Explosion-Proof Overhead Crane
Flammable and explosive environments
Манголія
We have been exporting explosion-proof overhead cranes for years, and this Mongolia project is a great example of balancing explosion protection requirements with cost control.
The customer was looking for an выбухаабаронены маставы кран for their factory in Mongolia, with strict requirements for explosion-proof performance and enclosure protection. At the same time, the project budget was limited, so they needed a solution that could meet safety standards without adding unnecessary costs.
In the end, we delivered two 10-ton LB Single Girder Explosion-Proof Overhead Cranes that successfully met all these requirements. From solution design and technical discussions to production, packing, and shipment, the complete crane system was around 30% more cost-effective than a European-style explosion-proof solution and arrived in Mongolia by road transport within 8 days.
In this case, I will walk you through how we approached this project and how we developed the final solution.
Key Challenges of the Mongolian Project
First, let's look at the customer's actual situation. This was a factory in Mongolia operating under conditions with potential flammable and explosive hazards. The cranes used in the workshop could not rely on standard electrical configurations—the entire system had to be designed with explosion-proof protection. Safety was the top priority and there was no room for compromise.
The customer already had a clear technical specification: 10-ton lifting capacity, 22.5 m span, 18 m lifting height, and an AT3 explosion-protection requirement. Their needs were straightforward: they were looking for a manufacturer that could provide reliable explosion-proof performance, meet the required protection levels, and offer a reasonable price.
The key challenges of this project were:
- The first challenge was the explosion-protection and ingress-protection requirements. The customer initially required an AT3 explosion-protection rating for the Explosion-Proof Overhead Crane, along with Schneider Electric components, IP55 motors, and IP65 control box enclosures. These requirements set a relatively high technical standard for the equipment.
- The second challenge was how to control the project budget while meeting the explosion-proof performance requirements. For explosion-proof cranes, the cost difference is not only determined by lifting capacity or crane structure. Explosion-proof motors, explosion-proof electrical enclosures, special wiring protection, explosion-proof certifications, and customized protection measures all add additional costs. This is also one of the main reasons why explosion-proof equipment is generally more expensive than standard cranes.
Як мы наладзілі выбухаабаронены маставы кран?
Тэхнічныя характарыстыкі
Пасля выбару рашэння сапраўднай працай стала пераўтварэнне ўсіх спецыяльных патрабаванняў у чарцяжы і вытворчыя дэталі. Канчатковыя спецыфікацыі крана былі наступнымі.
- Грузападымальнасць: 10 тон
- Пралёт: 22,5 м
- Вышыня ўздыму: 18 м
- Выбухаабарона: Exd II BT4
- Крыніца харчавання: 380 В, 50 Гц, 3 фазы
- Спосаб кіравання: бесправадны пульт дыстанцыйнага кіравання
- Колькасць: 2 камплекты
Four Custom Features for the Mongolia Crane Project
1. First came the explosion-protection rating: The customer initially requested an AT3 explosion-proof rating, while NUCLEON's explosion-proof crane products start from the BT4 level as standard. During the technical review, we further explained the differences between the various explosion-proof classifications to help the customer better understand the protection levels.
In explosion-proof equipment classification, A and B represent gas groups, while T3 and T4 represent temperature classes. They are two different evaluation criteria.
The gas group indicates the type of explosive atmosphere the equipment is designed for:
- IIA: Suitable for flammable gas environments with relatively lower hazard levels.
- IIB: Suitable for medium-risk flammable gas environments, with higher protection requirements than IIA.
Simply put, IIB equipment can be used in IIA environments, but IIA equipment cannot replace IIB equipment.
The temperature class defines the maximum surface temperature allowed during equipment operation:
- T3: Maximum surface temperature ≤200°C
- T4: Maximum surface temperature ≤135°C
Compared with T3, T4 requires a lower operating surface temperature, further reducing the risk of igniting surrounding flammable gases. Therefore, T4 provides a higher level of temperature protection.
After reviewing the actual working conditions with the customer, we finally supplied the crane according to the higher safety standard, adopting an Ex d II B T4 flameproof protection design. The final delivered equipment was an LB Explosion-Proof Overhead Crane, equipped with explosion-proof motors, explosion-proof control boxes, explosion-proof push buttons, and complete explosion-proof certification documents.
The biggest challenge in an explosion-proof project is not the complexity of the technical parameters, but whether the requirements are fully understood at the beginning. If the explosion-proof rating, gas group, and temperature class are not clearly confirmed in advance, it can easily lead to equipment mismatches, certification issues, or even costly rework at a later stage.
Therefore, confirming these details before production is a crucial step to ensuring the successful delivery of the project.
2. Electrical configuration: The customer specified Schneider Electric components for the electrical system, and we configured the entire crane with Schneider electrical components accordingly. This not only improves overall system stability but also ensures better compatibility and convenience for future maintenance and spare parts replacement.
