Customers get reports based on actual crane
usage via a web portal interface.
• Enables shift into preventive usage-based
maintenance from traditional calendar-based
maintenance.
• Ergonomical radio control allows freedom of
movement to operator.
• Easy-to-use, lightweight Konecranes MiniJoystick
radio is based on single-grip control.
• Longer lifecycle thanks to inverter hoisting,
which reduces mechanical stress on structures.
• Improved safety with Energy Chain, which is
designed to protect the power and control
cables from mechanical wear and reduces the
risk of external damage.
• Sleek, compact, and modern look with fresh
new color.
Konecranes launched new revolutionary container crane
Konecranes has introduced its first product especially developed for the emerg-ing markets—the BOXHUNTER container handling crane. The product is a completely new type of RTG that will give the company access to a new market segment. The launch is the first step in one of Konecranes’ main strategies—developing new mid-priced products especially for the emerging markets.
Drawing on Konecranes’ proven, industry-leading technology, the design of the BOXHUNTER is built around the needs of container terminal customers who want the best but do not require all the features or the peak performance of the company’s top-of-the-range RTGs.
A major innovation for an essentially conservative marketRather than try and simplify an existing RTG design or rethink one through a series of incremental modifications to existing concepts, Konecranes decided to brainstorm their entire approach from scratch.
“We did this by focusing on the operator and the user interface that we provide the operator with,” says Mika Mahlberg, Konecranes’ Vice President, Port Cranes. “The idea that we hit on was to turn things on their head, literally, and bring the operator down to the center of things in terms of stacking and moving containers: ground level. We also decided to relocate most of the machinery used for driving the trolley and hoisting operations down to ground level as well.“
A simpler structure brings valuable savings in manufacturing costs. Despite a simpler structure the BOXHUNTER incorporates advanced video and laser technology that Konecranes has developed for its top-of-the-line Automated Stacking Cranes. Video cameras located at critical points around the crane and a sophisticated user interface in the cab give the operator excellent visibility everywhere he needs it.
Next generation Konecranes lift trucks introducedKonecranes also recently launched its new C series lift truck range. When developing the next generation series of lift trucks, special focus has been on driver comfort and the cabin. The result is a completely redesigned cabin, which offers increased ergonomics and improved visibility.
The series encompasses heavy forklifts with lifting capacities starting with 10 tons, masted empty container handlers able to lift single and double empty containers up to 8 containers high, and reach stackers with lifting capacities of 10–45 tons in container handling and up to 80 tons in industrial handling.
News around the world | May 2014
5
Story by Timo Toiviainen Photos by Lauri Mannermaa
In a race for the title of West Africa’s most
efficient container terminal, Meridian Port
Services Ltd. (MPS), in the Port of Tema in Ghana, is taking the top spot. MPS
is nearing the coveted one million TEU mark, with
the latest Konecranes RTG technology giving
them that crucial competitive edge.
RACING FOR EFFICIENCY
6 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
Konecranes RTG cranes moving containers in the Port of Tema, Ghana.
FOR EFFICIENCY
7
The impressive rows of containers are arranged in a precise manner. Ghana is developing fast, which is why the predominant cargoes through the Port of Tema are consumer goods and building materials.
he coffee machine at the Meridian Port Services Limited office sputters as it churns out cups of refreshing espresso for us. January is giving way to
February, and we’re in Tema, Ghana, at the Port of Tema, where it’s just another busy day at the office. For Mohamed Samara, CEO of Meridian Port Services Limited (MPS), this means overseeing some 10,000 containers being moved to and from rows of containers in the container yard, the stacks so precise as if they had been aligned with a ruler. Tema is located 25 kilometers (16 miles) east of the capital city, Accra.
The CEO of MPS, Samara can look into the humid heat of the African air, from the second-story window of the efficiently air-conditioned office building, with a sense of calmness.
In the glare of the midday sun, trucks hauling containers work seamlessly with the terminals forklifts, reach stackers, and cranes, thanks to efficient monitoring. The trucks, once firmly ushered to take their place in one of the lines, wait patiently to drop off their container, or to pick up one. Drivers sit tightly in their cabins throughout the wait, because safety is taken seriously here, and because nothing must disturb the carefully pre-planned crane traffic. Every disruption or re-scheduling means more costs and less efficiency.
A leading container operator in the Port of Tema, MPS runs well-oiled machinery, designed to deliver results, handling over 125,000 container moves a month at the terminal.
No more than a few years ago, the situation was different.“MPS started in 2007 as a dedicated container terminal.
A wet terminal with keys, so to say. We are a joint-venture company between APM Terminals, Bolloré, and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. We operate on two berths; the draught for vessels is 11.5 meters, and we have 24 hectares of yard,” says Samara.
According to Antoine Bosquet, Konecranes Sales Manager for West Africa, Konecranes’ first delivery to MPS—reach stackers and empty handlers—was when MPS had only just started their operation.
“Today the container terminal employs an exceptionally wide array of solutions from our container handling range. Our agreement also ensures the customer access to training, on-site support, maintenance and parts,” says Bosquet.
For MPS, it has been a challenge to meet the continuous demand for greater capacity, driven by market growth. “Obvi-ous ly we have limited space in terms of yard and
We went out with a tender and invited several manufacturers.”
8 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
FACT SHEET
The Port of Tema, Ghana
■■ The Port of Tema handles approximately 70 percent of Ghana’s seaborne freight traffic. It also serves, to some extent, as a gateway for the landlocked countries of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
■■ The container terminal consists of 247,000 square meters of paved container storage and marshalling yard plus 574 meters of deep water (draught 11.5 meters) quay.
■■ Meridian Port Services Limited is a joint venture between Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and Meridian Port Holdings Limited, which is in turn a joint venture with Bolloré Africa Logistics and APM Terminals as the two main shareholders.
■■ MPS provides the following services:- Container Terminal Operations - Stevedoring of Containers- Shore Handling- Storage and Delivery
■■ www.mps-gh.com
berth. So the only thing we can do to expand is to increase our handling capacity. Dwell time on the yard is not something we can control.”
According to Samara, MPS recorded a quarter of a million TEU throughput in 2007.
“Throughout the years, we responded to the market growth by adding additional capacity. At first we operated with three cranes on the waterfront but soon added the amount to eight shore cranes to get more speed out of the operation.
In 2012, we reached three quarters of a million throughput, which prompted the need to add more capacity. To cope with the waterfront capacity, we had to increase the yard capacity. The only way for the yard to increase its capacity was to convert the operation from reach stackers to Rubber Tire Gantries (RTG).”
