“You Name it, We Crane it” –

Gottwald Launches Generation 5 Harbour Cranes

Düsseldorf, 6 February 2006 – You Name it, We Crane it – this is Gottwald’s central message about the new Crane Generation 5 which the company is launching to coincide with its 100th anniversary in summer 2006. This new generation of state-of-the-art Harbour Cranes is Gottwald’s response to the specific requirements of terminal operators, stevedoring and shipping companies. In keeping with its holistic approach, Gottwald has applied its Generation 5 philosophy to all types of Harbour Cranes so that it covers not only the HMK Mobile Harbour Cranes invented by Gottwald 50 years ago but also the HSK Portal Harbour Cranes and HPK Harbour Pontoon Cranes.

The New 6, 7 & 8 Models are a Quantum Leap in Harbour Crane Technology

On the occasion of the Generation 5 market launch, the three new models, 6, 7 & 8, will be presented. These three models are, in turn, available in numerous variants and are positioned at the upper end of the lifting capacity range from 70 to 200 metric tonnes. Both the design and the equipment of all the models are a quantum leap in harbour crane technology. In introducing its Generation 5 Harbour Cranes, Gottwald has taken the decisive development leap that places harbour cranes on a level with special-purpose container and bulk handling equipment. The new models 6, 7 & 8 will, with effect from summer 2006, replace the current HMK 300 E, HMK 330 EG and HMK 360 E/EG models and their counterparts in the Portal Harbour Crane and Harbour Pontoon Crane types, and will considerably outperform these cranes in terms of lifting capacity, equipment level, versatility and degree of specialisation.

The Corner Stones of the Generation 5

The new Generation 5 is based on a new concept unprecedented in the harbour crane industry. The corner stones of the new concept are these:

• Three new models 6, 7 & 8 comprising, at the time of market launch, some 15 variants to allow individual, customer-specific solutions

• The highest degree of serviceability thanks to generous spacing and optimised access to all machines and components

• Customer-orientated lifecycle as defined by the crane classification

• Diesel-electric drive design typical of Gottwald cranes ensures economical and environmentally compatible use at a time when resources are the focus of attention.

Moreover, Generation 5 stands for a multitude of technical detail enhancements and a range of additional standard features specifically requested by crane operators, crane drivers and service personnel. All the company’s development efforts are based on continuous two-way dialogue with numerous clients backed up by decades of leading-edge experience with a view to providing Harbour Cranes designed and built to meet exacting requirements.

Multifaceted Variants Provide Individual Solutions

This groundbreaking concept is driven consistently by the requirements of individual crane operators and takes full account of the fact that clients are only prepared to invest in cranes which are made to suit their own applications. These applications are both varied and different. Factors to be catered for are not only the size and type of vessel, handling rates, planning and scheduling parameters, and the proportion of different types of cargoes handled (containers, bulk materials and general cargo) in terms of total volumes, but also the duration of use and ambient conditions. Typical examples of the many possible applications are these:

• More intensive, rapid container handling on all sizes of vessels, including twinlift operation

• Container handling for specific vessel sizes, such as Panamax and post-Panamax vessels

• High handling speeds at low lifting capacities, when handling pallets of fruit, for example

• Container handling and a significant share of heavy lifts at multiple-cargo terminals in the vicinity of centres of heavy industry

• Large grab capacities for professional, uninterrupted bulk handling with a high crane classification and, as a result, longer service life

• Frequently changing handling operations from container to general cargo to bulk handling at smaller and medium sized multiple-purpose ports.

For All Vessel Sizes

These operations can all be performed with pin-point accuracy with the Generation 5 cranes. The new model range with its many variants enables customers to select the ideal configuration as regards lifting capacity, hoisting speeds and installed engine. The Generation 5 cranes are higher, more powerful and faster. This makes them ideally suited to use on all types and sizes of vessels and terminals.

The three new models 6, 7 & 8 form the basis of this new concept and are all based on a uniform modular design and construction principle, with additional carry-over effects in the equipment and drive train, which enables the same designs of engines and components, but with different quantities, sizes and outputs, to be applied to all three models. As a result, all the models are designed so that they can be equipped differently depending on the lifting capacity, hoisting speeds and drive unit required. Additionally, there is a 4-rope grab variant for every model which, in each case, is built to meet the demands of professional bulk handling with a number of special features, e.g. a specially adapted tower to provide an enhanced view into the ship’s hold.