For overseas customers, this is especially important. In case any electrical components need to be replaced in the future, globally recognized brands like Schneider Electric are easier to source locally, helping reduce maintenance difficulties and minimize potential downtime.
3. Ingress protection: The НУКЛОН LB Explosion-Proof Single Girder Overhead Crane comes standard with IP55 motors and IP65 control box enclosures, which perfectly match the customer's protection requirements without requiring any additional upgrades.
By using the standard configuration, the crane not only meets the required protection level but also helps reduce unnecessary extra costs. This allowed us to provide a reliable explosion-proof solution while maintaining better cost efficiency for the project.
4. Control method: The Explosion-Proof EOT Crane is operated by wireless remote control and uses a 380V / 50Hz / three-phase power supply. In an explosion-risk workshop, operators can maintain a safe distance from the equipment while enjoying greater flexibility during operation.
LB Overhead Crane or European-Style Overhead Crane?About 30% Saved Without Sacrificing Performance
Спачатку мы прапанавалі кліенту два варыянты: выбухаабаронены аднабалкавы кран LB і выбухаабаронены аднабалкавы кран еўрапейскага тыпу. Абодва маглі адпавядаць асноўным характарыстыкам: грузападымальнасць 10 тон, пралёт 22,5 м і вышыня ўздыму 18 м. Асноўныя адрозненні былі ў канструкцыі, уласнай вазе і цане.
Канструкцыя ў еўрапейскім стылі больш кампактная. Аднак для гэтага праекта сапраўднымі прыярытэтамі кліента былі надзейная выбухаабарона, адпаведная абарона корпуса, надзейная эксплуатацыя і разумная цана, а не самая лёгкая магчымая канструкцыя. Пры параўнанні дзвюх прапаноў аказалася, што поўны маставы кран LB аказаўся прыкладна на 30% больш даступным.
Пасля параўнання варыянтаў кліент абраў маставы кран LB. Гэта адлюстроўвае прынцып, якога мы прытрымліваемся ў міжнародных праектах: наша задача не прадаць самы дарагі кран, а дапамагчы кожнаму кліенту выбраць той, які яму найбольш падыходзіць.
Упакоўка, устойлівая да надвор'я, драўляныя скрыні і дастаўка на працягу 8 дзён
Манголія не мае выхаду да мора, таму выбухаабароненыя маставыя краны дастаўляліся аўтамабільным транспартам. Таму ўпакоўка павінна была вытрымліваць наземную транспарціроўку на вялікія адлегласці, а таксама магчымае захоўванне пасля прыбыцця.
Мы абгарнулі асноўныя сталёвыя канструкцыі воданепранікальнай плёнкай, каб абараніць іх ад дажджу і пылу падчас транспарціроўкі. Дакладныя і ўразлівыя кампаненты, у тым ліку электрычныя шафы і пад'ёмнікі, былі спакаваныя асобна ў драўляныя скрыні з дадатковым унутраным пластом ахоўнай плёнкі. Абодва краны былі надзейна замацаваны і належным чынам амартызаваны перад пагрузкай. Падарожжа ў Манголію заняло восем дзён. Мы таксама захавалі поўную фотафіксацыю ўпакоўкі і адпраўкі, каб кліент мог праверыць стан грузу па фотаздымках па прыбыцці.
Вынікі пастаўкі выбухаабароненых маставых кранаў
The two 10-ton LB Explosion-Proof Single Girder Overhead Cranes were successfully manufactured and shipped according to the customer's confirmed technical requirements. The final configuration included an Ex d II B T4 explosion-proof rating, Schneider Electric components, IP55/IP65 protection levels, wireless remote control, complete explosion-proof certificates, and production drawings. The cranes were delivered to Mongolia by road transportation within 8 days.
From solution comparison and protection upgrades to inland logistics arrangements, we helped the customer find the right balance between safety, performance, and cost efficiency. The project not only reduced unnecessary investment but also ensured that the customer's most important concern—explosion-proof compliance and operational safety—was fully achieved.
Let's Talk About Your Explosion-Proof Overhead Crane Project
If you have a similar project that requires explosion-proof compliance or you are looking for ways to reduce costs while still meeting safety requirements, feel free to contact us for discussion, no matter where your project is located.
НУКЛОН's engineers will evaluate your actual working conditions, hazardous area classification, and technical requirements to provide a one-on-one crane selection solution and quotation tailored to your application.
Я Novia, займаюся экспартам кранаў на працягу 10 гадоў, абслугоўваючы кліентаў у 20 краінах. У мяне ёсць запас прафесійных ведаў аб будове і характарыстыках розных тыпаў кранаў. Ад расцэнкі да распрацоўкі плана да пастаўкі, я акажу вам індывідуальныя паслугі, каб даць вам найбольш эканамічна эфектыўнае і прафесійнае рашэнне для крана. Калі вам трэба купіць кран, калі ласка, звяжыцеся са мной, каб атрымаць апошнюю паслугу.
