Efficient brake control for Mukand cranes in India

Speed control for large cranes is a demanding task. Vacon India has supplied VACON® NXS and VACON® NXP drives for four Mukand cranes delivered to a foundry operated by Elgi, Asia's largest manufacturer of air compressors and automobile service station equipment.

Mukand Ltd. is the largest India-based designer and manufacturer of gantry cranes*, and an important OEM customer of Vacon India. Vacon India has supplied VACON NXP and VACON NXS drives in enclosures to control four Mukand cranes at the new Elgi foundry in Kinnathukadavu, Coimbatore in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula. Two of the cranes have a lifting capacity of 10 tons and two of 5 tons.

Very satisfied with the performance of the VACON® AC drives

Mukand had several reasons for choosing VACON AC drives. One of the most important reasons was that Vacon has dedicated application software for mechanical braking, which enables excellent speed accuracy and brake control in open and closed loop control in hoisting and long travel applications. The VACON AC drives are also user-friendly.

The VACON AC drives are able to set the critical parameters for the motor automatically during identification, thus providing improved control of the crane in hoisting, cross travel and long travel. The VACON AC drives enable accurate speed and torque control with the help of an internal speed and torque loop controller. The VACON AC drives also have a built-in line choke to limit line disturbances.

Mukand crane with 5-ton lifting capacity:

• Safe working load (Swl): 5 tons
• Speed: hoisting 60 metres per minute (m/m); cross travel 20 m/m; long travel 40 m/m at 100% (50 Hz)
• Frequency: for micro speed (10%) 5 Hz, for full speed (100%) 50 Hz
• Drive ratings: hoisting: one 38 A VACON NXP drive and one 31 A VACON NXP; cross travel: two 5 A VACON NXS drives; long travel: two 16 A VACON NXS drives
• Motor ratings: hoisting 25 A, cross travel 3.5 A, long travel 4.6 A
• Air conditioning provided in every enclosure, anti-collision system in every crane
• Limit switch settings for hoisting, long travel and cross travel separately

Mukand crane with 10-ton lifting capacity:

• Safe working load (Swl): 10 tons
• Speed: hoist 60 metres per minute (m/m); cross travel 20 m/m; long travel 40 m/m at 100% (50 Hz)
• Frequency: for micro speed (10%) 5 Hz, for full speed (100%) 50 Hz
• Drive ratings: hoisting: two 45 A VACON NXP drives; cross travel: two 5 A VACON NXS drives; long travel: two 22 A VACON NXS drives
• Motor ratings: hoisting 31 A; cross travel 3.2 A; long travel 22 A
• Air conditioning provided in every enclosure, anti-collision system in each crane
• Limit switch settings for hoist, long travel and cross travel separately

VACON NXP and VACON NXS drives installed in enclosures to control Mukand gantry cranes at Elgi foundry in Kinnathukadavu, Coimbatore, India.

Gantry cranes are cranes that lift objects with a hoist that is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam.

In detail:

Mukand Ltd. manufactures and supplies alloy and special steel long products to customers including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in vital segments of the Indian economy including automotive, engineering, defense and railways. The company also manufactures and supplies stainless steel long products to customers in India and exports these products to several countries.

Elgi is today the market leader and Asia's largest manufacturer of air compressors and automobile service station equipment. Elgi's products are used in a wide range of applications in areas ranging from mining, transport, pharmaceuticals, power, oil, railways, chemicals, textiles, printing to ship building, paper, electronics, telecommunications, medical, food & beverages, and plastics.

Please note that Vacon joined the Danfoss Group in December 2014.