Anti-collision systems (ACS) in EOT cranes are critical to safeguarding your EOT (electric overhead travelling) cranes and the nearby infrastructure. Different types of EOT cranes are available in the industry including Single Girder, Double Girder, Jib EOT Cranes and Gantry Cranes.
Have you ever wondered how these gigantic, electrically powered lifting machines keep going? Well, of course, like any other machinery or parts, these cranes must be regularly maintained and properly kept for several years. One effective way to protect these cranes is through the anti-collision system, a crucial safety feature for the EOT cranes. This system helps prevent accidents, including crane-to-crane or crane-to-structure collisions, as well as issues like instability, load imbalance, and structural damage
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This blog will guide you in understanding the need for an effective anti-collision system for your crane’s prolonged life.
What Causes Collisions in EOT Cranes?
Collisions in EOT or Overhead Travelling cranes can arise from mechanical, electrical, operational, and environmental factors. A collision occurs when the crane collides or comes in contact with another object or structure resulting in equipment damage, unexpected downtime, and personnel safety hazards.
This collision can be due to several reasons; a crane not properly controlled, an unacknowledged mechanical failure, an operator error or miscommunication, a worn component or the absence of collision detecting systems. The cranes must operate effectively in safe conditions to maintain maximum efficiency and safety. Let us look at the key reasons for collisions in EOT cranes.
- Operator Error: Improper load handling, distractions, inattention, and crane operators’ lack of experience contributed to serious accidents at crane work sites. Operators must be adequately trained to understand distances, load positioning, and crane capacity.
- Mechanical Faults: Collisions can occur due to mechanical errors such as worn-out components including rails, wheels or hoists, as well as faulty brake systems and misalignment. Timely maintenance and detection of mechanical faults are essential to prevent crane collision hazards.
- Electrical failure: Malfunctions in the crane’s electric panels or switchgear and signal interference can lead to unintended movements and collisions involving the cranes.
- Environmental factors: Harsh climates such as fog, strong wind, heavy rain or dust can reduce and obstruct operators’ visibility increasing the chance of crane collisions.
- Overloading: Exceeding the crane’s load capacity can affect the load stability and lead to excessive swinging resulting in collisions and crane accidents.
- Lack of maintenance: Overlooking regular crane inspections and maintenance can result in unnoticed defects, such as inadequate lubrication of moving parts. This can cause gears or motors to cramp up, which might cause the crane to move abruptly and collide.
The majority of crane accidents can be prevented by conducting routine inspections, employing experienced operators, installing collision avoidance systems and sensors and using proper load holding and rigging techniques.
What Is an Anti-collision System and Why Is It Important?
An anti-collision system (ACS) as apparent; is a safety feature designed for identifying and preventing collision between objects, machinery or equipment, in our case EOT Cranes. The ACS uses multiple sensors, techniques and systems to monitor the cranes. An effective anti-collision strategy is essential for ensuring your EOT crane’s safety, especially in high-risk environments, to recognise potential hazards, intervene and prevent collisions.
Anti-collision is particularly important in overhead travelling cranes due to the challenges, in terms of their size, movements and the environments they station; and for so many more reasons, but let us look at some of the most significant reasons why you should have a proper anti-collision system:
- Avert Collisions: In industrial settings, where multiple EOT cranes operate, it is critical to incorporate advanced sensors like radar, ultrasonic, infrared or laser to monitor and detect a barrier and prevent collision between cranes, their hook, load, or surrounding structures. These sensors track the crane movement in real time to avoid crane-to-crane collisions, prevent structural damage and reduce downtime by automatically alerting the operators or redirecting the cranes.
- Operators and personnel safety: Overhead travelling cranes often operate with workers moving around. Anti-collision sensors recognise the presence of people within the crane’s proximity and alert the operators or divert the crane to avoid injuring the workers.
- Reducing crane damage and repair cost: Cranes are high-cost equipment, and repairs or replacements will be expensive and time-consuming. An anti-collision system will protect the crane from objects in its path and thereby prevent costly accidents and operational downtime.
- Compliance with safety regulations: Industries must follow industrial guidelines and comply with safety regulations established by authorities such as OSHA (The Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute). Implementing a standard anti-collision system for crane safety is essential, especially where multiple cranes and heavy machinery are operated.