Tendering for the best crane solutionA container terminal operation is based on carefully planned processes. It runs 24 hours a day, and there’s no room for disruptions caused by technical problems. At the MPS terminal, incoming containers need to be taken to their designated yard location promptly and accurately. For the purposes of onward transportation, container position information must be
With the increase in container traffic, MPS had to look for new solutions. “For us, the only way for the yard to increase its capacity was to convert the operation from reach stackers to RTGs. That conversion to Konecranes RTGs gave us an additional 25 percent throughput capacity by increasing the number slots,” says CEO Mohamed Samara, MPS.
9
”There is a race in West Africa to have the most attractive and efficient port," says Henry Lyne, the Chairman of Pasico Ghana Limited.
relayed to the port’s Terminal Operation System (TOS), and the inventory has to be 100 percent accurate to eliminate the potential for errors.
For MPS, the switch to Rubber Tire Gantries came after careful consideration of the terminal’s requirements. “We went out with a tender and invited several manufacturers. Some of the offers we obtained represented very competitive prices,” says Samara. The deal went to the bidder with the best overall package.
“Konecranes came with a solid offer and excellent support history references within the network in Abidjan and other ports. Basically, we took the chance and today I can say that it was a great success.”
The first four RTGs were delivered to the Port of Tema fully assembled and were up and running very quickly. The level of training and support provided by Konecranes was a pleasant surprise for Samara: “Konecranes sent down engineers, and we received a massive amount of training and support from day one.”
The next five RTGs arrived at the Port of Tema unassembled. The advantage of the on-site assembly was that it gave the MPS technical team the opportunity to work with and learn from the assembly engineers.
“That conversion to RTGs gave us an additional 25 percent throughput capacity by increasing the number of slots on the yard. Getting the nine
Konecranes RTGs was a big boost for capacity and, not only that, it was also the way of doing business,” Samara sums up.
A long-term partnershipTo ensure efficient maintenance and after-sales support for its Konecranes diesel-electric RTG cranes, MPS signed a maintenance agreement with Konecranes’ local dealer, Pasico Ghana Limited. Pasico is responsible for keeping the RTGs in the best possible working order. MPS already had a history with the company, dating back to the early years of its terminal operation, when Pasico supplied MPS with Konecranes port equipment, as well as after-sales support, maintenance, and parts services.
The on site Supervisor of Pasico Ghana Limited, Alexander Rochet, tells us that they have two technical experts work the terminal by day and one by night. In all, six members of Pasico’s crew are assigned to the MPS contract. “We manage the RTGs, plan maintenance, monitor the hours, control all safety devices and loading calibration. We are reaching 99.3–99.5 percent usability in operation, and we don´t have any big issues with the cranes,” says Rochet.
Competitive edge through DGPS container positioning systemThe high and seemingly endless stacks of containers look like Lego bricks. It’s difficult to tell apart one
We feel we are in good hands, and this really is state-of-the-art technology.”
GHANA
Accra
CÔTED´IVOIRE
BURKINA FASO
TOGO
BÉNIN
NIGERIA
NIGERMALI
10 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
“We have a long-standing relationship with MPS, and it has only grown deeper over the years,” says Antoine Bosquet, Konecranes Sales Manager for West Africa.
container from another, but one of the benefits of Konecranes’ RTG solutions is a system that stores the exact location of every single container.
Before bringing the RTGs in use, the terminal is charted in a 3D matrix. Each cell has a global position. When a crane operator puts a container into that cell, crane park position, position of the spreader, and the height are read by sensors and communicated wirelessly into the RTGs system and linked to the terminal operation system. On the release of the twist lock, all this gives the container a precise location on the yard. When the crane comes to pick up the container, the system automatically recognizes the location. After picking it up, the system registers the dispatch. Konecranes DGPS system controls that the containers are moved according to the orders from the Terminal Operating System.
“With the DGPS satellite positioning tracking system, we manage the stock faster. Our truck terminal is more efficient, and the customer service has improved. These are benefits we really needed as we are getting near one million TEUs,” tells Samara.
All RTGs have a Wi-Fi-based remote access system connected to both MPS and Konecranes´ servers. This allows Konecranes experts to download crane data remotely from anywhere in the world and helps in planning preventive maintenance and ordering parts, for example. “We feel we are in good hands, and this really is state-of-the-art technology.”
Rubber Tire Gantries operate between exactly lined rows of
containers.
The Pasico crew manages the RTGs, plans maintenance,
monitors the hours, controls all safety devices and loading
calibration.
On the release of the twist lock the DGPS container postitioning system stores the exact location
of the container.
Going where others won´t goThe Chairman of Pasico Ghana Limited, Henry Lyne, is originally from Britain, but having spent most of his life in Ghana, he is very familiar with the ports and the competitive situation in West Africa. “There is a race in West Africa to have the most attractive and efficient port and also to have the infrastructure inland, customs rules, and processes that are as easy to use as possible.”
Unlike its neighboring countries, Ghana enjoys relative political stability. This has given the MPS terminal a crucial competitive edge, and it has also brought freight traffic through the port to landlocked countries. Admittedly, the country does have its challenges, with the recent economic volatility being one of the burning issues.
For the Port of Tema container terminal, the future looks bright. Mohamed Samara has seen how a bold attitude can bring results: “Ghana has always been very open minded and aggressive for new technology. MPS is the first terminal to reach one million TEU capacity among all West Africa. Though Nigeria is a bigger country, its ports are divided into various terminals. Having technology like Konecranes’ RTGs, adds pressure to other countries along the west coast to match that service. We have taken the lead and we are not stopping”. n
11
AgendaKonecranes
12 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
HEIKKI LAPPALAINENDirector, Steel & Metals
Mar
kus
Som
mer
s
Understanding lifting solutions for the steel industry
Steel industry is one of the main customer segments of Konecranes. Our product portfolio for the industry comprises a comprehensive range of material handling products for all the stages of the steel manufacturing
process from raw material handling to handling of the end products.In addition to the material handling equipment we also provide our customers
with a large variety of maintenance services of the equipment starting from standard maintenance services such as on-calls and inspections ever until crane reliability surveys, sophisticated rope and rail condition monitoring services, also known as RopeQ and RailQ, and TRUCONNECT® Remote Services.
