Car manufacturer Toyota UK has improved its productivity by installing new cranes with anti-sway technology.
The cranes were built and installed by Street Crane, which is the exclusive UK supplier of the ICRAS load stability system of Finnish company Innocrane (Hoist 19, p. 23). Street markets the system as XY-Zero.
The XY-Zero system, or ICRAS, can be retrofitted to any make of crane. “It contributes to better reliability and lower maintenance as the motors, gearboxes, crane beams and building structures are subject to lower dynamic load,” explained Street managing director Andrew Pimblett. “Energy savings also arise and product damage due to harsh handling will also be eliminated.” Trials have shown that the system can increase productivity by up to 30%. A clip of the system in action is on Street’s web site (www.streetcrane.co.uk).
Street has also taken an order from Virgin Airways.
Toyota UK’s new cranes are in its press hall where high value dies are frequently changed on the multi-roll presses. Although the speed of the new cranes, at 50m/min, is slower than the 80m/min old cranes, the fact that the load arrives at its destination not swaying has enabled Toyota to reduce the time it takes to change the dies.
