Schwaiger Holzindustrie of Hengersberg/DE cuts around 1.2 million m³ of log wood each year. The log yard and the two new Künz gantry cranes were designed for this capacity. “One of our main customers is the container industry where high availability has top priority, but we also offer suitable solutions for the timber industry,” Dietmar Nußbaumer, Head of Technical Sales at Künz, says. “Our focus is on innovations and a high degree of automation. That is why we want to focus more on the timber industry in the future. In Schwaiger Holzindustrie, we have found a perfect project partner who doesn’t shy away from innovation.”
Large area, little noise, high degree of automation
The two gantry cranes are designed for high performance and can be operated even at wind speeds of up to 105 km/h © Martina Nöstler
At Schwaiger Holzindustrie, the entire log handling, i.e. the removal of the logs from the boxes, the temporary storage in piles and the feed to the saw line, is done with the help of two Künz gantry cranes. This way, the Hengersberg-based company can mostly do without excavators. When designing the new log yard, particular attention was paid to reducing noise emissions. “The gantry cranes have been optimized to meet this requirement, too,” Johann Niedermeier, authorized representative of Schwaiger Holzindustrie, explains.
The rail system is 380 meters long with a rail width of 57 meters, which results in an area of around 22,000 m². For comparison, the grass pitch of the Allianz Arena in Munich is nearly 8,000 m² big. According to Nußbaumer, the main girder is 115 meters long and the mobile components are able to move over a length of 105 meters. Each crane has a lifting capacity of 21.5 tons, while that of the 4.2-m²-big gripper is 13 tons. “We have also been nominated for the Austrian State Prize for Innovations for our patented single-girder gantry crane,” Nußbaumer tells us, who is visibly proud.
Both cranes are equipped with anti-sway technology and are able to carry out automatic processes © 24 mm Filmproduktion
The hoists with a drive of 160 kW two times can reach a speed of up to 60 m/min. The crane and crane trolley can move at a maximum speed of 150 m/min. “The gantry crane system can be operated even at wind speeds of up to 105 km/h,” Nußbaumer explains. The cranes are equipped with anti-sway technology and are able to carry out automatic processes. For example, the employee takes the logs out of the box, and the crane then drives to the selected storage area at the push of a button. The entire process from the log pile to the saw infeed is automated as well. “This automation of processes results in an increase in productivity,” Nußbaumer is convinced. Both cranes can cover the entire area. To prevent accidents, an anti-collision system is in place.
According to Nußbaumer, the planned downtime during the construction of the new log yard was particularly challenging. “Thanks to the good collaboration with everyone involved in the project, we were able to jump this hurdle, too,” Nußbaumer says in conclusion.
