Cube jacks negotiate a tight spot
21 November 2022French equipment installer Bovis Group has used four SCJ-50 Enerpac cube jacks in the installation of two 16t presses.
Bovis and fellow French firm Trinstal Equipements collaborated on the project – which involved lifting one press one on top of the other – for a manufacturer of high-tech electronics and advanced materials.
The technical challenge was the space constraint – there was just 30mm of headroom available.
Using 3D modelling software, a lifting scenario was developed based on progressive jacking of the upper press to within 30mm of the factory ceiling. From this position it could be lowered onto the second press to complete the assembly.
For the vertical lift of the upper press, the Bovis team used the cube jacks, which were connected to a split-flow pump, providing synchronised movement of all four jacks. After the initial lift, the press was supported by wooden cribbing while the cube jacks were positioned on jacking blocks and the lift repeated. Once the upper press was at the correct height, Bovis used a 30t hydraulic mover to shift the lower press into position beneath the upper press.
“This was a very precise operation and demonstrated the lifting accuracy we can achieve with the Enerpac cube jacks. Thanks to our meticulous planning, and the ease of using the cube jacks, we were able to complete the installation of both presses on the same day,” said Jérôme Lebrequier, industrial project manager at Groupe Bovis.
The Enerpac SCJ-50 cube jack can lift 50t up to a height of 2m. It uses a base lifting frame and self-aligning, lightweight steel cribbing blocks to provide high-capacity and stabilised lifting. The incremental system mechanically locks the load as each cribbing block is manually added or removed, instead of being held by hydraulic pressure. Once the mechanical lock engages, the lift cylinder retracts, and another cribbing block can be added or removed.
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