Londonwaste Commissions Konecranes To Undertake Crane Reliability Study

LondonWaste has drafted in the expertise of world leading lifting equipment manufacturer, Konecranes, to assess and evaluate the current condition and operational capability of its double gantry cranes deployed within the Energy Centre located at its flagship forty-acre site in Edmonton.

Using one of KonecranesÂ’ latest service processes, a Crane Reliability Study (CRS), LondonWaste is seeking to future-proof its onsite lifting equipment in terms of enhanced safety, improved performance and increased reliability. The CRS also serves to predict and control total future cost of capital equipment ownership.

Engineers from KonecranesÂ’ consultation services operation have already implemented the CRS on two of the siteÂ’s 9.5 tonne, cab driven, electric overhead and double girder waste grabbing cranes, with work scheduled to commence on a third shortly.

Using advanced analysis methods to provide a dependable technology roadmap, the CRS delivered on behalf of LondonWaste has centred on techniques such as crane visual inspection analysis (incorporating gearbox inspections, thermal imaging of electrics and acoustic emission checks), service life analysis, undertaking DWP (Design Working Period) calculations, and gearbox oil and vibration analysis. A comprehensive crane information review that centres on interviews being carried out with maintenance and operative personnel has also been undertaken.

In order to optimally assess the condition of the superstructure of the two cranes so far subject to KonecranesÂ’ CRS, a detailed Rail-Q survey was also deployed using 3D graphs of the runway rails to identify misalignment and any other problems.

Commenting on the decision by LondonWaste to utilise Konecranes’ CRS, Mechanical Maintenance Manager, Gustav Woudberg said: “Since coming on stream in 1994, the Energy Centre has been instrumental in processing over nine million tonnes of waste diverted from landfill, which is today responsible for delivering enough electricity to power some 75,000 homes, not to mention all of the centres on the park itself. It is against this backdrop, coupled with the increasingly important role that the Energy Centre will play in the provision of power for homes across the London borough, that operational efficiency simply cannot be compromised.

“Whilst the cranes have been consistently and very well maintained by our own team of engineers, the fact that the cranes were installed some 46 years ago before being commissioned in 1972 was the driving force behind the decision to instruct Konecranes to carry out the survey work. Through the CRS process, Konecranes has provided us with extremely accurate and valuable data relating to their current condition in terms of safety and operating efficiency, and we are now in the process of evaluating a number modernisation requirements that have been highlighted in order to maximise future productivity, whilst minimising downtime,” he added.