The New Generation 5 in Detail

The new generation of cranes does not dispense with any proven features nor does it mean compromising the renowned short delivery times. Quite the contrary: as a result of the sophisticated advance-production programme and the use of a large number of carry-over components, Gottwald is able to respond even more quickly than in the past, while combining many proven design characteristics with the latest technologies and an impressive array of new features.

Model 6 is available in four variants with lifting capacities from 74 to 100 t, a radius of 48 m and hoisting speeds of 75 to 120 m/min. The 4-rope grab variant has both 100-t heavy-load and 40-t grab mode capacities. Model 7 includes five variants with lifting capacities from 74 to 140 t, a radius of 51 m and the same range of hoisting speeds as Model 6. The corresponding 4-rope grab variant has both 100-t heavy-load and 50-t grab mode capacities. Model 8 is available in six variants with lifting capacities from 100 to 200 t, a radius of 56 m and hoisting speeds of 90 to 140 m/min. The corresponding 4-rope grab variant has a radius of 50 m and both 80-t heavy-load and 63-t grab mode capacities. On all three models, the cab height and boom length are designed to cope with all typical vessel sizes including Panamax and post-Panamax.

The Chassis – Serious Cargo Handling Needs a Solid Base

The manoeuvrable, sturdy chassis in use in models 6, 7 & 8 are based on a uniform design principle which retains the proven H-shaped stabiliser arrangement. Model 6 has six or seven axles, Model 7 has eight and Model 8 has ten. All the chassis available offer not only the close turning circle and large wheels customers have come to expect but also a crab steering function to be able to position the crane more easily alongside the vessel – even where space is limited. There is also a new automated propping function which saves valuable time when travelling and propping the crane alongside the vessel. The main fuel tank has been moved from the superstructure to the chassis. This not only simplifies refuelling while the crane is in operation but also lowers the centre of gravity. In addition, vibrations from movements in the fuel tank during operation are reduced. The diesel engine is fed from an intermediate tank in the diesel generator room. There are now two kinds of stabiliser beams: a conventional design and a new interlocking version providing even better manoeuvrability due to a reduced vehicle width.

Generation 5 Is also Available for Portal Harbour Cranes and Harbour Pontoon Cranes

Mobile Harbour Crane technology, proven a thousand times on tyres in the last fifty years, is also available from Gottwald on rails or floating pontoons. This makes it the pioneer in Portal Harbour Cranes for use on special quays and for floating transhipment on rivers and in ports. Portal Harbour Cranes are mounted on rail-mounted portals whose gauge, clear heights and permissible track loadings are adapted to customer specifications, which allows the free movement of railway trucks, HGVs and belt conveyors under the portal. With Harbour Pontoon Cranes, the chassis is replaced by a customer-specific pontoon and a pedestal to which the crane is attached. As one would expect, the many variants and features launched with Gottwald’s Generation 5 rubber-tyred cranes are available also for the Portal and Pontoon versions, which makes them serious alternatives to many purpose-built machines, whether as new or replacement investments in rail-bound equipment or for applications where floating cranes are essential.

The Superstructure – Room for Technology

The superstructures of models 6, 7 & 8 are also designed to a uniform principle. In all three models, the superstructures are two-storey constructions with clear heights of 2.5 m. This provides more space and enables better access to the machines and drive units. All the machines and electrical equipment are fitted in separate rooms. These rooms are designed to enable different numbers and sizes of machines and drives with different output levels to be located. The result is that different sizes of diesel generators having different outputs, for example, can easily be accommodated. In addition, the heaviest units, the diesel generator and hoisting gear, are fitted at the rear of the superstructure, which has enabled the necessary counterweight size to be reduced. Models 6, 7 & 8 can, as an option, be fitted with equipment allowing an external power supply from the port’s own mains.

