DESCRIPTION
During the shutdown in 2017, a £1 million project was undertaken on the raw mill at Ketton Cement Plant.
The raw mill consists of a grinding table and two sets of roll pairs. These weigh up to 70 tonnes each. The equipment has to be lifted out of the raw mill building and placed on the floor. It is then moved out of the building and then crane lifted onto another vehicle before being taken for repairs.
This involved a series of complicated lift plans, significant time and risks in the overall movement operation. The equipment was dragged sideways across the concrete floor to remove it from the building. This would result in some damage to the floor. Once out of the building, it was lifted by another crane onto a vehicle for transport to the work area for repairs. The reverse had to take place for reinstallation.
A bespoke platform was constructed in conjunction with a site contract company, Drury Engineering. This enabled the table and rolls to be lifted and lowered directly and safely onto the platform. The platform can be moved easily to the workshop area for repair. The trailer was designed to be towed by a front end loader. A new lifting beam has been installed in the workshop.
BENEFITS
- Removed the need for very detailed and significant lift plans
- Significant reduction in the risks associated with this task
- Eliminated damage caused to the concrete floor by dragging
- Operation completed in less time and more efficiently.