STEEL MANUFACTURING IS A SOPHISTICATED AND CHALLENGING field of industry. Steel production is a continuous process and material handling is an integrated part of the operation. The operational environment, where molten steel is handled and temperatures are very high, is extremely demanding. The customer expects the cranes to have high capacity, long life span and moderate operational costs, and they must be reliable and safe. The continuous manufacturing process does not allow downtime for the equipment. Their maintenance has to be optimized for uninterrupted operation. In case of a failure, service must be available immediately.
By creating close partnerships with our customers and closely interacting with them, we have learned to understand the steel manufacturing process, the demanding production conditions and the customers’ needs. Safety is the number one concern and safety issues are never compromised. In addition, a lot of effort is put into the design of the user interfaces for our products. When products are easily accessible, ergonomic and practical to operate they also are safer, their productivity is higher and the number of errors in operators’ performance fewer.
IN STEEL INDUSTRY there are three trends taking place—consolidation of the industry, moving production to emerging economies and increasing automation in material handling. With a constantly developing, global service network, Konecranes is well-equipped to take care of customers also in emerging markets.
An increasing automation level in material handling means equipment with semi-automated features and fully automated operations—more and more cranes will be operated from control rooms and the performance of the equipment will be monitored and diagnosed remotely. At Konecranes, we are prepared for this development.
We have worked very closely with our customers to learn what their business is about and what their needs are.
12 KONECRANES MAGAZINE12 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
THE HIGHEST
LIFE CYCLE VALUE:
Inspections & preventive
maintenance
Corrective mainte-nance
& retrofits
Consultation services
Moderni-zation
services
New equipment
Story by Kimmo Kiimalainen Photos by Hannu Vanhanen
FAMILY OF STEEL
This article is part of a series which introduces the concept of life cycle. The following article tells about Konecranes cranes’ important role in the production process of the Italian steel specialist Trafilspec-ITS.
The Italian steel specialist Trafilspec-ITS counts on Konecranes’ know-how to keep its high-tech steel processing business up and running. Over years of cooperation, a unique bond of trust has been established between the two companies.
13
In the heat treatment area cranes play a critical role—all spare parts must be available in 24 hours.
The northern Italian steel specialist Trafilspec-ITS, located in Castelmarte not far away from the famous Lake Como, represents the prototype of an industrial company tightly rooted in the mountain region of Lombardy. On one hand it is one of the most important
European producers in the field of special steel cold processing, on the other it is a strictly family-owned and run business.
Local metal processing tradition originating from the middle ages goes hand-in-hand with modern processing methods at Trafilspec-ITS. Local spirit combines here with wide-spread international customer relations: here, tradition is a part of modern know-how.
The results are impressive: the company delivers high-quality special steels for many sophisticated industries, e.g. for gearbox production at well-known automotive giants and many other purposes which require top-quality steels. That’s tradition and high-tech, the Lombardian way.
Second generationOriginally founded by Gabriele Ricco, Trafilspec-ITS is now in the hands of the second Ricco generation: sons Paolo Ricco, Technical Manager, and Fabrizio Ricco, CEO. The brothers successfully run the company but continuously face new challenges related to the need for sophisticated, thorough process control and reliable equipment. Both are extremely critical in special steels manufacturing.
And sometimes even the best Lombardian tradition, centuries old, can let one down. This was the challenge in 2009 at the first contact between Trafilspec-ITS and Konecranes Italian branch. The detailed inspections made by Konecranes technicians drove the maintenance in the right way: accurate and reliable information on the cranes’ condition can help preventing bad surprises.
What we need are hassle-
free products: efficient, good
quality, reliable and operator-
friendly.”Fabrizio Ricco
14 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
Real preventive maintenance helps Trafilspec-ITS to improve cranes’ availability in own production and to know by time further critical issues that could require repairs.
“We have some cranes here that actually are very critical: if they stop, the whole production stops,” Paolo Ricco explains.
And according to him, the overall situation didn’t look too good in 2009.
“With some cranes provided by local manufacturers we had difficulties with spare parts availability as some of the builders of our cranes just didn’t exist anymore. One third-party motor manufacturer didn’t have spare parts in stock, and in one case it was completely impossible to find the blueprints for twenty-year old crane equipment,” recalls Paolo Ricco.
Trafilspec-ITS needed a better and more consolidated solution—fast.
Konecranes enters discussionsImpressed by Konecranes’ open customer support philosophy expressed in the first contact, Trafilspec-ITS soon initiated deeper cooperation in the form of a maintenance contract. Konecranes took the responsibility for all company cranes and hoists.
This was soon followed by several crane orders. First came a new crane with sway-control for the loading area. Then older cranes were replaced by new Konecranes products, and following on that: completely new cranes were installed. All this for a good reason.
“What we need are hassle-free products: efficient, good quality, reliable and operator-friendly. As a small company we also prefer flexible and swift solutions and partners like Konecranes,” says Fabrizio Ricco.
Trafilpec-ITS produces annually some 25,000 tons of different steel
products.
Two generations: Gabriele Ricco (in the middle) with his sons Paolo Ricco, Technical Manager, and Fabrizio Ricco, CEO.
15
Trafilspec-ITS combines the most modern processing techniques with Lombardian metal processing tradition originating from the middle ages.
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FACT SHEET
According to Trafilspec-ITS’ Maintenance Manager Nicola Valsecchi, and Giacomo Galli, Service Salesman, Konecranes Italy, TRUCONNECT is a perfect tool for decreasing future problems as it provides servicing personnel a true insight into the crane usage and loads.
“TRUCONNECT shows us what the cranes have actually been doing so we can carry out preventive maintenance according to the real usage. It also helps us to better understand why a certain crane is behaving in a certain way,” Galli explains.
According to Maurizio Tansini, Konecranes’ Country Manager for Italy, TRUCONNECT also reduces downtimes and considerably improves crane productivity and safety.
So, what about future cooperation and overall customer satisfaction?
Even if no one can tell the future, a promising sign can be seen in the last two crane orders made by Trafilspec-ITS. It ordered the cranes in both cases directly from Konecranes. n
According to him time really is money at Trafilspec-ITS, and there is no time to waste when something goes wrong: in the heat treatment area, for example.
“Spare parts must be available in 24 hours. The business has to be kept running. We have three buildings and at least one critical crane in all of them”.
“In an hour”Through the maintenance contract Konecranes in a way became a “member of the family” and established a tight and unique bond between the companies. This is no coincidence but resulted from a close cooperation between Trafilspec-ITS’ logistics specialist Elisa Gerosa, Technical Manager Paolo Ricco and Konecranes’ Vittorio Pandolfi, Equipment Salesman at Konecranes Italy.
