US-based non-contact measurement sensors provider Laser View Technologies said that its Crane Sentry system is deployed to control the position of a hoist on an overhead crane inside a metal stamping facility.
According to the company, overhead cranes are often used in facilities such as metal stamping plants for handling die changes and other tasks.
The cranes operating in sites with heavy stamping presses, with low overhead clearance, and limited visibility, increase the risk of collisions with equipment on the production floor.
The operation of overhead cranes in such conditions may result in significant safety hazards, costly downtime, and damage to machinery.
Laser View said its Crane Sentry system aims to address these risks by providing advanced collision detection and zone control capabilities.
Laser View Company, in a LinkedIn post, said: “Inside this metal stamping facility, a Crane Sentry system is used to control the position of a hoist on an overhead crane.
“This helps to keep operators from lifting dies and coils in an unsafe manner over areas where personnel or machinery co-exist.”
The company’s Crane Sentry system is primarily used to detect potential collisions between cranes and walls or between multiple cranes.
It also defines restricted zones and helps in precise positioning.
The system offers up to six programmable relay outputs, which can be configured for functions such as slowing or stopping crane movements to prevent accidents.
It can detect crane-to-crane collisions, providing additional safety in environments where multiple cranes operate simultaneously.
The system combines crane-to-wall collision detection with end-stop protection, ensuring comprehensive coverage in preventing structural damage.
It also supports zone monitoring, with a single-axis functionality to alert workers or machine centres when a crane enters a specific area.
For more complex applications, the system comes with a two-axis zone control feature, which supports detection of rectangular areas, such as machinery or in-plant offices.
The enhanced control feature includes eight relay outputs connected to bridge and trolley controls, alerting motor drives of proximity to restricted zones.
The system also incorporates laser distance sensors, which are usually mounted near the Crane Sentry controller on the crane bridge.
The sensors are aimed at flat target plates installed on walls and trolleys to provide accurate distance measurements to ensure safe crane movements.
In addition, the system offers options for overriding crane controls during press maintenance, further enhancing operational flexibility.
