Smarter, Any way you look at it
A ladle handling crane lifts large, open-topped cylindrical containers (ladles) filled with liquid metal to the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) for mixing. The raw materials of iron ore and coking coal are combined to produce solid metallic iron, and this iron added to scrap metal creates steel. The crane also transports the liquid iron or steel from the BOF and electric arc furnace to the continuous casting machine.
A Konecranes ladle handling crane is designed specifically for the extreme environment of heat, dust and hot metal in a melt shop. Therefore, we include features such as Increased working coefficients, a differential gear reducer, redundancy in all critical systems, a backup brake on the rope drum, and motion limiters making the crane and application safe and reliable. It can also be used for teeming and casting.
Customer Story - Rautaruukki Steel Works, Finland
“When you have people with experience from a similar project, you don’t need to explain the process to them. They know already.”
Esa Prokkola, Project Manager, Rautaruukki Corporation
Features
We build reliability, safety, and ease of maintenance into all of our cranes
- Motors have H class insulation, anti-condensation heaters and thermal protection sensors
- Heavy-duty auxiliary hook, specially designed for ladle pouring and opening scrap bucket bottoms
- Wireless communication with factory control system and crane management system (CMS) for remote service
- Motion limiters & automation of repetitive movements.
- Redundancy in all critical systems
- Smart features and advanced crane control systems
- Heat shielding for control locations, critical electrical devices, and cables
- Electrical room is pressurized and air-conditioned
- Regenerative braking
Benefits
By choosing Konecranes, you can apply our extensive knowledge to improve your productivity and lift not only your steel, but your entire business as well.
- More efficient and safe operations with Redundancy in all critical systems
- Long life as motors have H class insulation, anti-condensation heaters and thermal protection sensors.
- Minimized error and improved efficiency with motion limiters & automation of repetitive movements.
- 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 rope reeving system has redundancy to safeguard against load drop if a rope breaks.
- Traversing machinery is divided into two groups for redundancy; in an emergency, the crane can be driven with half of the motors.
- 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 back-up brake on the rope drum is designed to prevent load drop if a component in the hoisting machinery breaks
- Energy savings due to regenerative braking.
- Simplified and minimized maintenance costs.
- Reliable operation in harsh environmental conditions.
- Remote service capability for fast problem solving and advance information for maintenance planning.
Technical Specifications
Lifting molten steel
Konecranes has the expertise and the technology to help you perform the tough, dangerous lifting work required in the steel industry. We work with you to provide equipment specifically designed to lift critical and dangerous items such as hot metal throughout the steel production process.
Get in touch with our experts to learn more about how our ladle cranes can keep working for you 24/7, all year round.