Doubling the capacity of the Panama Canal, the recently-opened expansion has tripled the maximum vessel-size for this major international shipping route. Critical to this huge engineering project are the new locks, the most important component of the expansion, and Brevini gearboxes are driving the massive sluice gates.
One of the completed PD67 Posired 2 gearboxes
With a total of 16 rolling gates to operate the Canal extension, the sluice gates are 30m high, 60m long and 10m wide, each weighing over 4,000 tons, with 2 Brevini gearboxes driving the opening/closing cycle. Brevini faced a number of significant challenges on this project. The gates must be opened in less than 5 minutes, with a 43-minute cycle of opening/closing which is repeated 33 times per day, with only 180 minutes of stoppage permitted per month. With a lifespan requirement of 35 years, the gearboxes need to provide 57,000 hours of operation, working in humid conditions with high levels of salinity. Reliability of function is paramount to this critical application.
For the steel industry it is more important than ever that proper maintenance and repair work be carried out on its plant and equipment to prevent costly and potentially catastrophic failures. Here Andrew Baggaley and Tony Botfield of Brevini UK explain how techniques they have pioneered across several steelworks in the North of England are paying dividends.
Steel making creates some of the harshest working conditions a gearbox may be expected to tolerate. In continuous casting for example, temperatures are extreme with the steel product still red hot and semi-molten when it hits the roll out drives. Add to that a dirty environment, shock-loading and the runtime demands of continuous production, and even purpose-designed gearboxes will require frequent rebuilds. It’s no secret that resources and overheads have been squeezed within the UK steel industry as it strives to remain profitable in the global market. While UK competitiveness stems from a reputation for some of the highest quality product produced anywhere, it is also essential that refurbishment of plant is well managed in order to minimise cost and extend service life.
Brevini UK are now stocking 5T winches, designed and manufactured by their custom winch division in Holland. Engineered primarily for the offshore market, these 5T winches are ideal for any application where a 250m rope storage capacity and 5T line pull may be an advantage. Designed in accordance with DNVGL Lifting Appliances 2.22 and painted to a marine-spec, RAL9005 Jet Black, the winches have an increased cable capacity while maintaining a small drum size – keeping the fleeting angle down, with a comparatively small diameter so as not to require a larger drive system.
The tidal surge barrier that protects Hull, and surrounding areas, from seasonal flooding in the event of exception high tides plays an important role in protecting the economy and safety of the local population. Consisting of a 212 tonne gate, the barrier is responsible for protecting thousands of properties from flood damage every year. During a recent refurbishment Brevini gearboxes were specified to drive the barrier. The power transmission experts recommended an innovative combination of triple input gearboxes employing both bevel, helical and planetary stages to achieve a final reduction ratio of 1500:1 and still meet tight packaging requirements.
Approaching its mouth at the Humber Estuary, much of the river Hull’s course is through extremely flat land that is just above sea level. This means that the river’s height is affected by the tide as it winds through the city and even into the surrounding countryside. Ever since the City was built flooding has posed a threat to properties as large seasonal tides have caused the river to overtop its banks. Records of attempted flood defence systems date all the way back to the 1700’s. The most recent, and most successful, is the Hull Tidal Surge Barrier which was constructed in 1980.
The tidal barrier features a 212 tonne gate which spans 30 meters between two towers that house its mechanics. The gate sits across the mouth of the river Hull and can be lowered when an exceptionally high tide is predicted. Once closed, the sea water is prevented from surging up the river and flooding nearby properties. Since its construction the barrier has proven extremely effective and is closed approximately 12 times each year; in November, 2013, it protected an estimated 17,000 properties from a 5.85 meter record high tide.
Regular maintenance and improvements are made to the flood defence to make sure it remains as reliable as ever. To this end a recent refurbishment project was carried out which included a complete replacement of the operating system, consisting of mechanical, electrical and hydraulic equipment. Brevini supplied the complex gear system, which was designed to safely position the barrier during tidal swells and then lift it back safely.
From 11th to 17th April 2016, Brevini will be exhibiting at Bauma Munich. The only trade fair that brings together the industry for construction machinery in its entire breadth and depth, Bauma Munich will be the first time that Brevini’s newly-merged mechanical, electronic and fluid dynamic experts will exhibit as a single unit, featuring an enhanced synergy backed by a single team, ‘One Brevini, One Solution’.
Brevini UK, specialists in power transmission engineering, were delighted to be chosen by AMCO Engineering to provide technical expertise and to supply the complete drive packages for a major Transport for London (TfL) project, part of the refurbishment and upgrade of the linkspans (loading bridges) at the Woolwich Ferry in London.
New Brevini drives
The Woolwich Ferry provides an important link for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists across the River Thames, linking the North and South Circular Roads. The current infrastructure was installed in the early 1960’s and after more than half a century’s service it was decided in 2012 that the facilities required a major upgrade to ensure that the ferry service could continue to operate well into the 2020’s. In addition to refurbishing and upgrading the existing 4 linkspans, the project required the replacement of 160t of operating equipment – including obsolete and unreliable lifting systems.
The variety of winch and hoist designs is vast and the number of applications almost too numerous to count. However, there are some common features and design attributes that can be applied to almost every winch design. Martin Terjesen, Winch Specialist at Dana SAC, offers some advice on how to specify the correct winch drive.
One of the most common requirements for a winch or hoist is that it must operate from within a restricted footprint. This leads to two initial design requirements; a compact frame and an energy efficient powertrain that will allow a smaller power source to be installed. These must be designed and manufactured in such a way that they also deliver reliability, which is the product of a number of variables including the raw materials, design expertise and manufacturing capabilities.
Power transmission specialist, Brevini, has launched a new range of gearmotors, which will expand its capabilities within small to medium duty applications across a wide range of industries and sectors.
Brevini’s heavy duty gear systems enjoy a worldwide reputation for quality and reliability backed with first class support services. The new products, available in the range 50Nm to 18kNm output torque, will advance these attributes into new areas of application.
The range includes parallel shaft helical gearboxes, foot and flange mounted inline helical gearboxes, bevel helical gearboxes and special gearboxes for hoisting applications. The gearmotors are suitable for use in duties such as materials handling, lifting, winching, steel and metal fabrication, rubber and plastics, water and wastewater, food and beverage production.
Brevini UK will be exhibiting at the National Fluid Power Centre (NFPC) open day on 17th February, a flagship event for the fluid power industry.
Started in 2013, the event has gone from strength to strength, growing each year. This year: A record number of exhibitors will be attending, ensuring a high level of expertise will be available to visitors.
In addition to having one of the largest ranges of fluid power and power transmission products, Brevini, an expert in the field, has been working alongside the NFPC to produce a dedicated Winches training course.
Brevini Group will be exhibiting its range of Fluid Power and Mechanical Solutions for Agricultural Machinery at LAMMA 2016. This is the UK’s largest exhibition for Agricultural Machinery and is held at the East of England Showground, Peterborough on the 20th and 21st January.
With a focus on machine solutions Brevini are able to supply a full range of products for the dynamic operation of the machine. This includes :-
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