“We are pleased with the situation, as now there are a lot of people we can call and always get the support needed. Whenever we have called Konecranes we’ve had the service personnel here on-site in an hour. During the last 5 to 6 years we have built a very good relationship,” says Paolo Ricco.
For the company this means a much more streamlined crane fleet, too.
“I think it is better to have one reliable supplier than a lot of different companies all doing their own thing.”
A further advantage of Konecranes’ products implemented at Trafilspec-ITS is the TRUCONNECT® remote servicing feature.
TRAFILSPEC-ITSLocation: Castelmarte (CO), Italy.Type of company: Private company.Year of foundation: 1986.Employees: 75.Total area: 20,000 [m2].Turnover (2012): 36.5 million euros.Production (2012): 25,000 tons.Markets: Italy 25 percent, Europe 65 percent, others 10 percent.Products: Bearing steel, HSS steel, stainless steel, tools steel, alloyed steel.Internet: www.trafilspec.it
“It is better to have one reliable supplier than a lot of different companies all doing their own thing.”Paolo Ricco
Trafilspec-ITS is one of the key players in the field of special steel coldprocessing in Europe.
Trafilspec-ITS’ logistics specialist Elisa Gerosa and Technical Manager Paolo Ricco (below) established a close cooperation with Konecranes.
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Story by Marjatta Pietilä Illustration by Vesa Lehtimäki
MEGATRENDS SHOW THE WAY IN GLOBAL TRANSFORMATIONJohn Naisbitt published a book Megatrends in 1982. The book popularized the concept of megatrends and generated a huge amount of attention all over the world. Megatrends are major trends that are already affecting the future of humanity and will radically change the civilization.
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JJOHN NAISBITT’S MEGATRENDS sold nine million copies and kept its position two years on the New York Times best-seller-list. Even today the ideas it introduced are topical because megatrends are long-term. Similar ideas have been presented by Alvin Toffler, Thomas Friedman, the Club of Rome and the Millennium Project.
The Millennium Project, which is an independent futures research think tank of futurists, scholars, business planners and policy makers, identifies fifteen global challenges facing societies, economies, businesses and humanity. Such megatrends are sustainable development and climate change, clean water, balance of population and resources, democratization, the challenges of
long-term perspective in policy making, global governance of IT, rich and poor gap, health, capacity to decide, peace and conflict, status of
women, transnational organized crime, energy, science and technology, and global ethics.
Amongst these global megatrends there are two most challenging for business and industry—increasing
globalization and exponential technologies. Dr. José Cordeiro, the Director of the
Millenium Project in Venezuela and a Founding Energy Advisor and Faculty, Singularity University, California, calls them gigatrends.
Increasing globalization creates “a flat world”.
“Both of those gigatrends will radically modify humanity in general and humans in particular,” Cordeiro predicts.
“Flat world” unites societies and individualsAccording to Cordeiro, increasing globalization creates “a flat world”, as Thomas Friedman would say.
“That means that societies and individuals will be more connected than ever before. For the first time in history we create a truly global civilization. People will travel more. Boarders and frontiers will fade not only geographically but also ecologically and linguistically. Language will not set barriers to communications, because computers interpret messages into any required language in real time. Even the idea of nations will change in the future. Globalization opens doors for everyone on the planet,” says Cordeiro.
This does not, however, mean disappearance of local cultures. Just as there are different climates, native languages and local food, there will always, according to Cordeiro, be space also for different cultures. But the commonalities between cultures will increase and improve understanding between people.
The globalization of the planet will generate global ethics. Cordeiro sees that despite different religions such common ethical and moral rules as the Golden Rule—one should behave towards others as one would have others behave towards oneself—will evolve and improve equality and the common ethical standards.
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Exponential technologies change production and businessAlso, according to Cordeiro, technologies will radically transform business and industry. Presently there are local differences but when globalization continues exponential technologies will impact the whole planet in similar ways.
“Exponential technologies, such as 3D printing, nanotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence will affect all industries in medium-term, especially such industries that can be automated. Artificial intelligence and robots take over manufacturing. Productivity increases exponentially and more is produced from less. 3D printing allows local manufacturing. Exports will decrease and transportation industry will suffer. Large exporters of physical products will be severely affected, including, for example, many industries in China,” says Cordeiro.
Because of the new technologies many of the current jobs will become obsolete. But
Cordeiro considers it as a natural development. Just as work tasks
have developed in history from hunting and
gathering to
Proactive approach to megatrendsKONECRANES IS WELL ACQUAINTED with the megatrends that have effect on its business. It is common knowledge in the company that the ones who fight against megatrends end up second.
At Konecranes megatrends are followed by observing the media, professional literature, research and the market. The megatrends that are identified as having impact on Konecranes’ business, are analyzed for strategic decision making at the assemblies of the Senior Management Team, the R&D experts and the management teams of business units.
“We have identified those major megatrends that have a vital effect on our business and operations. We group them
under such four main headings as “People and Society”, “World Demographics”, “Technology” and “Energy and Environment,” says Mikko Uhari, Executive VP, Strategy and Technology, and continues: “They have their impact on all of our operations from customer behaviour to our own people and to our offering. We pay special attention to matching our key strategic initiatives with these trends.”
Under the title of “People and Society”, according to Uhari, the values of generation Y and the rise of the middle class will change the value base of the customers, employees and the whole society. The representatives of the Generation Y are highly IT-oriented, used to rapid communications and their concept
of work / life balance differs from that of the Generation X. They also are apt to challenging leaders, expecting ethical behaviour, good governance, transparency and work place safety. As an employer and a provider of lifting solutions Konecranes has to be able to answer these requirements.
“The world demographics are changing. Urbanization accelerates the growth of megacities. The age pyramid favours emerging countries over the Western world. After studying abroad young talents return home to emerging markets. In coming years the emerging markets will represent the major part of the world’s economic growth. Both demand and skills are increasing there. In long-term this means that that there is
agriculture and farming, to simple mechanical industrial work demanding intensive human involvement and further on to knowledge based tasks, artificial intelligence and automation will change the nature of work now. New kind of work tasks will evolve, but also free time is expected to increase.
“The climate will continue to change, but we have to adapt to it and use the new technologies to cope with it. There will also be a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy and geothermal energy according to the availability of local energy sources. Energy production will be localized and decentralized, but it will always originate from renewable sources,” Cordeiro points out.
Agility for survival “In order to survive, companies must adapt quickly or they will be swept away. They have to adjust and readjust. They have to experiment and innovate. I work also in Silicon Valley. The culture of Silicon Valley allows failing, but you have to fail fast and learn from your failures,” says Cordeiro.
