Space-saving and durable plastic-energy chain for slewing gear on overhead crane

Billets are to be transported and stored in a steelworks with the aid of a load-calibrated Scheffer crane. A magnetic lifting beam serves as the load handling device, with the help of which three billets can be picked up at the same time. The 16 metre long billets are to be picked up, transported and stored both lengthways and crossways to the hall.
The crane is equipped with a slewing gear to perform this task efficiently and quickly. This slewing gear is able to move the magnetic lifting beam at a speed of around 1.5 revolutions per minute with a maximum slewing range of 300°. In addition to the pure transport task, the crane, trolley and slewing gear should be completely accessible for service and maintenance tasks.
The power supply to the "turntable" is often realised using slip ring assemblies or energy guiding chains, which are usually located on top of the slewing gear. While the conductor rail involves a great deal of assembly work and is subject to a certain amount of wear, the option of an energy chain running in a ring trough was also to be ruled out, as this makes it difficult to access the components underneath.

For this reason, Scheffer worked in-house on a new solution for supplying power to the slewing gear. The main focus here was on simple and cost-effective design and assembly.
The cable is now supplied via an energy chain from the triflex® series. This utilises the space under the trolley, where there is sufficient free space. As a result, the space on the walk-on slewing gear remains largely accessible for service and maintenance work.
The cables required to supply the components on the slewing gear are routed to the centre of the turntable using a cable bridge. There, the triflex® energy chain is suspended in the centre and is guided straight down through an opening in the floor with the help of a sleeve. The end of the triflex® is located on the outer circumference of the turntable, and the cables are placed in a terminal box there. The ability of the triflex®, as well as the chainflex® cable used within the energy chain, to withstand torsional loads allows rotation of up to + - 150 ° (300 ° in total).