Wireless functionality - Lifting jacks from Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik communicate via WLAN in railway technology

Kissing (Germany), 20 August 2013 – The heavy and synchronous lifting and lowering of rail vehicles up to 120 m long and weighing as much as 320 tons with utmost precision has almost become second nature and taken for granted by the time-tested and well proven lifting jacks supplied by Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik of Kissing, Germany. However here, an absolute special feature is that the 16 lifting jacks, which the rail technology specialists are currently installing in the Olten industrial plant of the Swiss Federal Railways SBB, communicate entirely flexible with each other via WLAN. WLAN communication for lifting jack installation With a workforce of over 700 employees, the Olten industrial plant is the largest SBB plant as well as the centre of excellence for repairs and overhauls on railway carriages. Over 17 different types of trains are inspected and serviced here, which is why flexibility is vital for ensuring that everything runs smoothly in the workshop. When commissioned with the task of equipping the industrial plant with new, high-performance lifting jacks, the engineers from Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik also came up with a solution that catered to this requirement by developing an innovative control concept that had not been seen before in this form in railway technology. Instead of via Bluetooth or data cables that could get in the way or even be a possible cause of risk, the lifting jacks now communicate wirelessly and variably by WLAN with each other and with a central control. Even in the event of a fault after the jacks have been installed, the technicians from Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik can access the PLC directly by means of a GSM Internet connection via SIM card and perform a quick remote diagnosis. Flexible use of all lifting jacks Each of the structurally identical lifting jacks possesses a WLAN client and has its own secure IP address – but, apart from the power supply, has no other cables whatsoever. Accordingly, space requirements and a fixed installation configuration are a thing of the past. Depending on the requirements and size of the train, the maintenance team is free to group and position the jacks at will. Combinations in entirely independent groups of four are possible, as well as arrangements with 4 plus 12, 8 plus 8, 4 plus 4 plus 8 or with all 16 lifting jacks for lifting complete multiple units and articulated trains can be performed. Wireless control plus excellent overview At the push of a single button on the individual lifting jacks, the operator defines a lifting group and saves his selection. For a group of four, the control ensues directly at one of the lifting jacks, which has been predefined as the master. For a larger lifting group, and to ensure optimum oversight and safety, a mobile control console with a large 19 inch display is used, which graphically displays the individual lifting jacks and their operating status. The power for the console is supplied by electrical sockets on the lifting jacks. One power lead is all that is necessary though by way of cables, since the control console is also integrated into the WLAN and can thus be moved around flexibly within the area of the installation. This also has a positive effect on tidiness and safety in the workshop: There are no long cables anymore which create tripping hazards to the employees or make it difficult to use materials handling equipment such as pallet trucks. The decentralised set-up of the control, where all the control elements are accommodated inside the control box of the jack, eliminates the need for a large control cabinet for power electronics. Two access points permanently installed in the workshop ensure interruption-free communication between all the equipment. In the unlikely event there is an interruption, the installation stops immediately while its safe condition is being sustained. Proven lifting capacity of the lifting jacks Each of the lifting jacks from Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik is capable of lifting 20 ton loads from a starting height of 300 mm in the lowest position up to 3,000 mm in the uppermost position, and for safety reasons, at an optimal safe speed of 300 mm per minute and less which is controlled by frequency converters. All of the lifting equipment involved in a lifting procedure is monitored synchronously and automatically adjusted within a tolerance of ± 3 mm. Specifically for the deployment in the Olten industrial plant, the neck height of the lifting jacks is extra low to ensure that the carriages are optimally lifted. Their lift arm can be electrically adjusted by 470 mm. It is also possible to adjust the load support plate. For the precision installation of new bogies, this can be moved manually by ± 30 mm under full load. Enhanced safety in the workshop As is always the case with the lifting solutions from Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik, safety is paramount. The lifting jacks conform to the requirements of DIN EN 1493:2010 for vehicle lifting platforms and, in safety-related areas, comply with the requirements on the control concept in “Performance Level D”. In this particular application, this not only allows persons to remain in the danger area under a lifted vehicle, but also under a moving vehicle. Extra safety is afforded by additional visual signals. An LED chain of lights in cool white at each individual lifting jack alerts operators and uninvolved persons along the entire length of the installation as to which lifting jacks are currently involved in a lifting procedure. For Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik, the cooperation with Swiss Federal Railways is not over after the installation of the WLAN lifting jacks in Olten. SBB is keeping open the option of extending its plant there over the coming years with a further 16 such lifting jacks. Around 50 lifting jacks have already been shipped over the last three to four years. For SBB’s Zürich-Herdern site, Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik is supplying a further 32 lifting jacks with a lifting load of 25 t each, which are largely identical in terms of their functionality with the design for the Olten industrial plant. About Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik GmbH & Co. KG is an affiliated company of Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, which is also based in Kissing, under the umbrella of American company Columbus McKinnon. As well as supplying transportation components, Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik primarily supplies complete planning, installation and maintenance of turnkey jacking systems for rail vehicles. Pfaff-silberblau jacking systems are used worldwide in locations such as Montreal/Canada, Guangzhou/China, Taipei/Taiwan, Madrid/Spain and Vienna/Austria. More information about the services and products of Pfaff-silberblau Verkehrstechnik can be found at www.pfaff-silberblau.com

About Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products The company Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products GmbH, Kissing/Germany, has ranked with its brands Pfaff-silberblau and Alltec Antriebstechnik for many decades amongst the technology leaders in components and system solutions for mechanical motion and lifting technology. The portfolio ranges from sophisticated screw jack elements to innovative linear drives through to powerful lifting tables and wire rope winches. On the basis of these components, Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products also offers customised solutions for a wide range of different fields of application. Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products is a subsidiary of the listed Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO), Amherst/USA, a leading supplier of lifting and materials handling equipment. Worldwide, the Group has around 2,600 employees at 18 production sites in seven countries and at 52 other company branches. Further information on Columbus McKinnon Engineered Products along with its brands Pfaff-silberblau and Alltec Antriebstechnik is available online at www.pfaff-silberblau.com.