It’s said that the only constant in life is change. When it’s time to think about a new enclosed track crane or monorail system, either ceiling supported or freestanding, it’s important to think about your needs now and what they could be in the future. Although you can’t predict your future, it’s important to choose a crane system that perfectly suits your current requirements and makes is easy to adapt to future requirements. We put together considerations to keep in mind that will help you choose a system that is flexible for your future.
How you do something today will likely change in the future. Every step of your production process can evolve over time and can become more efficient, safe and reliable. You may even need to integrate a completely new process into your existing areas. Choose a modular system that can help you seamlessly add new coverage or capacity while repurposing the existing components of your enclosed rail ceiling system, freestanding workstation crane, or monorail system. Demag KBK light workstation and monorail systems are designed to grow with you and here’s why.
1. Modular Design for Cost Effective Change and Growth
Demag KBK modular crane and monorail systems are designed to be modular and flexible to your needs today. All components are designed to work together so future change or growth to your system can be cost effective. If a monorail fits your needs today, the same components can be repurposed if you require a crane in the future. Demag KBK is comprised of bolted and clamped connections. These connections require no drilling, so it is easy to disassemble and reassemble your current and future enclosed track crane or monorail system. Because there is no drilling required for connecting and suspension components, there is no permanent change being made to the enclosed track or supporting structure.
When you are expanding and repurposing your existing KBK system configuration, the track section design allows for the maximum amount of flexibility. It is possible to mix different types and sizes of KBK rail. This allows you to easily repurpose two different KBK systems for your future configuration. Whether you have steel track, aluminum track, KBK size I, or KBK size II, it is possible to combine them all into the same system.
If you need to raise the capacity of the system, Demag KBK is ready. Unlike other systems, KBK can increase capacity by adding additional hangers and trolleys. Because the track connections and suspension hanger connections are not drilled, the track remains fully intact. Adding hangers and capacity appropriate trolleys makes it easy and cost effective to change and upgrade your system.
KBK is designed to be modular so you can easily incorporate the right options to fit your needs. Demag KBK monorails and cranes can be ceiling mounted to your building’s overhead structural steel, freestanding, or a combination of both. If the structural overhead steel of your building won’t support ceiling mounted, a freestanding system can be used with Demag freestanding support structure, which is simply bolted to your existing concrete floor. Both types of systems can be easily changed or moved as needed.
You can power your KBK system the way that fits your needs best. Operators can manually move the bridge, experiencing the benefits of the smoothest, extremely low rolling resistant components. You can also easily upgrade your existing system later to a powered system with air or electric tractor drives. Once again, the modular KBK system can evolve to meet your needs.
KBK rail has a wide range of power supply component options including air, electric, or hydraulic festooning, or even energy chain. Unlike competitive products, KBK can be equipped with an internal electric busbar. The internal busbar allows you to get a reliable electric power supply anywhere throughout the system. When your needs get more complex, like branching, this reliable power supply can branch off, allowing the flexibility to easily add trolleys, bridges, and other complex material flow components.
Additionally, Demag KBK can be tailored to special environments because of the modular design. If a food manufacturer needs to reconfigure a monorail located in shipping to a production area, components can be tailored to the area where raw materials are being handled. Whether you are repurposing a system to be used for lifting outdoors, high humidity, or high temperature area, KBK can be matched to the environmental needs.
2. Standard Components Easily Integrate for Complex Material Flow
Choosing a modular crane system that has a wide range of standard options is vital to a flexible future. Though you may start out with a simple monorail system to transport a load, your future needs may require you to connect your entire production area as one system. No other enclosed rail system has the breadth of standard product options available.
Connecting your entire production area can require more complex material flow components. You may find the need for curves, track switches, turn tables, interlocks, swing gates or drop sections. All these options are standard design that are proven to work in your most high cycle applications.
Automation is possible with Demag KBK. Upgrading your KBK system with automation can help optimize your operations and optimize the work your operators can do. Automating a pick and place process with KBK can be done with any system, including your simple monorail system. The addition of tractor motors, sensors, and PLC programming allows your operators to do more value-added activities.
3. Ergonomic for Work Today and in the Future
Workplace safety is your top priority and making work for your operators ergonomic is a key component. When your workforce is manually moving bridges and trolleys, Demag KBK components provide are smooth, ergonomic motion. Wheels used for bridges and travelling trolleys have an extremely low rolling resistance, making motion smooth and allows the operator to use less effort.
In addition to low rolling resistance, the articulating design of KBK works with the low rolling resistance to make motions more ergonomic. The articulating design of KBK components eliminates binding, so the crane bridge is easy to move wherever the load is located. Articulating simply means the 2 ends of the bridge do not need to stay parallel to one another. This makes moving a load at the end of a crane easier, whereas it is more difficult to move the load in the same position on a rigid system.
4. Plug and Lift Chain Hoists and Balancers
Another component of the modularity of KBK is the addition of chain hoists or balancers to the system. Demag KBK workstation cranes are designed to instantly integrate with Demag DC Chain Hoists and Demag balancers. Every Demag chain hoist and balancer have trolley options designed to integrate directly into our KBK enclosed rail track. When you need an electric chain hoist or DCBS electric balancer, these products are part of the same family. They have easy plug and lift trolleys and connections that are designed to integrate into KBK enclosed rail track. This gets you to work quickly. The Demag D-BP-II air balancer easily integrates onto KBK track via a trolley and clean air connections are easy to route onto your crane system.
5. Network of Experienced Dealers to Help You
Demag partners with an expert network of dealers in the US and Canada. These authorized dealers have the expertise you need for your project. When you need to integrate a Demag KBK freestanding workstation crane or ceiling hung crane system in your facility, our partners can provide the complete solution. From consultations on developing the solution to fit your needs to providing the installation and servicing of your new system, Demag authorized dealer partners can help you every step of the way. Demag partners can add to the modularity of KBK by helping you tailor your solution by integrating custom grippers and end tooling to your Demag balancer or chain hoist.
Although you can never predict the future, you can be prepared for what’s to come. You need a light crane system that is flexible enough to meet your needs today and in the future. Demag KBK freestanding workstation cranes and light crane systems are flexible due to their modular design and have a wide range of standard components to meet your ever-changing needs. Give your operators an ergonomic system to help them do the job safely and efficiently.
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