An innovative and leading manufacturer of wind turbine gearboxes and transmissions needed a solution to move extremely heavy wind turbine gearboxes for a wind farm project in India.
THE CHALLENGE
In this case, the gearboxes weighed more than 100 tons. The challenge consisted in supplying a personalized industrial transfer cart with relatively compact dimensions. The cart could not be larger than 4 x 2.7 meters. The gearbox needed to be placed on a steel structure (pallet), which the cart would then slide under, lift and move to its new position. There would be no need for overhead cranes or suspended loads, thus ensuring greater safety. The cart had to be designed to work both indoors and outdoors. The handling of a gearbox weighing 108 tons with a cart of this size required a very careful and accurate design. The client had also requested an operator recognition and registration system in order to operate the transfer cart. Morello, a company specialized in the development of custom industrial carts was immediately inspired by the project and willingly accepted the challenge!
THE SOLUTION
Morello worked with the Wind Power Technology Business Unit to develop an efficient solution. The final solution designed and built by Morello was a super-compact, omnidirectional, self-loading heavy-duty industrial cart able to transport a total load of 108 tons. The battery-operated cart is radio-controlled with a 5 km range. The cart has omnidirectional steering and independent wheels, each with its own electric motor and brake. A custom motorized cart unique to its kind, this solution also features hydraulic suspensions for improved operations on imperfect flooring, as well as a lifting loading bed. The electric motors are brushless, high-precision and maintenance-free. Advanced diagnostics and IoT technology for remote assistance satisfied the client’s requirement for operational guarantees.