By Esa Kukkola, Product Manager, TRUCONNECT
When it comes to monitoring critical process equipment used in around-the-clock operations, you can’t always rely on what you see on the outside—because what’s on the inside can tell a much different story.
Recently, such was the case with a large facility in Northern Europe that runs multiple cranes—including critical process cranes—to support the 24/7 production of automotive component parts.
The wire rope is one of the most critical and fastest-wearing components on a crane and plays a crucial role in efficiently lifting and moving heavy loads. If a wire rope becomes corroded, worn or damaged, it can quickly become a safety issue.
Our car parts customer wanted to know the condition of their wire ropes, but a traditional inspection using magnetic non-destructive testing and expert analysis would require a production shutdown interrupting their operations.
Konecranes experts recommended the use of TRUCONNECT Wire Rope Monitoring. The remote service from Konecranes complements periodic and mandatory visual inspections while supporting maintenance operations and improving production line safety and productivity.
Continuous knowledge of wire rope condition
Wire Rope Monitoring uses magnetic-inductive leakage technology to provide information on the interior of the rope as well as its exterior condition. The information is collected by sensors clamped around the wire rope that continuously monitor rope condition while the crane operates normally, so there is no need to shut down crane operations.
In this case, Wire Rope Monitoring revealed several deficiencies that weren’t discovered during previous visual inspections at the customer’s facility. One of the wire ropes had an entire wire core that was broken along with internal strands of single wires, requiring an immediate rope change. An undetected defect like this can lead to rope failure or a load drop, posing a significant safety risk and bringing production to a standstill.
The finding in the customer’s critical process crane underscored the importance of always knowing the condition of a wire rope—both externally and internally. At Konecranes, we understand the safety of a wire rope is equally vital to its strength and endurance, making TRUCONNECT Wire Rope Monitoring a must-have for any business using critical process/production cranes.
Real-time condition information on yourKONECRANES
With Wire Rope Monitoring, our car parts customers can easily see the condition of their wire rope in real time on the yourKONECRANES customer portal. Color indicators let them know if wire ropes are in good condition, have started to wear out and need attention, or should be replaced immediately. They are notified by email when rope conditions deteriorate below set limits, allowing them to plan for a rope replacement during a scheduled shutdown.
Additionally, TRUCONNECT Wire Rope Monitoring also tracks performance trends and provides an aggregated view of rope condition over time—a valuable tool for estimating the life of a wire rope and maintenance planning.
This automotive facility’s experience shows the benefits of remote monitoring technology—because there is much more than meets the eye when it comes to equipment safety.
Learn more about TRUCONNECT Remote Monitoring and Wire Rope Monitoring