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In this process, Cordeiro paints the picture, many old giant companies will go down in history like dinosaurs. But just as the end of dinosaurs—it is part of the evolution.
“For example Kodak and Polaroid have seen a meltdown of their businesses. Samsung has basically taken up the place of Sony. Hyundai might dethrone Toyota. SpaceX might soon be more important than NASA,” Cordeiro describes.
“The survival of companies demands global thinking. Such countries, as for example, Israel, Singapore and even South Korea have already realized it and act accordingly. The new manufacturing techniques allow targeting different markets with more localized products, or you may target a certain segment with a global product. The strategy of Apple and BMW, for example, is to pin the top ten percent of the market,” says Cordeiro.
Incredible opportunitiesCordeiro views the future with optimism. He wants to emphasize that instead of seeing the future challenges as treats, we should rather see them as opportunities.“We have to be prepared for many presently unknown challenges but the opportunities will be incredible. Humanity has advanced immensely during the last 100,000 years. And it will continue evolving,” Cordeiro predicts.
“Technologies can be used for good or bad - starting from fire and wheel—but humanity should overcome most problems and keep evolving. Soon humanity will start colonizing Mars and eventually other planets. The first trillion-dollar company might be a space company. Just like our ancestors moved from Africa and colonized the rest of the planet, our descendants will start colonizing the space and many new companies will produce not billions but trillions of “mondos”, or what ever the planetary currency will substitute dollars, euros and other currencies,” says Cordeiro. n
growing business potential for Konecranes in the emerging markets with higher growth rate than in the old maturing markets. Yet the developed more mature markets still continue having a solid importance for us,” says Uhari.
“We also have to recognize that new competitors are rising in these growing markets. We have our presence in the developed countries and match our offering to the customer needs there, but we also must have the correct presence and specific offering for the world’s growth spots. We must answer to the needs coming from the BRIC countries—Brazil, Russia, India and China—and also South-East Asia, Africa and the Middle East, because all these areas will be important for us in the future,” Uhari continues.
Technology moves forward equipping machines currently with sensors, wireless technology, information processing power,
and increased internal intelligence.“For us this means developing intelligent,
self-aware lifting equipment. All this technical development combined with various business IT-systems and the Internet, offers a new universe of opportunities, which we call Industrial Internet,” says Uhari.
“With modern data analysis tools there are great opportunities to develop predictive systems which do not even exist today. By combining smartly different aspects of the digital information world, we can build such customer care solutions that raise the operational safety and productivity of our customers to a new, substantially higher level than ever before. These are great pioneering opportunities for Konecranes as a provider of lifting equipment and a vendor of their services.”
The fourth megatrend important for Konecranes—“Energy and Environment”—
means, amongst others, finding new energy sources. This activity as such offers new markets for a lifting solutions vendor. The trend also highlights the importance of energy savings and strict control of emissions, demanding the development of lifting solutions that fulfil the requirements of clean energy. Environmental awareness increases world wide, including the emerging markets. Waste is no more tolerated anywhere. All this sets guidelines for future equipment designs.
“Our vision is that we know in real time how millions of lifting devices and machine tools perform. We use this information around the clock to improve the safety and productivity of our customers’ operations,” Uhari summarizes.
By recognizing the impacts of the four mega-trends in its operations, Uhari points out, Konecranes as a company has great growth opportunities now and in the future.
José Cordeiro■n A Visiting Research Fellow at the
Institute of Developing Economies (IDE-JETRO), Tokyo, Japan.
■n Director of The Millennium Project, Venezuela Node.
■n Founder and President Emeritus at the World Future Society, Venezuela Chapter.
■n Founding Energy Advisor and Faculty, Singularity University, NASA Research Park, California, USA.
■n Director of the Single Global Currency Association (SGCA), Venezuela.
The survival of companies demands global thinking.
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Story by Christophe Riedel Photos by Lucas Schifres
VALLOUREC 22 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
The Vulcain project at the Saint Saulve steel mill, France, is a major modernization, the logical follow-up of ten years of investment and renovations, which will turn the mill into one of the most advanced high-performance plants in the world.
VALLOUREC TUBULAR SOLUTIONS– WORLD LEADER IN PREMIUM
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A t the core of the Saint Saulve steel mill two new 250-ton casting cranes from Konecranes blend into the background like veteran actors alongside the site’s 450 employees.Created in 1975 and modernized in 2008 with a liquid steel
“continuous curve casting” to improve productivity, the Saint-Saulve site of Vallourec Tubes France produces 250 grades of steel near Valenciennes, the birthplace of the French steel industry, and 50 kilometers from Lille.
In 38 years, the site has increased its productivity, manufacturing more and more sophisticated steels; quasi customized, supplying round bars (up to 12 meters long) to the Vallourec pipe mills, which deliver seamless tubes to the petrol, gas, electric power, and building industries.
Doing more with lessSituated at the core of the plant, and of the Vulcain Project with its focus on safety, quality, and productivity, the two cranes lift and deposit 160-ton ladles of molten steel and move the 250-ton furnace tanks “according to the requirements stipulated to
Konecranes for the purposes of modernizing the site,” states Adolfo Da Silva, Konecranes’ Crane Process Sales Engineer in charge of this client’s project.
“Vallourec Tubes France asked for increased lifting capacity without an increase in forces affecting the building structures, so as to avoid having to reinforce it,” says Da Silva.
In fact, the old cranes could lift only 230 tons, and the molten steel ladles weighed only 150 tons. In order to respond to the new request, Konecranes has implemented a crane solution involving four bogies on each side of the crane while simultaneously reducing the weight of the crane. The distribution of loads on the girders is thus better and made it possible to keep the existing runway.
Less is betterAssisting Vallourec in its efforts to protect its building, Konecranes has also provided its DynaTrak crane skewing management software. Why?
DynaTrak makes it possible to avoid contact between the wheels flanges and runway rails, thus offering reduced horizontal forces on building and crane structures, a customized solution that is crucial for the Vallourec steel mill.
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FACT SHEET
First handlingThe commissioning of the new cranes took place in March and May 2013, after tests and the dismantling of the two previous cranes (with only one week of suspended production).
Olivier Desurmont, the site’s Investments Manager for the past ten years, has guided the assembly of the cranes with the help of José Gamez, Dominique Lemaître, and Christophe Destrebecq.
