PEINER radio-controlled single-rope grab,

type EGF 60, operating with a container

crane in Denmark.

Jürgen Bialek, PEINER SMAG

Lifting Technologies, Germany,
discusses the company’s latest
developments in cranes and
B iomass has quickly become a global business due
to a global interest in developing cleaner energy.
PEINER SMAG Lifting Technologies GmbH is already
well prepared for this greater demand in
renewable energy sources. The company offers individual
solutions for the handling of biomass by providing the right
grabs to accommodate the grab for almost all lifting devices. All of the company ’s
grabs have been designed with sustainable and ecological
growing biomass industry. construction. The company has recently implemented an
integrated management system (IMS) that combines the

REPRINTED FROM SUMMER 2017 . DRY BULK .

 individual areas of quality, environment,
protection of employment and energy into one
grab unit. This new system was successfully
certified by TÜV Süd in accordance with ISO
9001, 14001, 50001 and OHAS 18001.

Advanced material handling

equipment
The technical and economical growth potential
of renewable energy for power generation, heat
and fuels is substantial, with biomass covering
over 10% of the world’s energy demand. The
transhipment of biomass at ports and terminals,
waste-to-energy plants, timber mills and
co-generation plants is continually increasing.
Apart from agricultural goods (such as corn,
sugar cane, canola and other food crops),
biomass products (such as timber, bark, saw mill
waste, wood chips and pellets) are also handled.
In addition, organic waste from household
rubbish and residual products from the food
industry also play an important role in the
handling of biomass.
With its wide range of applications, PEINER
grabs can handle all kinds of biomass materials,
with certain grabs tailored towards the special
needs and requirements of particular industries.
In the timber handling industries, the use of
hydraulic and electro-hydraulic timber grabs are
primarily commonplace, with operators
PEINER four-rope orange peel grab, type VMG, handling wood chips in benefitting from their high-load capacity, high
Indonesia. closing force and special shaped tongs for the
handling of timber logs. These key features
enable the grab to handle logs in any variety,
whether round timber, bundled and even single
logs safely and efficiently.
When handling bulk materials, such as wood
chips and wood pellets, crop or organic waste,
motor grabs or four-rope grabs are generally
used. Due to their technical features the
company ’s motor grabs offer many advantages,
especially for their use in incinerator plants. The
PEINER MMG/MMGL series of motor “orange
peel” grabs are already successfully established
within the incineration market. These PEINER
grabs are operated in both reversing operation
and continuous running operation according to
DIN EN 60034. They operate in fully-automatic,
semi-automatic and multi-shift mode. Its
specially designed construction allows for fast
operation and is highly energy efficient. The
optimal installation height, low centre of gravity
and robust design ensures the flexible use of the
MMG/MMGL series. Thanks to individually driven
shell segments, the motor “orange peel” grab
adapts to suit the materials being handled. The
shell segment design and the number of shell
PEINER motor dual scoop grab, type MZGL, handling wood chips in segments on the grab can easily be adapted to
Germany. meet customer requirements. Hydraulic pipes,

. DRY BULK . REPRINTED FROM SUMMER 2017

wiring and connections as well as the cylinder
barrel and piston rod are fully protected from
external elements. The cylinders are fitted with oil
damping at the end of travel to reduce noise and
increase durability. Inside and outside shell plates
are made of highly wear-resistant special steel,
HARDOX. The self-regulating pump, with its
integrated power regulator, ensures improved
energy efficiency, protects the motor and enables
optimal closing forces. The grabs can be
supplemented with further optional accessories:
oil level watch and switch, oil tank thermometer
and heater, inclination sensor in the control
cabinet, central lubrication, as well as thermal
protection for the engine.
Depending on the field of application, PEINER
SMAG offer the option of mechanically operated
rope grabs, which are available in clamshell or
orange peel grab design. The balance ratio
between the dead weight and grab volume, or
crane capacity respectively, provides a good
level of penetration into the bulk material
supporting higher throughput rates.

