Manufacturer Gottwald views crane upgrades as just another service to its clients, as Alex Hughes finds out
Providing upgrades for equipment that has already been placed with customers is seen as an important scope of activity for manufacturer Gottwald; in fact, it regards this as part of its extensive service portfolio.
As company spokesperson Peter Klein explains:“One of Gottwald’s main priorities is to help prospective customers find a machine that fits their specific requirements and can stand the test of time. But technology moves fast. What was state-of-the-art equipment at the time a particular crane was bought might become dated. There might be new technical features available in the market which could improve the performance and reliability of existing equipment or which could cut operating costs substantially. “Missing out on such improvements might mean an operator losing its edge over the competition.”
Available upgrades are often produced as the result of Gottwald’s policy to continually improve its processes and allow its customers to adapt older machines to current as well as future technical and commercial requirements. In fact, all upgrades are specifically designed as individual retrofits. “An increasingly popular option with our customers is to entrust us with the comprehensive refurbishment of their machine, including upgrades of one or several systems, features and components,” says Mr Klein.
In terms of what is currently available for upgrades, Mr Klein mentions Radio Remote Control, an S5 to S7 control replacement, the introduction of SLOT-PLC, full engine replacement, as well as the fitting of an external power supply. However, perhaps the most popular option is the upgrading of diesel engines or even the entire power pack, including generator, auxiliary equipment and controls.
“Changing such elements as the diesel engine or the power pack can result in better efficiency, lower fuel consumption and extended maintenance intervals. In cases where customers opt for an external power supply, maintenance intervals can be significantly extended, because the diesel-generator is effectively off-line when external power is fed into the crane,”says Mr Klein.
Asked to estimate by how long it is possible to lengthen the working life of a crane following this type of upgrade,he responds by pointing out that this figure should not be calculated in years, but is best represented in terms of operating hours and crane application.“Both of these parameters can be boosted by 50%-100% following a major power plant upgrade.”
The very first mobile harbour crane to ever be used in Peru was acquired second-hand by the Port of Matarani.It was a 12-year-old Gottwald 100-tonne HMK 280 E, which had worked reliably in Salerno, Italy, for 26,000 hours over 11 years. However, to ensure continued reliable performance, the new owner opted for customised modernisation. A new diesel engine was fitted with all the respective components.
“This upgrade effectively produced a state-of-theart crane.The customer now has a unit that has longer service intervals, satisfies new environmental requirements,and is fit for a longer service life overall.In addition, the availability of spare parts can be guaranteed,” says Mr Klein, adding that, to further improve the crane’s performance, its controls had been upgraded from the S5 to the S7 package.
