WCN Dec Front page - WorldCargo News Online

FINLAND: FOREST PRODUCTS/CARGO HANDLINGWorldCargonewsSince 2001 Konecranes has supplied 24RTGs to APM Terminals in the US (formerlyMaersk Sealand, Inc) - at Elizabeth, Norfolkand Houstonelectrically-driven endless chains on eitherrail. Two sensors are fitted on thespreader which continually pass its positionin relation to the trolley to theRTG’s main PLC via the spreader cabledata umbilical. The PLC calculatesthe action required to prevent sway, oranticipated sway and could, in theory, automaticallycompensate by moving therope carrier independently of the maintrolley. However, Kalmar has opted for adiscretionary system whereby the operatorsimply presses a “stabilise” button onthe control joystick to kill sway.This effectively “slips the lead” off therope carrier to allow it to do what it hadbeen continually programmed to undertake,thereby providing virtually instantaneousreaction. A permanent anti-swaysystem is not normally liked by experienceddrivers as they perceive the systemto be too slow and stiff.Thus, Kalmar’s solution is to let thedriver use sway to achieve faster cycletimes, but kill it when the spreader is inthe spotting position. This new system willalso be fitted as standard.dal facilities, in a similar manner to thatproposed by several self-loading trailermanufacturers. Accordingly the companyis looking to place it on a demonstrationsite early next year.The core of Meclift’s material handlingequipment production is the uniqueML1609R variable reach truck whichcombines a conventional FLT mast carriagecarried on twin booms mountedjust forward of the steer axle. The unitwas developed to drive into ISO containersand is just 2m wide and 2.24m high.Despite these small dimensions and lightweight (17.4 tonnes), lift capacity is 16tonnes and it can push or draw out loadsof up to 25 tonnes to/from containers.The machine’s very properties, however,make it hard to achieve high volumesales and it has to be built to order,generating larger lead times and highercosts. However, it would probably benefitfrom being marketed to a wider internationalaudience through a largerdealer network.Telescopic tricycleMeclift’s latest development retains thetwin boom mast configuration of theML1609R but the booms are telescopicand moreover, it has an unusual, hydrostaticdrive, tricycle wheel design. To beknown as the ML1200RP, it is intendedfor paper reel handling and the twinbooms are fitted with an integrated triplearm rotatable clamp, probably to besupplied by Auramo. The clamp is attachedto the beam between the two arms by ahydraulically-operated pivot arm to providetilt movements. The machine is ca-pable of an 8 tonne lift to a height of 5mand has an outreach of 1.85m at full load.The key to the design is its “open”front end which allows a 1700mm clearancebetween the inside of the frontwheels. As they are hydrostatically driven,there is no conventional drive axle, so thebooms can be retracted to carry a reelvertically between the front wheels.This reduces the wheel loadings significantlyto 14 tonnes/axle line whenfully loaded, which will allow the machineto work inside a rail wagon evenwith 2 x 4 tonne reels or one 8 tonnereel. The launch customer is understoodto be UPM-Kymmene (Kaukas mill), forhandling jumbo reels.The single rear wheel can be turnedthrough 180 deg. Coupled with the abilityto rotate the front drive wheels in dif-Meclift has secured new funding to helpcontinue development of its niche productsferent directions, this gives exceptionalmanoeuvrability and the turning circle isless than 4m diameter. Overall width is2500mm at the front and 2100mm at therear while the wheelbase is 3000mm.Height is just under 3m. ❏RTG-16...and RTG-8What will not be standard, as yet, is a 16-wheel RTG design. This is believed to beundergoing trials and may be announcedin the early spring. It has been an “opensecret” for some time that Kalmar wasworking on a 16-wheel RTG.Similarly, but inversely, Konecranes isknown to be working on an 8-wheel design,the first of which is believed to beslated for delivery to Luka Koper nextyear. Konecranes has enjoyed much successwith its RTG-16 design, particularlyin the USA (and most recently in Israel).Both Kalmar and Konecranes are aimingto broaden further their market appeal byadding to their respective product ranges.The little guysAt the opposite end of the scale tocompanies such as Kalmar andKonecranes is Meclift. Like many small,engineering-led companies with innovativedesigns, Meclift has struggled inthe past to fund the R&D so necessaryto its success. However, having securednew funding, Meclift is in a strongerposition to market its unusual range of(mainly) paper roll and container handlersand to develop new models.The company is trying to build up itsagency network in the Nordic region andnorth Continent. At the same time it hasdiversified into forestry machines andcome up with a lightweight, remotelyoperated 4x4 articulated steer tree harvester.The machine is equipped with acrane and a load platform and, as it is notfitted with a cab, is lighter and more compactthan conventional designs. This allowsit to penetrate forests with minimumenvironmental impact.Following extensive trials at Finnstevein Helsinki, Meclift’s ML5016SR sidehandling reach stacker for containers hasbeen returned to its workshops inTampere, where it is being refurbished.The work involves relatively minormodifications and the fitting of the latestgeneration PLC to maximise performance,after which the unit will be employedas a demonstration vehicle focusingmainly on rail car container handling.As previously reported, the uniquemachine is essentially a side loader buthas twin telescopic booms in place of asliding mast. SWL is 30.5 tonnes at1800mm or 10.5 tonnes-3550mm. If thesupport jacks are deployed, the SWL goesup to 42.5 tonnes and 15.5 tonnes respectivelyat these load centres.Although the machine was tested in acontainer terminal, Meclift’s new managementconsider that the design’s greatestpotential could be in small multi-mo-December 2003 17