Radio-controlled single rope

grabs
Equipped with PEINER radio-controlled single-rope
grabs, any deck or container crane is
operationally ready for biomass handling at short
notice without the need for any additional
accessories. This PEINER single-rope grab has PEINER motor orange peel grab, type MMGL-4, handling rubbish at a
already proved to be a reliable solution onboard waste-to-energy plant.
bulk carriers. A handling volume of over 30 m³
allows the use of the existing crane lifting capacities hoisting gear/winches, mechanical two-rope and
even during grab operation. The radio control unit four-rope grabs were suitable for operation with this type
initiates the grab opening. This process can be of crane. Hydraulic and electro-hydraulic motor grabs
interrupted several times in the initial stage, for example require a wide range of accessories to be installed on
for loading small hoppers or trucks without any loss of the crane and would go beyond the planned budget,
material. As an alternative, the grab can also easily be so these grabs could not be taken into account.
opened manually by means of a pull rope. Another alternative is the use of diesel grabs, however
Delivered with a handheld control panel, operators they are known to have a negative impact on the
can easily control the PEINER radio-controlled single- industrial safety and they also provide limited
rope grab by using this handy device, ensuring trouble- operational flexibility. For the required handling capacity
free wireless radio communication up to 500 m. The of more than 30 m³, the grab must have a powerful
high-power accumulators of the radio control allow for engine as well as an exhaust system to meet the
continuous duty up to 24 hours. They can be changed permissible emission levels. After all possibilities had
easily and quickly without the need for any tools. been reviewed, PEINER SMAG decided for the only
workable solution: the PEINER radio controlled single-
New single-rope clamshell grab rope grab (EGF).
In 2015, PEINER SMAG was tasked with the construction The EGF grabs have been successful onboard bulk
of a grab that can be operated with an existing carriers for the past 15 years, but the grabs were
container crane for the handling of bulk cargo at a primarily used for handling volumes from 12 – 15 m3.
large port in Europe. The goal was to construct an EGF with a volume of over
As most of the proven grabs could not be used to 30 m3 in order to use existing crane lifting capacities
fulfil the requirement of operating with an existing even during grab operation. These specific grabs (EGF
container crane for handling bulk material, PEINER 60) for the handling of biomass and other bulk materials
SMAG decided to develop an efficient solution tailored are the largest radio-controlled single-rope grabs ever
to this customer ’s needs. It was a challenging technical built by PEINER SMAG. In addition to a new design
task: since the crane is not equipped with the necessary engineering of the basic unit with special cylinders, the

REPRINTED FROM SUMMER 2017 . DRY BULK .

 electrical plugs. This is the first time that a PEINER
radio controlled single-rope grab of such a large
size has been put into operation at a container
crane.

Ash handling grabs

Combustion residues from an incinerator plant are
temporarily stored in the so-called ash bunker and
are then disposed of. SMAG has developed the
PEINER Motor Dual Scoop Grabs, MTGL-3 product
series, for work in the ash bunker. This product
series is characterised by a large opening width
and a strong closing force thanks to its four
PEINER motor dual scoop grab, type MTGL-3, working in an ash cylinders. The inclined position of the cylinder
bunker. keeps its height to a minimum. As the grabs are
also used below the ash bunker, pipes, wires and
grabs offer a sensor attachment transmitting actual connections are fitted with all-round protection that
operational states to the crane driver by wireless prevents dirt from entering the hydraulics. The PEINER
communication. This feature helps crane operators work ash grabs are equipped with exchangeable teeth that
faster and more effectively. The grabs are provided with tear the partially hardened and crusted surface apart
a centralised shift of lubricating points and are therefore and guarantee optimal filling.
easy to maintain.
An intelligent climbing assistance system ensures the Conclusion
highest standards of job safety for the maintenance PEINER SMAG discerns a positive trend in the handling of
staff on the job site. The grabs are assembled with a biomass and continues to expand its efforts in providing
universal suspension that enables the operation both high-quality, reliable grabs in this market, particularly in
lengthways and crosswise. PEINER’s scope of supply also the waste incineration industry. An existing framework
includes an adapter unit in the form of special load agreement with a major client for the delivery of motor
traverses to connect the grab with the crane grabs to operate in the incineration plant has been
headblock. The traverses have a range of highly successful with incoming waste and the
supplementary features, including a proximity sensor, byproduct of ashes handled by the MMGL/MMTGL series
light and camera systems, control cabinets and PEINER motor “orange peel” grabs.

Contact details:
PEINER SMAG Lifting Technologies GmbH
Windmühlenbergstraße 20-22
38259 Salzgitter, Germany
Tel. +49 5341/302-647
Fax +49 5341/302-424
Email: [email protected]
www.peiner-smag.com

Our company is ISO-

certified according to:
ISO 9001
ISO 14001
OHSAS 18001
ISO 50001