The shipbuilding industry demands efficient material handling by Electromagnet or Electropermanent Magnet. Traditional tools, however, often present challenges. Zhenjiang-based Shipyard, a major player in the sector, faced significant operational issues. They previously used electromagnet for heavy lifting tasks.
Customer Pain Points & Challenges of Electromagnet
The yard used electromagnets to handle the steel plates. Critically, the electromagnets showed a high failure rate. Safety was low because a power failure meant losing magnetism. Moreover, the shipyard also needed a solution for handling bulb flats, but the yard had no previous experience with bulb flat handling. The lifting system need a solution to increase overall lifting capacity, which able to solve the present pain points and meet the needs of energy conservation, environmental protection, and green production.
HVR MAG’s Electropermanent Magnet Solution
HVR MAG offered a superior lifting solution. They proposed the Electropermanent Magnet (EPM) technology. Specifically, they installed a system with six HEPMP-170042X magnets. This electropermanent magnet lifter provides a safer alternative to the old electromagnets:
- Materials Handled:
- Steel Plates: Length 6 to 15 meters, width 1.5 to 3.5 meters, and thickness 6 to 80 mm
- Bulb Flats: The system was specifically designed to handle an entire row of 300 mm bulb flats
- Lifting Capacity: The maximum capacity for lifting multiple plates was 12tons.
- The EPM system can lift two steel plates up to 16 mm thick.
- It lifts one steel plate for those thicker than 16 mm
Project Results and Key Benefits
Switching from electromagnets to the Electropermanent Magnet system resulted in major improvements:
- Safety Improved: There’s no longer a concern about losing magnetism during a power failure, making the operation much safer.
- Reliability Increased: The failure rate significantly dropped.
- Efficiency Boosted: The overall lifting efficiency showed a clear increase.
- Capacity Enhanced: The system’s lighter structure allowed for a higher lifting capacity.
This project represents a significant technical breakthrough. It is a prime example of a successful electromagnet replacement in a challenging shipyard environment. This technology offers a robust solution for heavy steel plate lifting in shipyard.
