Background:
In early September 2021, a crane collapse at a prominent Northwest U.S. port halted shipments from a terminal that handles approximately 20% of the nation’s soybean meal exports. A loading boom at the farm cooperative export facility failed while loading a bulk carrier. The exporter’s facility is especially important because soymeal isn’t easily shipped from terminals focused on grains like corn, as it flows differently and requires specialized handling equipment. Also, it is not recommended for soymeal to sit at the terminal for an extended period, so time was of the essence.
The soybean exporter employed a consulting firm who contacted Hindon to provide a solution for a fully redundant spring-set, hydraulically released disc brake system for a large wire rope winch that operated the ship loader boom.
Application Challenges:
- Previous brake failure evaluation required to design the new emergency hoist brake system
- Urgent delivery requirement (downtime situation)
- Marine ambi environment
Solution:
Understanding the urgency of the situation, Hindon worked diligently to identify the shortcomings of the previous design and develop a more robust and reliable solution on a condensed timeline.
Hindon’s industrial braking system utilized floating caliper hydraulic fail-safe brakes for use on the customer’s existing 304SS disc and controlled by a 30-liter Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU). The use of floating caliper brakes helped compensate for axial misalignment and was therefore more forgiving than the previous fixed caliper braking system. The brakes were equipped with limit switches for indication “brake released” and “lining wear” providing a safeguard against unsafe operation. The HPUs were equipped with oil leveling sensors, temperature monitoring sensors, and an anti-condensation heater. The marine environment was considered in all aspects of the design from use of special saltwater-proof linings and a stainless disc to special marine painting of the calipers.
Designing this application-specific industrial braking system was only part of the challenge – expedited delivery was equally critical. Hindon fulfilled its promise to deliver the braking systems within 6 weeks of receiving a purchase order. Hindon provided near daily updates on delivery, allowing the end user to properly arrange installation and commissioning of the braking systems within the context of their crane repair, ultimately allowing the soybean exporter to continue exporting as soon as possible.