Desurmont enthusiastically describes the ingredients of the manufacturing with an engineer’s passion: “It is important to emphasize that one of the characteristics of loading cranes for steel mill scrap iron is that the entire lifting device is vertically located next to the furnace when we open the basket. We can see flames rising up to the crane. It must be specially designed to resist flames and dust.”
The ideal device?With Konecranes, Desurmont continues, “We have been able to implement the ideal solution during more than 18 months of
preliminary studies, and during two years of work in a continuous dialog, so as to profit from our specialty to the greatest extent possible.”
During the interview, we observe a casting process taking place above the new offset casting hole (OCH) electric furnace.
“For the new 1a and 2a cranes, due to the weight limit stipulated by Konecranes, which meant reducing the weight of the crane in order to lift a heavier load, we switched from a design with four girders to two, and with only one trolley.”
“In addition, Konecranes has put in place a solution in order to be able to connect the auxiliary hook by integrating a telescopic system,” says Desurmont.
In the cab of the 1a craneThe cab was given particular attention in terms of ergonomics, as operators spend eight hours at their work station: improved soundproofing, enhanced visibility via large bay windows in the front and in the floor, secured with a thermal armored glass.
Two new cranes lift and deposit 160-ton ladles of molten steel, and move 250-ton furnace tanks.
VallourecVALLOUREC IS A WORLD LEADER in premium tubular solutions, primarily targeting the energy markets, as well as other industrial applications. With more than 23,000 employees, integrated production units, top R&D, and a presence in more than 20 countries, Vallourec offers its clients innovative global solutions adapted to 21st century energy challenges.www.vallourec.com
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The cab was given strong ergonomic attention.
250 grades of steel are produced.
Maintenance operations are facilitated in the furnace hall.
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Thus, Konecraneshas succeededwhere othersfailed...
The list continues: a comfortable seat adapted for operators of different sizes, commands readily at hand, driving assisted by automatic pre-positioning and synchronization, air-conditioning and ventilation, space and folding seat for training new drivers. There were several meetings with crane operators, when developing these features.
Facilitating maintenanceThe accessibility of the maintenance points was also very closely considered in order to facilitate maintenance operations, at the same time improving the safety of operations performed at an altitude of more than 20 meters, under noisy, hot, and dusty conditions. There are stairs instead of ladders, larger work spaces, lifting shank, raised and meshed body protection, automatic diagnosis assistance and Wi-Fi transmission to ground, accessible instruments, test driving with remote control, generalized thermal protection for every trolley hoist etc.
Before the installation of the crane, the plans and drawings were reviewed by service technicians and an authorized body (European safety standards).
Hooking the scrap iron basketsDuring their study trips, the Vallourec project team observed and analyzed the different solutions used on the casting cranes for hooking the auxiliary hook to the casting ladle at a distance.
“Konecranes proposed the right solution with a telescope that carries only
the sheaving of the auxiliary lifting block,” says Olivier Desurmont. This telescope integrates a displacement rack, especially designed by Konecranes, with a back and forth movement driven by an electric motor via a cog wheel, while everything is protected from the flames.
“Thus, Konecranes has succeeded where others failed with hydraulic cylinder system that burnt from the first loads delivered to the furnace,” Desurmont concluded from the large crane’s red cabin, where five of us fitted without any problems.
In conclusion, Franck Canestrier, Director of ICS Central Europe Konecranes, underlines the strong link between the two companies: “Our collaboration with Vallourec started in 2008 with the delivery of three cranes (one standard and two special) for the storage of round bars immediately after the Continuous Curve Casting. These cranes are equipped with the latest Konecranes Dynac controller technology with sway-control system.”
He continues that the two new 250-ton special cranes for loading scrap iron and transporting liquid steel were delivered during the first semester of 2013 to the furnace hall of Saint-Saulve.
“They were equipped with Konecranes’ top technology that has already been proven in various countries of the world. Another challenge: assembling and commissioning the two cranes without stopping production and while observing the entire site’s ‘Safety first’ requirements,” says Canestrier.
FACT SHEET
A team at the top15 CRANE OPERATORS are working in shifts on a 3x8 basis (continuous operation) to drive the site’s large cranes.
Christophe Debreuilly, polyvalent Crane Operator for the past four years: “What makes my life easy in the cabin of the new crane? The view, for one; there are more windows and fewer supports; I can also see well beneath my feet. There is only one control lever, instead of five. Synchronization during lifting is very important when we switch furnaces. Driving assistance is programmed well. And we really have more space: five of us can be there during safety audits”.
A second crane operator likes the red color of the cabin; he’d had enough of the yellow! For another trainee crane operator, it is a good day when “we produced well, without incident or material damage” agrees Thierry Bequet with a smile. He is involved in the Vulcain project on the exploitation side, reflecting the consistency requirement in terms of the Maintenance, Exploitation, and Design Office services.
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The townhouse exhibits a photo exhibition in its courtyard in Valenciennes.
Typical example of the North region’s architecture.
The old Stock Exchange in Lille.
The century-old pastry house Meert in Lille.
Story by Christophe Riedel Photos by Lucas Schifres
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LILLE
FRANCE
BELGIUM
The Chamber of Commerce belfry at night.
The Museum of Fine Arts in Lille shows also contempory art.
An oyster vendor at work in Lille.
Nord: a revival
The Nord-Pas de Calais is undergoing a promising cultural revival from Valenciennes to Lens, and even to Lille. The region, close to Belgium, was once affected by the crises in the textile and metallurgic industries.
Since 2007, the Concorde has dominated Valenciennes (43,000 inhabitants). This 47-meter-high arrow, a stylized image of the town’s former belfry, was erected on the Place d’Armes, which was bombed during the Second World War. It is the spearhead of the revival, just like the Phoenix. The aptly named theatre is a red and black building that resembles a boat and was created on a brownfield site, which was once a metallurgical factory belonging to Vallourec.
Not far away is the renovated Fine Arts museum, housing the third largest collection of Flemish art in France. This trio (the arrow and the two buildings) is the symbol of a region’s comeback: From 1965 to 1985, the Valenciennes region lost 40,000 jobs. Now you see renovated facades, clean pavements, and old sites in the area transformed into mining heritage centers. In the streets of the town center, the metamorphosis is visible, and highlighted in the evening with multi-colored lighting.
Thanks to the efforts of the municipality, Lille (233,000 inhabitants), capital of the welcoming Ch’tis (as the inhabitants of the Nord region are called), is also making a comeback after the multiple crises suffered by the textile and coal industries.
A promenade in LilleThe city was the 2004 European Capital of Culture and maintains that spirit with large cultural events, such as Lille 3000 (a biennial cycle of events) and exhibitions linked to Tri Postal, an art space in a former sorting facility between the two train stations.