- Operation efficiency and long-term cost benefits: With these sensors and systems, minimal human supervision is required. The sensors automatically intervene when they detect a potential collision and avert the danger. This reduces the operator’s errors and increases efficiency, minimising downtime and delivering long-term benefits.
Anti-collision System for Overhead Cranes
EOT cranes’ Anti-collision system integrates advanced devices, systems and techniques to ensure smooth operation and complete protection of one or more cranes. An anti-collision device generally comprises two components, a sensor and a relay. The sensor detects the obstacle in the crane’s surroundings and the relay acts as an interface between the sensor and the crane’s control system.
The sensor continuously scans for any hitches and sends feedback to the relay while the relay triggers an action involving either stopping the crane’s movement or redirecting the crane’s path. The sensor is mounted on the top of the crane and the relay alerts on potential threats. These simple but effective systems ensure the crane’s safety and are a fail-proof way to safeguard your cranes from colliding with each other, with other obstacles or the runway. Here are some types of anti-collision detection systems and devices.
1. Proximity Sensors: Proximity sensors detect the presence of obstacles within a specified vicinity without close contact. They are ideal for detecting close objects, personnel or other objects in a crane’s path. Some proximity sensors are Inductive, Magnetic and Capacitive sensors. Proximity sensors trigger the alarm or stop the motion when they detect an obstacle.
2. Ultrasonic sensors– These sensors measure the distance between the crane and the nearby object by emitting high-frequency sound waves and calculating the time it takes for the sound to return after bouncing back off the object. They are reliable for close-range object detection.
3. Time-of-Flight or laser sensors: Laser-based systems use lasers to determine the distance between the object and the crane based on the time the lights take to reflect. This measurement is highly accurate and often ideal for precise measurement of distance in complex environments.
4. Infrared Sensors: These sensors detect the heat or thermal signature of objects nearby; using infrared light. These sensors are ideal for obstacle detection in low-light and dark areas.
5. Radar Sensors: These sensors use radio waves to detect objects by measuring the time the waves return after bouncing off them. Radar sensors are less susceptible to environmental changes like fog, rain, or dust.
6. Combined Sensor system: The combined system or integration of multiple sensors (i.e.; Ultrasonic, infrared, laser, radar) gives a comprehensive view of the crane’s positions. By combining different sensors based on the needs and suitability, the accuracy of anti-collision detection can be enhanced.
Installing anti-collision sensors and systems; in EOT cranes can significantly reduce the risk of collisions and accidents at work sites. These sensors and systems provide highly accurate and consistent data, enhance situational awareness and stop or redirect movement ensuring safe crane operation every time.
Features of EOT Cranes Anti-collision System
1. Real-time monitoring and Tracking: This feature aids in coordinating the movements of multiple cranes in real time, tracking their positions to avoid collisions and congestion.
2. Automated Braking: The automated braking system for EOT cranes, will apply the brakes or reduce the power to stop further crane movement if a potential hindrance is detected.
3. Proximity Sensors: Infrared, thermal, laser (ToF) or ultrasonic sensors detect the barriers in the near cranes and alert the operators. These sensors provide highly accurate feedback and are reliable in ACS.
4. Warning signals: the anti-collision systems alert the operators upon detecting potential collisions through audible alarms (such as buzzers, and sirens), and visual indicators (like flashlights, and warning lamps). This feature is particularly beneficial in industrial settings where multiple cranes are operating.
5. Load monitoring and control: the ACS in overhead travelling cranes features load monitoring control by constantly tracking the load weight and ensuring it does not exceed the safe limit. If an overload is detected, the system activates, slows down or stops the crane’s movement.
Anti-collision System for Cranes From Ocean
Incorporating a proper Collision avoidance system into your overhead cranes is a smart and proactive step to reduce maintenance costs, prevent replacements, enhance crane performance and most importantly, worker safety.
At Ocean, we specialise in crane installation, refurbishment and maintenance. We understand the importance of ensuring the safety of your cranes. Our expert in EOT crane services span across the Oman. With a highly skilled team of crane experts, Ocean makes certain your cranes operate at maximum efficiency, improving the crane’s life in the long run and saving you operational costs.