The Requirements
A fire protection manufacturer approached Hoist UK to carry out a thorough examination of their existing Demag electric chain hoist and supporting runway beam in accordance with LOLER.
During the thorough examination, the inspecting engineer identified several defects including excessive chain wear confirmed through interlink measurement checks, corrosion to suspension components, missing safety clips, and issues with the trolley and power feed arrangement.
Following further discussion between Hoist UK and the customer, and after reviewing the cost of replacement Demag spare parts required, it was deemed more economical to replace the hoist entirely.
Hoist UK was subsequently appointed to supply a new electric chain hoist with geared travel trolley and flat cable power feeding system, including removal of the existing defective hoist and installation of the replacement unit.
The hoist was installed within a small plant room housing a furnace which occupied a significant portion of the available space. The restricted working area limited access and required careful planning for removal of the existing hoist and installation of the new hoist.
The runway beam was encapsulated into both walls of the building and passed directly over the furnace. During inspection, it was identified that the existing hoist had previously been travelling into the walls due to the beam having no end stops.
The existing power feed arrangement consisted of a trailing cable and several festoon system components were either missing or incorrectly installed. A full replacement of the flat cable power feed system was therefore required.
The Solution
Hoist UK supplied and installed a 500 kg rated capacity Verlinde Eurochain VX electric chain hoist complete with geared travel trolley.
The VX electric chain hoist was configured with the CHVXG 10 geared travel trolley which features simple flange adjustment with plain shaft and collars with grub screws, this made installation veery simple when compared to more conventional trolleys with washers for adjustment.
A new flat cable festoon system was installed to replace the previous trailing cable arrangement, addressing the poor installation and missing components identified during inspection.
Adjustable end stops were supplied and set in position on the runway beam to prevent the hoist from travelling into the walls and to ensure controlled end-of-travel limits.
Upon completion of installation, Hoist UK carried out commissioning and a thorough examination prior to handover.
Project Photo's
Hoist UK
“This project highlights the importance of having lifting equipment thoroughly examined by competent engineers. By identifying critical defects and understanding the risks involved, Hoist UK was able to prevent a potentially dangerous situation.”