A 40 tons overhead crane, 34 meters in span, built for single-mould handling

Heripret, a Verlinde partner belonging to the after-sales and Europont networks, engineered, built and commissioned a 40-tons overhead crane fitted with a 25-tons auxiliary hoist to handle 35-tons moulds at a metalworking plant. Lifting and moving parts of this weight calls for equipment that combines total reliability with an extremely high level of positioning accuracy.

Over more than 40 years, Heripret has built a strong reputation as a specialist in manufacturing and maintaining overhead cranes for handling with rotating hooks, covering loads from 125 kg to 120 tonnes across spans of up to 35 meters. Based in the Pas de Calais (62) department, an industrial hub for metallurgy and the automotive sector, Heripret partners with numerous subcontractors in this field. Its core service offering, together with its after-sales, maintenance and repair work, is essential for manufacturers whose factories run 24/7.

A project on a large scale

The metallurgy company needed a technical solution for lifting and turning a new 35-tons mould used to stamp automotive parts, since its two existing bridge cranes were already at the limit of their rated load. For its new stamping unit, the company renovated an old steelworks facility from its own property portfolio. The large, empty building had the space needed to house an overhead crane.

The manufacturer selected Heripret, which has fully maintained all of its lifting equipment since 2018, taking into account the quality of its services as well as that of Verlinde equipment, both recognised across these industries for precision and reliability.

Heripret put forward a 40-tons bridge crane along with a 25-tons auxiliary trolley, offering an exceptional reach suited to the existing 34-meter structure. Both are equipped with EUROBLOC VT 512 twin-rail electric wire rope hoists, customised as needed.

Handling with care

The 40-tons trolley raises the 40-tons steel mould, after which the 25-tons auxiliary trolley tips it over. This inversion is needed to open the mould for maintenance.

Handling like this demands extremely precise control of movement, which is why the VT hoist's variable-speed drive and its load-calculation mode across the two trolleys are both essential. The hoist operates at a very slow speed, typically between 0.1 meters / minute and 5.1 meters / minute, allowing the load to be positioned in the press with great precision.

The overhead crane's structure includes a maintenance gangway, while the switch cabinet houses all the electrical equipment in one place. A walkway on the crane gives easy, safe access to the travel motors and steering trolleys, enabling fast repairs and maintenance in complete safety.

A lifting system built for continuous operation

Since the parts produced go to an automotive subcontractor, the cranes run at full load 6 days a week, making reliability essential.

Heripret backs the installation with its express maintenance and repair contract, available 24/7, including public holidays. This level of availability suits the company's needs perfectly. Since being installed in 2020, the bridge cranes have run without a single fault. Fully satisfied with the service so far, the customer has continued working with Heripret to retrofit its existing transfer trolleys.