First fully automated crane solution for Indian Ford press and stamping line

Retooling is fully automated in the new plant in Sanand – this saves valuable minutes and thus increases the productivity of the whole system. When the operator has entered the destination number of the tool, the crane travels to the position selected at a speed of up to 60 m/min, following prescribed routes and detouring around safety areas. Sparkline''s cranes meet Ford''s strict specifications with their positional accuracy of ±6mm. When the crane reaches the machine, a grab lifts the tool, the crane travels automatically to the storage area and sets the tool down in a free space.

The heart of the systems are modified winches from STAHL CraneSystems. During production in Künzelsau, South Germany, they were prepared for mounting the grabs, designed for a hoisting speed of up to 9 m/min and equipped with a second brake to meet the high safety requirements. STAHL CraneSystems supplied a total of 6 frequency-controlled SHWF8 winches with safe working loads between 50 and 63 tonnes, and four ASF7 wire rope hoists with safe working loads between 20 and 32 tonnes. The wheelblocks and travel drives were also supplied from Germany. Sparkline designed and built the cranes and grabs and programmed the controls.

Intelligent crane control was required to operate the complex crane system safely and cost-effectively. The cranes operate on two levels and communicate by wireless to prevent collisions. Laser-based distance meters supply positional data. The control is a Siemens S7 PLC combined with latest generation inverters. Designing the safety features of the system was also demanding, as the specified American Standard CMAA 70 - Class D (for heavy duty) had to be brought into line with Indian industrial standards. Sparkline''s crane builders rose to this challenge too.