Industrial Sector

Crane rail systems and ancillaries for the industrial sector

Rail systems for the aluminium sector

Aluminium smelters operate on a batch process with several hundred pots or cells. It is imperative that they are continuously serviced if they are not to allow the liquid metal to solidify. This requires continuous crane availability. Thus, it is a critical application. The buildings are hundreds of metres in length and special measures must be taken to ensure cranes can be removed for servicing. All of these require significant design input on the part of the crane rails installation designer and installer. To add to this smelters are typically located where electrical power is in abundance. Thus, they may be near the source of coal, natural gas or hydropower and a long way from industrial centres. Gantrail have been installing continuously welded rails in smelters since the 1970's.

Crane Rail systems for Rail systems for the aluminium sector
Crane Rail systems for Crane rail systems for steelworks

Crane rail systems for steelworks

The design of steelworks cranes has been a main contributing factor in national and international crane design rules as they see the most arduous duty. The crane rail installations take more punishment than in any other industry. The Gantrail products were developed in the steel industry and are still widely used in all the main buildings, in the coke and blast furnace areas and in the port facilities. In the steelmaking areas, the cranes travel relatively slowly but have the heaviest of loads to carry. Downtime is near impossible for repair and replacement of worn out materials. In the mill area, the loads may be lighter but the speeds are much higher and the continuous cross travelling adds to the complex of forces. This where Gantrail product rise to the challenge.

Rail systems for cement works

Crane and rail installations are often limited in length other than for railway movements. However, the duties that are encountered are most arduous. The atmosphere carries abrasive and corrosive products. This combined with a need for near continuous running make installing when in construction the only easy time for the rail.

Crane Rail systems for Rail systems for cement works

Specialists in design and support for crane rail interfaces worldwide

From ship to shore, power stations to international sporting venues, we are able to apply our proven expertise and engineering capability to fulfil the most complex and challenging of project needs.

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Providing full installation solutions

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Over 50 years expertise

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Technically adept support

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Range of specialist support services

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Crane Rails

Crane rails come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The designs have been developed to meet individual countries requirements with some being squat and wide and others are taller and similar in shape to railway rails but they are all more robust. There are now only a few ‘families’ of rails with similar shapes and a range of sizes. Most crane rails range in head width from 45mm to 150mm. A common feature is a thick web to carry the load to the base. There are also a range of steel metallurgies. At their most basic they are made from high carbon manganese steel but some are more highly alloyed. They are all difficult to weld. Gantrail will normal comment on any chosen rail for a project or propose the most suitable choices.

Crane Rail Pads

It is an advantage if a rail can rotate a small amount around an axis along its length. This allows the rail to take up a position that matches the wheel and as a result reduces the compressive stresses in the tread of the wheel and the head of the rail. Gantrail supply steel reinforced crane rail pads that allow this. They have been proven in thousands of applications for over 50 years. They also eliminate the metal to metal contact and reduce corrosion between the rail and its support.

Crane Rail Fixing Clips

It is not practical to fasten crane rails rigidly to the support on which they are mounted. Rails need to be adjusted to the correct position and to be able to move small amounts along the support. They also need to be able to rotate about an axis along their length. But they should be fixed rigidly from significant sideways movement. Gantrail have developed a range of adjustable crane rail fixing clips for all sizes of rail. These can be fastened by means of bolting or by welding to a steel surface. Some in the range will resist the highest expected loads but other are compact and light and are for smaller applications.

Steel Soleplates & Bolts

Most sole plates look like simple plates of steel with many holes. But the challenge for the track system designer is to combine the requirements of the concrete foundations with its reinforcement and expansion joints with the needs of the rail system. Hole positioning is most important. There may be a need for rail fixed points and earthing. There is also a need for high accuracy sometimes combined with corrosion protection. Bolts for fixing sole plates need to be made such that they will not rotate on being tightened. Gantrail also supply more sophisticated system which allow for releveling a rail after installation.

Grout

The upper surface of poured concrete it very weak and will not support the loads imposed by a steel crane wheel. The surface needs to be cleared of soft material before the gap between the structural concrete and the steel sole plate.is filed with high strength grout. Gantrail supply two types of grout for the majority of applications. Some cases require the strength of an epoxy based system whereas others can accept special cement bases grouts. Smaller qualities of fast curing polyester grouts are used to secure bolts in premade holes in concrete.

Case Studies

We work on a diverse range of projects throughout the world, each bringing its own specific requirements, challenges and examples of best practice and innovation.

Port Botany

Port Botany in Sydney is Australia’s second largest container port. It was of strategic importance for Hutchison Ports, who were looking to increase...

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Aqaba Port

Aqaba Port

Aqaba is strategically important to Jordan as it is the country’s only seaport. The container port needed to be expanded to cope with a signific...

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Perth Arena Moving Roof

Perth Arena | Opening Roof

Drawing  upon their experience of similar projects around the world, the Gantrail design team supplied technical expertise – 89 kg Railtrack an...

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