We take a pleasant walk through the pedestrianized streets of Old Lille, starting from its Grand Place, to the Renaissance houses with elegant saw-tooth gables, all the way to the splendid old Stock Exchange and Chamber of Commerce belfry. We pass by the Fine Arts museum, the second largest French collection after that of the Louvre, with at least 35 masterpieces to see. As a bonus, you can enjoy free contemporary art under the skylights in its Atrium!
Waffle or beer?At Meert, an elegant patisserie from 1761, you can choose a vanilla waffle or other specialty. In the evening, you can find draft beer in one of the small cafes that offer beer from French and Belgian micro-breweries, such as the Moulin d’Or, place du Théâtre, a former haberdashery from 1813, with fanciful decoration and a view of the Opera.
The last argument in favor of this territorial revival is in Lens: In 2012, the Louvre opened a satellite museum in this deprived town in the mining region, which received a new breath of life…
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Konecranes
TECH REPORT
R&D Sto r y by Leena Kosken laakso Photos by Konec r anes
World’s first HYBRID REACH STACKER
Early 2013, Konecranes introduced an innovative new hybrid reach stacker for container handling with a lifting
capacity of 45 tons and stacking height of five containers. The new hybrid reach stacker reduces fuel consumption and lowers emissions, while offering increased productivity and improved performance. This is achieved by electrifying the driveline, the hydraulic lifting system, and the energy storage system.
Propulsion and lifting are powered by dedicated electric motors that can all operate in regenerative mode. The energy generated from braking and load lowering is recovered and stored for later use. This means a reduction in diesel consumption and environmental impact.
“The prototype, which is at Proof of Concept stage, is being field tested at the port of Helsingborg’s container handling terminal in Sweden. By now, the machine has accumulated more than 1,700 running hours,”
subsystems—the genset, driveline, electrified hydraulics, and energy storage—are integrated into a reach stacker application. The serial hybrid concept means that this is basically an electric vehicle with on-board generation of electric power. The vehicle is driven by electric motors with a diesel engine powered generator set providing the electric power. As there is no mechanical coupling between the diesel engine and the wheels, there is no need for a complex automatic gearbox. What’s more, as the diesel engine simply powers a generator, it can be operated at its maximum fuel efficiency rpm range,” Nilsson points out.
says Technical Director Anders Nilsson of Konecranes’ business unit Lift Trucks.
LONG ELECTRIFICATION EXPERIENCEPreviously, Konecranes has successfully electrified the hydraulics in its container handling cranes. Now, the company’s extensive experience in electric machinery is being carried over to the lift trucks industry.
“The hybrid reach stacker is based on a unique design concept where all
SMV 4531 TB5 HLT, the world’s first electric serial hybrid reach stacker for container handling, is being field tested at the port of Helsingborg, Sweden.
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The hybrid reach stacker reduces energy costs by some 30 percent.
Throughout the field testing, the hybrid reach stacker has been used in the port’s
normal reach stacker operations. This enables valuable comparison
with conventional reach stackers.
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diesel engine that operates within the maximum fuel efficiency rpm range, the increased efficiency of the driveline components, and the regeneration of energy.
“Based on the more than 1,700 hours of field testing, the typical fuel saving achieved is 6-8 L/h, Nilsson notes.
As the machine becomes more efficient the more intensively it is operated, Nilsson suggests it is best suited for heavy or intense operations, preferably no less than 4,000 running hours p.a. Under those conditions, a conventional Konecranes reach stacker consumes 18–22 L/h and the hybrid reach stacker some 12–15 L/h, while yielding 10 percent higher productivity.
The emission reduction compared to a conventional reach stacker is approximately 20 kg of carbon dioxide per running hour. At 3,000/5,000 running hours per year this means 60/100 tons less CO2 emissions to the atmosphere. This equals the total CO2 emissions from 20/35 passenger cars running 15,000 kilometers per year each. The diesel engine complies with the latest EU/EPA legislation on emissions of NOX and soot particulates.
EASIER MAINTENANCEMaintenance has been made easy by reducing the number of complex mechanical components. There are no variable displacement hydraulic pumps and no torque converter/gearbox, resulting in improved reliability and less need for service.
The modular electrical boxes (controllers and inverters) provide self-diagnostics and can be quickly replaced. If a fault occurs, the system assists the user, indicating which unit to replace. “Limiting the repair of electrical faults to replacement of electrical boxes means that the service personnel usually don’t have to be certified electrical service engineers,” Nilsson adds.
PREPARED FOR THE FUTUREA further benefit is that the flexible system architecture enables future replacement of the diesel engine by a non-fossil fuel powered combustion engine. As technology and cost permit, the complete genset can even be replaced by a battery or a fuel cell fuelled by, for instance, hydrogen. According to Nilsson, this makes the machine future-proof, and a potential Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV). n
QUICKER RESPONSE, HIGHER ACCELERATION, IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITYThe serial hybrid stacker is more responsive to the driver’s commands and smoother to drive. Acceleration is smooth with no time lost for switching gears, and the electric traction motor delivers high torque from stand-still up to maximum traveling speed. It is possible to utilize higher power peaks than what the diesel engine could supply, as energy is also supplied from the super capacitor-based energy storage. As a result, the driver can accelerate faster or accelerate and lift loads simultaneously without having to rev up the diesel engine first.
Productivity depends on the operating cycle, but the hybrid reach stacker can improve productivity by some 10 percent, according to Nilsson. The more dynamic the operating cycle, the bigger the improvement, and the more containers can be handled per unit time.
SUBSTANTIAL ENERGY SAVINGS AND LESS EMISSIONSThe hybrid reach stacker reduces energy costs by some 30 percent, thanks to the
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R&D Sto r y by Leena Kosken laakso Photos by Konecranes
Sensor data will be sent over the mobile connection to the remote center. After data analyzing the information can be utilized in customers’ mobile devices.
Usage and operating data gathered with smart sensors is used to optimize the operation
of machines and equipment.
introduced in cranes. The first pilot cases were in 2008, and 2010 saw the launching of the TRUCONNECT® Remote Monitoring and Reporting service. In 2012, the TRUCONNECT service was launched in Konecranes lift trucks.
“Today, more than 6,000 cranes and lifting equipment around the world are connected to the TRUCONNECT service platform,“ Härkönen says.
The TRUCONNECT service complies with strict current data security standards. The collected data is stored in a highly secured location outside of Konecranes premises and the remote connections, which are isolated from the public internet, are actively monitored to allow for high availability. All data traffic is encrypted.
