iSCALE Control System for Gantry Cranes

iSCALE Control System for Gantry Cranes

What are the “dream measurements” for the iSCALE Control System from Hirschmann Mobile Machine Control Solutions (MCS)? Answer: about 2,000 tonnes, approx. 62.5 meters, and 97 tonnes. These figures describe the weight, boom length, and liftable load at maximum lateral outreach of a gantry crane at EUROGATE, Europe’s leading independent container terminal and logistics group. These enormous cranes – also known as ship-to-shore cranes – are used to load intermodal containers onto ships. In terms of size, they beat all other materials handling equipment. Because of this, all portal and bridge cranes – which include gantry cranes – are now subject to new safety guidelines, which are described in the EN type C standard 15011:2011.

Especially overload protection systems, in the standard also referred to as lifting force limiters, must now meet special requirements. In particular, safety-related parts of control systems must comply with performance level C or better of EN ISO 13849-1:2008. The technical design of control circuits containing electronic or programmable components must conform at least to the requirements of category 2. Most of the control systems now used in such machines do not meet these requirements.

The new iSCALE Control System platform from Hirschmann MCS, world market leader in the field of safe load indication for telescopic and lattice boom cranes, however, meets these requirements. The iSCALE Control System was therefore chosen for the first installation of a new gantry crane type that EUROGATE is introducing. The current system consists of two or four (or optionally, eight) fSENS force sensors for capturing the lifting forces of the individual lift units, a cSCALE controller for calculating the operating data, and a vSCALE indicator unit for calibrating the system and visualizing the operating data right at the control system.

The sensors are equipped for redundant capture of measurement values and two 4 - 20 mA current outputs for measuring the lifting forces. This meets the safety requirements for lifting force limitation.

The cSCALE controller also has various outputs for further processing of signals and shutdown of crane functions when the lifting force limiter is triggered. Within the scope of the safety function of the lifting force limitation, the redundant outputs are used to activate the lifting force limiter, and the output of the internal cSCALE testing system is employed to put the crane into a defined safe state.

To make sure that the limiter works properly, pressing a test button on the vSCALE service console simulates defined activation of the lifting force limiter. All of the required shutdown functions are activated so they can be verified. Data on ongoing operation are continuously visualized for the operator. The operating data of the multiple load counter are transmitted via a standardized interface (e.g. Ethernet) from the cSCALE controller to the standard machine control system, which then displays them on a terminal. In this way, the forward-looking automation platform ensures safety, fault-free operation of the gantry crane while complying with all safety standards – and Hirschmann MCS demonstrates its competence as a supplier of reliable solutions.