Safe energy supply to STS crane at the Port of Rotterdam under continuous operation

• What was needed: P4.1 roller energy chain
• Requirements: Long travel with high cable weight, work under continuous operation, fast travel speeds and accelerations
• Industry: STS crane
• Success for the customer: The roller energy chain has been running smoothly on the over 100 metre-long travel since 2015. So far, 9,000 operating hours have been completed.

In the crane industry, special requirements apply when it comes to guiding the large number of different cables with energy and data to the crane trolley. It is a demanding continuous daily operation, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, that is a great challenge for the cables and chain. High travel speeds and accelerations as well as adverse weather conditions are also factors that require a well-planned solution.
For a ship-to-shore crane at EMO B.V. in Rotterdam the planners were looking for a suitable cable guidance solution for precisely this scenario. The requirements: With a trolley travel of over 100 metres, a travel speed of up to 4 metres per second as well as over 50kg/m fill weight, a robust and reliable energy supply was required.

Since the end of 2015, a P41.80Ri roller energy chain, the largest chain in the P4 chain series, has been performing well. This demanding crane application was specifically selected to thoroughly test the P4.1. with its tribologically optimised iglidur plain bearings in the pin/bore connection of the chain links, designed to reduce friction. Today, the energy chain has already completed over 9,000 operating hours and has long since proven its benefits.
Through our constant development, from the single integrated roller in the chain link, and the split P4 roller, through to a P4.1 roller e-chain equipped with a tribo-bearing (can be equipped with optional smart i.Sense condition monitoring system), the limits have been pushed further and the service life of the energy chain system has been significantly increased.