TRACKING THE EFFICIENCY OF LIFT TRUCK FLEETRemote monitoring of Konecranes lift trucks is based on a condition monitoring unit that collects operating and usage data received from sensors and transmits it to the Konecranes Remote Data Center through a mobile connection. The information is organized, analyzed and compiled into online reports. Customers have 24/7 access to an online customer portal, which allows them to monitor the efficiency of their lift truck fleet and track peak and average fuel consumption, among other things.
With TRUCONNECT, customers know when their lift trucks have been in use, idling or off-duty. The online reports include safety alerts and contain information also on machine status, traveling distance, average traveling speed, load spectrum, and total load lifted. Operations can be improved by identifying
Sensors monitor
machine usage
Owners of lifting equipment need to get the best possible return for their investment. To get it, they must know
the condition of their machine and the usage data, and how the productivity and safety of the machine can be increased. Monitoring of data gathered with sensors plays a crucial role in optimizing the operation of the machine.
“Thanks to advances in microprocessor technology, sensors are no longer used to just measure certain values such as motor oil temperatures and transfer the information further. Today, distributed intelligence technology is being introduced to sensors”, says Tuomo Härkönen, head of product and services development.
“Microprocessors are integrated in sensors, transforming them into small computers that can deduce whether the measured values are good or bad. The distributed intelligence chips in the smart sensors conduct the initial analysis in the target system, making conclusions about ongoing trends and suggesting possible causes. Next, the pre-analyzed sensor data is transferred to the control unit of the equipment, which makes further analyses and may decide to start corrective measures. The control unit may adjust the hydraulic pressure of a lift truck, for example, in order to protect the machine or to improve its lifting capacity,” Härkönen explains.
MORE THAN 6,000 REMOTELY MONITORED MACHINESFor more than six years, Konecranes has researched and developed machine optimization, sensors and remote monitoring. Remote monitoring technology was first
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TECH REPORT
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LOOKING INTO THE CRYSTAL BALL”It has been a long project to get the remote monitoring platform in order. Now we can start taking it into use also in our Machine Tool Service,” Härkönen notes.
“Today, we use several remote monitoring and sensor technologies. We have in-house expertise in developing special sensors such as those used for monitoring crane brakes, and autonomous ambient sensors. User experience is another important research area, because we want to present the information in easily understandable form.”
Sensors will become even smarter. They enhance safety, which continues to be a top priority also in the future, according to Härkönen. Machine-to-machine communication and mobility are other future trends, with machines ‘talking’ to us and sending alarms to our mobile phones in real time. We also use the term ’industrial internet’ to describe this functionality.
“We can use sensor data in many ways, such as for predicting the device lifecycle. We will be able to provide more accurate predictions on the probable fault interval and the behavior of machines during the next 10 years. This will open up a vast range of
opportunities on the analysis side, enabling a shift from preventive maintenance
to real-time maintenance,” says Härkönen. n
where driver training could improve safety and productivity. Detected safety-related issues are listed in an online log.
UPCOMING FEATURESUpcoming lift truck features include, for example, Near Guard sensors in the driver’s cabin which, when combined with RFID tags worn by drivers, detect if there are people too near the machine and alert the driver; chock sensors that issue alerts if the lift truck is driven too roughly; wireless tire pressure sensors that can detect if tire pressure is too low; driver lists; safety alerts sent to customer via email or text message; filter monitoring for air, engine, hydraulics, and transmission system filters, as well as monitoring of hydraulic oil cleanliness.
OPTIMIZING LIFT TRUCK SERVICE LEVELS
“Lift trucks are heavy mobile vehicles incorporating a combustion engine and a hydrodynamic transmission which need to be serviced often. They may benefit even more from the TRUCONNECT service than cranes, especially as the machines are working in a variety of environments,” says Service Manager Göran Pehrsson of Konecranes business unit Lift Trucks.
”The goal in lift trucks is to optimize service levels and make operation more reliable and more cost-efficient for all types of site conditions,” he points out.
According to Pehrsson, port operators and rental companies have welcomed the TRUCONNECT service for lift trucks, and remotely monitored lift trucks have been delivered all over the world, also to developing countries.
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Story by Kimmo Kiimalainen Photo by Konecranes
Welcome to the biggest energy-related construction
project in the Alps area.
Mountain high in the Swiss Alps, nuclear power-
level output when operational–the Linthal
2015 power plant project, by the Swiss energy
production and distribution corporation Axpo,
certainly is one of superlatives and, at the same time, one
of the all-time toughest challenges for engineering skills of
all kinds.
By building a new underground pumped-storage power
plant, the company will boost the output of the power plant
Kraftwerke Linth-Limmern (KLL) from the current 480 MW
to some 1,480 MW–equal to that of the Leibstadt nuclear
power plant.
“Expanding this power plant is actually the biggest
energy-related construction project in the Alps area,”
Tomas Honegger of Axpo Holding AG states.
When operational in 2015/2016, the plant will pump
water from Lake Limmern back up to Lake Mutt, which
is 630 m higher, and will generate enough power to
safeguard the future security of the electricity supply for
northeastern and central Switzerland.
For realizing a project of this quality and size, one of
course needs very, very reliable partners. That’s why Axpo
chose Konecranes to supply and install 11 cranes for the
new water power plant at Muttsee and Tierfehd.
“Konecranes is one of the most distinctive suppliers in
the lifting business. But what really made the difference
was the balance between cost, performance, and reliability
that Konecranes was able to offer,” says Honegger.
The project includes different types of CXT cranes (up
to 60 tons), and two 200-ton SMARTON® cranes, needed
for heavy lifting and maintenance-related purposes.
Deliveries started in 2011 and will continue until 2014“The cooperation with Konecranes has been carried out in
a very professional and target-oriented manner, and it fully
meets our expectations,” Honegger states.
What makes this project unique is that each bridge
girder of the SMARTON crane will be transported by cable
car in two pieces and welded together in the machine
house prior to being lifted onto the crane runway.
“The biggest challenges certainly are the location
itself and transporting the equipment. And: we need to
watch out as we are not working alone in the tunnels but
with other subcontractors,” says Armand Ring, Project
Manager, Konecranes Germany.
Construction is expected to take about five years, and
the plant should go into operation in 2015/2016. n
34 KONECRANES MAGAZINE
The biggest challenges certainly are the location itself and transporting the equipment.
35
NOT JUST LIFTING THINGS, BUT ENTIRE BUSINESSES.
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