Design of Conveying System with Overheard Crane Case Study

Problem

The client needed to replace a bagasse conveyor that was suspended from an overhead crane system. Because the original system’s OEM was no longer in existence, the new system had to be fabricated and installed overseas. It also needed to be robust enough to provide years of operation under heavy service. KHE was contracted to design the new system and to provide fabrication and installation drawings.

Solution

KHE obtained detailed drawings of the existing overhead crane system and of the building structure where the conveyor was to be installed. KHE designed the system using commercially available parts. The design included the conveyor, the lifting system, the control system, and a specially designed switching mechanism to prevent likely operator errors. KHE used a 2-D finite element model of the building’s structure to analyze the worst-case loadings and verify long-term integrity.

Results

The conveyor was fabricated, installed, and successfully put into operation, allowing the sugar mill to resume full operation.