The Tower – the Sky’s the Limit with the New Design

The tower on models 6, 7 & 8 is a torsionally stiff plate girder structure. This ensures that the mechanical forces are transferred evenly to the superstructure. Access to the tower cab is by means of a convenient stairway protected from the weather. Fresh, dust-free air is drawn in at the top of the tower and fed into the superstructure via a ducting system concealed within the tower. The slight overpressure thus generated in the superstructure prevents the dust caused in particular by bulk handling operations from entering the rooms, providing first-rate protection for the machinery. An excellent view into the ship’s hold is offered by the high tower and the position of the cab. To improve the crane operator’s view of the hold even more for bulk handling operations, the tower of the Model 8 four-rope grab variant is angled noticeably towards the ship while the cab is situated even higher and can, if desired, be extended forwards by two metres.

The rigid boom is a proven lattice construction and is attached high up on the tower to provide excellent access where container stacks on vessels are high. The head and root of the boom are now no longer attached using pins but with flanges. This new construction remains immoveable throughout the lifetime of the crane and makes the boom more rigid, which simplifies the task of operating the crane.

Easy Handling – Features to Facilitate Crane Operation

All three of the new crane models of Generation 5 feature enhanced ease of use. Supplied as standard is a radio remote control unit for all crane functions. The remote control unit, which takes the place of the control stand in the driver cab, is simply placed in a console provided for the purpose. Using the remote control, crane travel can be controlled from the ground, and the lifting gear can be replaced without any risk of miscommunication between the crane operator and the quay personnel. Another feature is the automatic propping function and an innovative load guidance system which can incorporate an optional point-to-point handling mode and an automatic hoisting height limiting system. While the point-to-point handling mode facilitates rapid movement to a fixed destination, such as a hopper, the hoisting height limiting system ensures containers are deposited gently on the quay.

The Crane Configurator – A Guide to Selecting a New Crane

To assist clients in putting together all the functions they need for a crane tailored to their specific needs, Gottwald has developed a crane configurator. This system allows the customer – together with Gottwald’s skilled and experienced staff – to enter all the relevant data to determine in advance the applicability and potential performance of models 6, 7 & 8 and all their variants.

Maintenance Friendly Design and Easy Access Thanks to Well-Arranged Components

Service and maintenance work including the exchange of components, whole subassemblies and drive units, has to be carried out quickly and efficiently on cargo-handling equipment to keep costly downtimes to a minimum. It is for this reason that Gottwald has ensured that the Generation 5 cranes have their machines and drive units clearly arranged and easily accessible in large spaces. Furthermore, on the new models, the main linkage points between the tower & boom, superstructure & luffing cylinder and between the tower & the rope pulleys are equipped with large platforms which make additional aids e.g. scissor platforms superfluous. All the superstructure areas have been sized to enable all service and maintenance work to be carried out upright. The side walls of the superstructure can be removed completely to enable machines and large subassemblies to be removed and replaced with ease. For example, the entire diesel generator unit, which is mounted on a slide, can simply be extracted to one side.

By ensuring the use of as many carry-over parts as possible across the model range, Gottwald has simplified spare parts management, e.g. to the benefit of terminals where several Gottwald cranes of different sizes are in use. In this way, the Generation 5 makes a clear contribution to rapid, flexible servicing.

Application-Related Lifecycle Due to Correct Classification

The field of application and number of annual operating hours worked have a decisive influence on a crane’s lifetime. The crane’s lifetime is equally dependent on the crane classification – in other words the engineering and design of the steel construction and the way the crane is built. The Gottwald Generation 5 cranes take these conditions into account, for example in tough, professional heavy-duty bulk-handling up to classification A8.

Diesel-Electric Drive Concept

As with all other generations of Gottwald cranes, the Generation 5 machines make optimum use of diesel-electric power units, the most popular power system in ports around the world. This drive concept provides high efficiency, reduces fuel consumption and, at the same time, ensures environmentally friendly operation. The concept also simplifies the conversion to using electricity from the terminal’s own mains. Further benefits of diesel-electric drives are the fact that the system does not require large volumes of hydraulic oil, which, in turn, reduces the danger of leaks and contributes to improved cleanliness.

