From a cabling problem to trouble-free crane control in the slab yard

At Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, several cranes are used in a slab yard to transport slabs weighing up to 40 tons. Some of the systems use electrically controlled clamps that use PROFINET sensors to capture key position data such as opening angle and lifting height.

Signal transmission between the crane and the grapple was originally carried out via a suspension cable approximately 17 meters long at a lifting height of about 10 meters.

Communication problems between the crane control system and the grapple occurred repeatedly during operation. Some of the reasons for these problems included cable breaks caused by mechanical stress, faulty shielding, or sporadic signal interruptions.

These malfunctions repeatedly led to downtime lasting two hours or more, as the system had to be restarted and recalibrated on site. In addition to the direct costs of replacing cables, there were significant follow-up costs due to production downtime, labor expenses, and maintenance calls - often at night or under difficult conditions.

To provide a sustainable solution to the problems, the cable connection was replaced with a wireless solution using DATAEAGLE.

The installation was completed quickly and without complications according to the plug-and-play principle. After an initial test in the office, the system was put into operation immediately. Thanks to its simple installation, the wireless system could be set up in less than 60 minutes during the next outage and has been running ever since.

The master unit was installed on the crane, while the counterpart is located directly on the grapple. Communication is wireless and free of mechanical stress.

• DATAEAGLE 4000, optimized for industrial data transmission via PROFINET
• Compatible accessories and antennas for stable transmission 

Since the wireless solution was implemented, there have been no further disruptions in this area.

The switch resulted in consistently stable communication, the complete elimination of cable-related outages, and a significant reduction in maintenance calls. At the same time, system availability and production output were sustainably improved.

Based on this positive experience, additional systems were ordered to equip more cranes as well as a spare grapple.

Holger Kreulich, who is responsible for crane and electrical systems, summarizes:

The solution operates according to the “set and forget” principle. Once installed, the system runs reliably without requiring further intervention. We’re all impressed!