InfraStructures - March 2015 - Konecranes Protected Areas Technology Safeguards People and Infrastructure

Konecranes Protected Areas Technology
Safeguards People and Infrastructure

Overhead cranes that allow management to clearly define no-go areas in advance are delivering important safety and productivity advantages in the automotive industry.

For more than 60 years, global crane manufacturer Konecranes has led the way in developing overhead crane systems that improve safety, productivity and reliability. Konecranes Protected Areas uses laser telemetry to define and enforce no-go zones to prevent collisions between the load on the hook and valuable production machinery or busy working areas.

Up to 16 rectangular protected areas can be defined in advance, which the crane operator is not able to override or adjust. When the operator moves the hook towards a protected area, the crane will reduce its driving speed in a slowdown zone and finally stop at the protected area limit. Once a limit has been reached, the operator interface display shows the protected area icon. At this point the operator must manually guide the load to circumnavigate the protected area. Konecranes sway control technology, another signature load control feature, allows management to tightly define its protected areas to optimize factory workspace.

“Konecranes Protected Areas technology is a way for managers to increase the safety of both people and infrastructure located close to an operating overhead crane,” says Doug Maclam, vice president, sales and marketing, Konecranes Region Americas. “Protected Areas maximize the effective operating area of the crane and protect valuable loads as well as expensive machinery and facilities,” he continued.

Mr. Maclam says a compelling demonstration of Protected Areas from Konecranes in action can be seen at Renault Car Corporation in Sandouville, France, an automotive stamping plant where managers wanted to prevent their crane from passing over certain zones for the safety of its personnel and machines.

Protected Areas from Konecranes is one of a suite of smart features that are available individually or in packages sold with Konecranes advanced lifting equipment. In some cases, it can also be available as a retrofit for older cranes.

Source: Konecranes, Inc.

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