SyncHoist lift by Universal Cranes works on LHD

A high precision Enerpac SyncHoist system has been successfully deployed by heavy lift and transport specialists Universal Cranes to ensure optimum accuracy and safety in the hoisting and positioning of key components of one of the largest ships ever built for the Royal Australian Navy.

Universal Cranes integrated the system with a 600 tonne crawler crane as part of the project management and engineering for the consolidation of steel blocks of between 164-300 tonnes on the deck of the first of the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) vessels being built by BAE Systems Australia.

The four steel blocks, with variable centres of gravity,  will become the operating control towers on the flight deck of the Canberra class LHD, one of two 28,000 tonne LHD vessels that will come into service in 2014 (HMAS Canberra) and 2015 (HMAS Adelaide) respectively.

The Enerpac SyncHoist system involved in construction of the Canberra offers load manoeuvring vertically and horizontally using one crane, being employed in this application to align the block so the crane could lower it.

Employing intelligent hydraulics to monitor and guide compact but powerful 700 bar double-acting push-pull cylinders integrated into four lifting points above loads, the SyncHoist SLS system can be used for pre-programed positioning, tilting and aligning of loads and for counterweighting and determining their centre of gravity.

Universal Cranes heavy lift engineer Nick Morris said that, because of the size of the vessel, the use of traditional craneage and dry dock option was not feasible.

The Demag CC2800-1 crawler crane was rigged with a 72m Main Boom in Superlift Lift (SSL), and positioned to work from the Nelson Pier adjacent to the moored LHD Vessel.

“The grillage, weighing approximately 600 tonne, allowed the crane to be positioned on the pier structure with loads effectively transferred directly to lower piles.  The grillage was then relocated by the crane in preparation for each sequential lift,” Morris said.

Universal Cranes purchased a 440t Enerpac Synchronised Hoisting System specifically for the LHD Project.  The system, comprising of four hydraulic cylinders each capable of 110t and offering a stroke of 1500mm, can be installed within a rigging arrangement in tension providing an overall capacity of 440 tonnes.

Universal Cranes’ contract also involved engineering and project management in the fabrication of a 330t purpose designed lifting frame for the project.

This lifting frame was adapted with specific sling lengths for each specific block.