It is reported that Konecranes provided Nippon Steel Pipe Vietnam's new factory with the large SMARTON overhead cranes required to lift and move hot coil and other product.
As port and other infrastructure developments gear up in Vietnam, Nippon Steel decided to set up its first production facility outside Japan in the Ba Ria Vung Tau province, southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
Nippon Steel Pipe Vietnam will now manufacture the steel pipe piles used for wharf pilings, motorway foundations, wall retention during excavation, land protection from sea encroachment and similar applications. It began producing spiral welded pipe and seamless steel pipe from hot coil and ribbed hot coil in 2011.
The three Konecranes cranes used at NPV include one 35 tonne overhead crane for moving the raw materials and two 23 tonne overhead cranes that are commonly employed in tandem for lifting and shifting the long lengths of manufactured pipe.
The Konecranes SMARTON cranes at NPV are customized, intelligent and environmentally sustainable solution for demanding heavy process uses. SMARTON cranes are designed to maximize safety while minimizing energy consumption and downtime.
Mr Yoichi Maeda GM (Mechanical) Construction Group at NPV said that "Using the two cranes in tandem works very well for us. By suspending the long sections of pipe from two points at once, we have good control over the lifting process. The pipe doesn't sway, which is a big safety benefit for the protection of the operators on the factory floor. The operators don’t require specialized knowledge or training in moving and positioning loads when the tandem method of lifting is used. They find it very good and simple. Prevention of swaying of the load also ensures long life of the wire ropes supporting the load. They are not subject to stressful twisting motions."
Further safety protection for the crane operators is provided by the radio controls of the overhead cranes, which means that the operators can be well clear of the load when it is moved.
(Sourced from www.supplychainreview.com.au)
