The recently announced Pipe Modular Lift System (PMLS) is looking to make a name for itself as the alternative to traditional crane and gantry lift systems.
Traditional cranes with suspended loads are vulnerable to hazards such as high winds. They are also difficult to mobilize and assemble on the project site.
The system can accommodate lifting capabilities of 400, 800 and 1,200 tons at a vertical distance up to or exceeding 50ft. The exact height can be tailored to match project requirements with 10-foot increments added to the standard column section.
The platform can also be constructed in square, rectangular or round layouts to accommodate site-specific conditions. It is designed for five percent side loading, with clear span openings configurable up to 50ft or larger.
Offering a lifting speed of 20 inches per minute, the PMLS is faster than strand jack systems. The lack of cable drums or strands that can fail and having no hydraulics that can leak improves system reliability.
In the event of a power failure, the load platform will remain secure until power is restored.
The PMLS mitigates high-risk activity by minimizing the number of load-handling evolutions. It does this by designing the platform to accept any mobile material handling equipment, with cargo in place, directly onto the platform.
The computerized system controls vertical travel distance based on user input. Redundant safety limits prevent travel beyond the specified distance.
At the desired destination, the mobile material handling equipment can transfer the cargo directly from the platform to the adjoining structure. This creates a minimal load-handling environment and eliminates the need for additional equipment or lifts to transfer components between systems.
The PMLS can operate in winds up to 50mph and withstand winds of 120mph. Enclosed structural components enable safe operation in poor weather conditions.
The system ships in 12 standard ground transportation trailers, in comparison to the 25 to 30 trailers required by crane and gantry systems. Assembly can be completed in five shifts or fewer.
The PMLS is suitable for heavy rigging applications in many industries, including energy, aerospace, petrochemical, manufacturing and steel.
The PMLS is engineered, manufactured and load tested by Engineered Rigging and complies with applicable sections of the following standards:
- AISC Manual of Steel Construction, 9th Edition and 13th Edition
- ASCE 7–10, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
- AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code
- ASME NQA-1-2004, Subpart 2.15, Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications
- ASME B30, Various Sections
- NUREG 0612, Control of Heavy Loads at Nuclear Plants
- 29 CFR 1926, OSHA Construction Industry Regulations
For more information on the PMLS, visit Engineered Rigging at their website .