The ladle handling crane transports ladles filled with molten iron to the basic oxygen furnace (BOF), or molten steel from the BOF and electric arc furnace to the continuous casting machine. It can also be used for teeming and casting. As with the charging crane, safety and reliability come first with this crane since it is used to transport molten steel.
Ladle handling crane features
- Optional features include wireless communication with the factory control system and the Crane Management System (CMS) that has a remote service capability for fast problem solving and advance information for maintenance planning.
- The programmable logic controller (PLC) controls and monitors the crane with special emphasis on safety-related functions. It is also the platform for Smart Features.
- The electrical room is pressurized and air-conditioned for reliable operation in harsh environmental conditions. Backup A/C units are included for continued, reliable A/C operation even if a unit is down.
- The cabin has toughened glass for protection against hot, splashing material. The cabin is well insulated, air-conditioned, soundproofed and protected against vibration.
- Control locations, critical electrical devices and cables have heat shielding to protect them from radiated heat.
- The back-up brake on the rope drum is designed to prevent load drop if a component in the hoisting machinery breaks.
- The rope reeving system has redundancy to safeguard against load drop if a rope breaks.
- The main hoist has two motors and two inverters. This arrangement allows full loads to be lifted with one motor, through a differential gear inverter, in emergency situations.
- Traversing machinery is divided into two groups for redundancy; in an emergency situation, the crane can be driven with half of the motors.
- The auxiliary hoist is standard-duty and used for maintenance activities.
- Bogies are heavy-duty with surface-hardened wheels and rail-cleaning brushes.
- The auxiliary hook is heavy-duty and specially designed for ladle pouring and opening scrap bucket bottoms. As an optional feature, it can also be moved horizontally.
- The lifting beam has heat shielding and laminated plate hooks.
