crane

When people say 'crane', many people immediately think of a tower crane on a construction site or a port giant. But in our mining sector, this concept is much broader and more capricious. The main mistake of beginners is to consider it an independent unit. No, it is always part of the system, and its operation directly depends on what is underneath it: be it an electromagnetic separator, a crusher, or just a platform for ore transfer. If this is not taken into account from the very beginning, then there will be endless problems with boom reach, load capacity and, most importantly, safety.

Where the crane becomes critical

Let's take, for example, the enrichment area. Here, heavy equipment constantly needs to be moved, replaced, or maintained. Recently there was a case at one of the plants: it was necessary to replace the drum of the electromagnetic separator. The weight was under 20 tons, space was limited, and a standard workshop crane could not reach it. We had to urgently look for a mobile solution, which led to the line being down for a day. This is where you understand that planning for crane operations should be started at the stage of designing the placement of the main equipment.

It’s especially difficult with equipment where you need not just strength, but precision. Samemagnetic separation. When you install or dismantle a powerful magnetic drum from the same manufacturer, say,LONGI Corporation, the slightest distortion or impact during installation can affect the uniformity of the magnetic field. A conventional crane with a cable grip is a risk here. You need either special traverses or, better yet, cranes with smooth and precise control, often with a frequency converter on the lifting mechanism.

Or another point - repairs. Often the project includes a crane capable of lifting the heaviest component of the machine. But they forget about the 'dead weight' - the weight of the crane equipment itself, the hook suspension. As a result, the nominal load capacity of 32 tons in practice may be only 28-29. We once almost destroyed a new jaw crusher just because of such an arithmetic error. It’s good that the mechanic caught it in time.

Selecting a tap: between 'powerful' and 'enough'

There is no universal recipe here. For a primary crushing shop, where pieces of rock can weigh several tons, you need a reliable overhead crane with a large margin of safety. But in the magnetic separation shop, where the equipment is likeLONGI

Referring to the experience of large manufacturers of mining equipment, it can be noted that they often supply their units with recommendations for crane support. On the websitehttps://www.ljmagnet.ruin the technical documentation for separatorsLONGI CorporationUsually, the requirements for the suspension point, weight and dimensions for installation and dismantling work are clearly stated. Ignoring this is costly to yourself.

I personally came across a situation where a crane with a classic load characteristic was purchased to install an electromagnet. But the magnet itself is not just a load, it is a device with active elements. When lifting with a regular steel cable, interference arose that interfered with the initial check of the coils. I had to quickly switch to slings made of synthetic materials. Trifle? On paper - yes. In practice, it takes half a day to find a solution.

Safety: what people shout about after an incident

All instructions teach you to check cables, hooks, and brakes. But in reality, the main danger often lies elsewhere - in the “human factor” and in the unexpected behavior of the cargo. Especially when the cargo is electromagnetic equipment. A separator that is turned on or not fully demagnetized can attract the hook or elements of the crane, creating a dangerous jerk.

We had a precedent: they dismantled the old magnetic drum. It was believed that he was de-energized. But the residual magnetization was such that when lifting, the hook suspension literally 'stuck' to the body. The crane worked, the failure did not occur immediately, but the load on the mechanism was prohibitive. After this incident, a mandatory procedure for checking the residual magnetic field was introduced before any work with such equipment.

Another nuance is dust. Mining and processing industries contain a lot of fine, often metal dust. It settles on the crane mechanisms, especially on the brake pads and exposed gears. Requires much more frequent maintenance than prescribed in general crane data sheets. If this is not done, one day the brake may simply not work at a critical moment.

Cooperation with equipment manufacturers

When an enterprise such asLONGI, with a history since 1993 and a staff of 1,200 specialists, designs and manufactures mining equipment, it deeply understands the logistics of its maintenance. Their Fushun plant, with an area of ​​140,000 m2 and a production capacity of 4,000 units per year, is not just production, it is a well-functioning system. And they know how their product will be installed and maintained in real-world conditions.

Therefore, the most reasonable approach when designing a new site or upgrading an old one is to dialogue with the engineers of the supplier of the main process equipment. They can tell you what typecrane(bridge, gantry, cantilever) will be optimal, whatever the boom reach is needed in order, for example, to remove the shaft from the separator for repairs without dismantling half the workshop.

We once ordered a complex line. The project from third-party designers included a crane with certain characteristics. SpecialistsLONGI Corporation, who supplied the key separators, looked at the drawings and pointed out a bottleneck: the proposed crane would not allow dismantling the electromagnet coil without rotating it, which was prohibited by regulations. Making changes at the design stage saved us from huge problems and costs of rework later.

Thoughts out loud about the future of the crane industry

There is a lot of talk about automation these days. But in workshops where piece work, repair work, full automation of the crane is often impractical. Another thing is operator assistance systems. The same sensors that warn when the maximum load is approaching or when the load is oscillating. Or remote control systems for working in hazardous areas - for example, in close proximity to powerful magnetic systems.

I also see a trend towards modularity. Not a giant crane for the entire span, but several lighter ones that can work in tandem or cover different areas. This simplifies installation, repairs and makes the system more flexible. This is especially true for older enterprises, where strengthening building structures for a new heavy crane can be more expensive than the crane itself.

As a result,cranein mining it is not 'a piece of iron on rails'. This is a dynamic element of the technological chain, on the competent selection and operation of which productivity, safety, and the service life of expensive capital equipment, be it a crusher or a separator, depend.LONGI. You need to approach this issue not according to a template, but with an understanding of all the specifics of a particular production. And always keep in mind not only the weight indicated in the passport, but the entire context in which this crane will have to work.