Crane automation for the automotive industry

Innovating while playing it safe

Semi-automated lifting is a key factor helping automotive manufacturers establish and sustain quality and customer satisfaction. From press and assembly lines to workstations and warehouses, we have the technology to help you improve operation safety and productivity.

Semi-automated die gripper cranes used in stamping plants are changing the landscape of automotive manufacturing. Modern dies with lifting pins at all four corners can be picked up from the die warehouse with a die gripper attachment and loaded onto bolsters on each side of the press.

While ordinary cranes need an operator plus a two-man rigging crew to pick up a die, Konecranes die gripper crane allows the operator to do the job alone in semi-automation mode, using cameras mounted on the trolley or the gripper that live-stream a view of the operation to the display on the radio controller.

These new-generation die gripper cranes can change out die sets rapidly, facilitating just-in-time schedules to produce stamped parts as they are needed. Instead of changing a die set every three days, it is now feasible to change dies multiple times in a shift. While this evolution increases the duty cycle of the crane, our cranes are designed to safely and efficiently manage heavy loads and short cycles.

Reducing operational time

Plants that are currently using Konecranes newest die gripper cranes and plants using dies that still require traditional rigging have one thing in common: both are using Konecranes semi-automation technologies to reduce the time and manpower required to stamp an individual hood, fender or door skin. Depending on the configuration of the plant, operational time for a single lift can be reduced significantly with Konecranes semi-automation and Smart Features.