New Names for the New Generation 5

With the launch of the new crane generation, Gottwald will also introduce new naming conventions. The market leader has trodden a clearly defined path of combining the established with the new. The designations used hitherto: HMK for the Mobile Harbour Cranes, HSK for Portal Harbour Cranes and HPK for Harbour Pontoon Cranes are retained. However, the world-famous ‘G’ for Gottwald is used as a prefix. By adding the ‘G’ to the crane names, Gottwald aims to consolidate its world-leading brand to an even greater extent in the crane market. A four-digit numerical descriptor shows the model, 6, 7 or 8, describes the hoisting gear variant (lifting capacity and configuration) and includes a reference to the number of axles on the chassis. If the crane is designed for professional bulk-handling, it carries a suffixed ‘B’.

First References – Four Generation 5 Mobile Harbour Cranes for Italy and Belgium

As expected, the new Gottwald Generation 5 cranes are already making waves even ahead of their launch, as witnessed by orders for two Mobile Harbour Cranes each for Carrara, Italy and Antwerp, Belgium. Both terminal operators, Porto di Carrara and P&O Ports, had ordered Mobile Harbour Cranes from Gottwald with very high lifting capacities but also with high hoisting speeds.

Since the end of 2005, Porto di Carrara has been operating the two largest Mobile Harbour Cranes in the world, both Model 8, with lifting capacity of 200 tonnes each, designation G HMK 8710. Due to its proximity to manufacturers of capital investment goods, the port of Carrara is the preferred handling location for turbines, generators and other heavy equipment.

The G HMK 8710 Mobile Harbour Cranes for Carrara are equipped with two 100-tonne hoists and diesel generators with an output of 1,112 kW. These cranes offer a maximum hoisting speed of 82 m/min, are designed specifically for heavy-duty operation and can be used in tandem mode for especially heavy loads. Of course, Porto di Carrara uses its new G HMK 8710 Mobile Harbour Cranes for a wide range of cargoes, including such goods as very large blocks of marble and containers. Each chassis is equipped with ten axles with individually controlled wheels, enabling crab steering if required.

Also in operation since the end of 2005 are two 140-tonne Model 7 Mobile Harbour Cranes, designation G HMK 7608, operated by P&O Ports on quay 304 at the Port of Antwerp. Both these cranes are in regular use servicing multiple-use vessels, loading and unloading very heavy loads, containers and a wide range of general cargo. These G HMK 7608 Mobile Harbour Cranes are equipped with one 140-tonne hoist fitted with four ropes. The maximum lifting speed is 100 m/min and the diesel generator fitted has an output of 845 kW. The chassis each have eight axles with individually controlled wheels. As a result, the cranes are suitable for crab steering.

Generation 5 Is Right on Course

“Once again”, emphasises Dirk Kiessling, CEO and CFO of Gottwald, “the inventor of the Mobile Harbour Crane is demonstrating on the occasion of its one-hundredth anniversary that the company is at the heart of the changes affecting the worldwide cargo-handling business.” He continues, “We are convinced that launching our Generation 5 Cranes is exactly the right way to raise the bar once again and to both consolidate and expand our market leadership in this worldwide market. Generation 5 Mobile Harbour Cranes and the corresponding Portal Harbour Cranes and Harbour Pontoon Cranes are the result of a consistent, uncompromising policy of further development and close cooperation with our clients, whose benefits are at the focus of all our efforts. This is our philosophy, our commitment and our promise: You Name it, We Crane it”.

About Gottwald Port Technology

Gottwald Port Technology GmbH, based in Düsseldorf, Germany, is the world’s unchallenged market leader in the field of Mobile Harbour Cranes, as demonstrated once again by the launch of the new Generation 5 machines. In addition to the cranes themselves, Gottwald Port Technology provides numerous services and products in the fields of conventional and automated port logistics. The range of products includes Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV), Automated Stacking Cranes (ASC) and Wide-Span Gantry Cranes (WSG). These are backed up by consulting services, software development for automated handling systems, simulation and emulation and project management. Gottwald currently has a workforce of around 760 employees and its turnover for the financial year 2004/2005 (as of Sept. 30) was € 237.3 million.

Photograph:

Two G HMK 8710 at the Carrara Port, Italy, tandem-lifting a generator. These are the largest Mobile Harbour Cranes ever built and have a lifting capacity of 200 metric tonnes each.

For more information, please visit:

https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile...technology.htm

Attachments

gottwald_news_2006 (JPG)

■