Workshop cranes Four indoor cranes for the truck workshop
In its commercial vehicle competence center in Krefeld-Fichtenhain, the Herbrand Group relies on Abus cranes for the gentle transport and precise assembly of vehicle parts. Thanks to the equipment with a total of four cranes from Gummersbach, up to 24 vehicles can be worked on at the same time in the commercial vehicle center.
Company on the subject
(Image: Abuse)
It all began in 1934 with an agency contract from Daimler AG for Josef Herbrand – and to this day everything at Herbrand Fichtenhain GmbH & Co. KG revolves around the brand with the star. The company is part of the Herbrand Group, which today includes a number of service and sales partners of various brands as well as service providers from the automotive sector. At the beginning of 2020, Herbrand Fichtenhain opened a newly built commercial vehicle competence center, which brings together the two locations from Krefeld and Mönchengladbach in Krefeld-Fichtenhain, located in a central location and directly on the A44 motorway and can therefore be easily reached. The company offers extensive services for everything to do with Mercedes-Benz vans and trucks and, with its equipment, is one of the most modern commercial vehicle companies in Germany. The four Abus cranes that are used in the halls and enable the gentle transport and precise assembly of vehicle parts also contribute to this.
(Image: Abuse)
A special feature of the commercial vehicle center is the large truck workshop designed together with experts from Daimler AG. On ten work lines it offers space for the simultaneous processing of up to 24 vehicles. Planned workshop appointments take place here as well as repairs as part of the 24-hour emergency service for Mercedes-Benz customers – every day of the year and around the clock. If heavy parts have to be moved in the hall, Herbrand works with an Abus single-girder overhead traveling crane as a solid wall girder with a span of 12 meters. Its load capacity of 6.3 tons enables complete driver’s cabs to be lifted off and put on, and engines, transmissions or vehicle superstructures to be exchanged. The crane’s trolley is equipped with an Abus electric wire rope hoist, which is controlled via the freely movable pendant control. Crane operation using radio control is already provided and can easily be retrofitted later.
Maximum flexibility, precision and security
It was important for Herbrand Fichtenhain that the crane could be used in all pits and workplaces in the truck workshop. That is why the crane runway runs over the entire 40 meter wide hall. This avoids time-consuming maneuvering of vehicles when the crane is needed. That saves time; The fastest possible repairs and optimal use of resources are the result.
The signal lines and the trolley power supply of the single-girder overhead traveling crane are designed as “ABUPowerline” energy chains. This protects the supply lines without the need for trailing cables along the crane bridge. Comprehensive security functions also ensure the protection of employees and material. For example, the crane is equipped with a multi-tone signal generator, and pre- and limit switch-off at the end of the crane runway avoids collisions and excessive load swaying or buffer shocks. If the crane passes the first switching point, the travel is reduced to the slow travel speed. Passing the second switching point leads to the crane travel being switched off.
(Image: Abuse)
The hoist is equipped with numerous standard safety functions: The overload protection ensures that the crane cannot lift any loads above the permissible load capacity and the motor current monitoring protects the hoist motor from electrical overload. Part of the reliable control system is a collective load memory that determines the actual service life and the remaining service life of the hoist.
Special roof workstation for buses and trucks
Air conditioning systems, fuel cells and high-voltage technology in hybrid and electric buses are usually located on the roof of the vehicles. To enable safe repairs and assemblies here, the commercial vehicle competence center has a special roof workplace. Herbrand Fichtenhain is thus optimally equipped for future tasks and the growing spread of alternative drive concepts. The roof workstation was developed by the company FFG Fahrzeugtechnik Falkenried in cooperation with Abus Kransysteme and consists of a work platform that is accessed via stairs and with its surrounding railings offers the best possible safety – even when stepping on the bus roof. A ZHB double girder crane with a 1 tonne load capacity spans the roof workstation. It has a crane track width of 3.6 meters. This enables necessary components, such as air conditioning units or battery packs, to be lifted off and brought in. The crane can be conveniently controlled with a radio remote control and thus allows precise placement of the materials.
The Abus-HB system in particular is ideally suited for integration in such systems, as its modular principle means that it can be adapted to a wide range of framework conditions and designed very individually.
(Image: Abuse)
In the Abus HB system, cold-rolled, one-piece and galvanized profile rails are used both as crane runways and crane girders. Extruded aluminum profiles are also available for crane girders. Extensive ceiling connection variants enable suspension on almost all supporting structures. At Herbrand Fichtenhain, this was done using flange clamps on a steel structure that is part of the roof workplace.
