Before Rangemaster could install their new 1,200t ring frame hydraulic press, they needed to remove the existing hydraulic double action press. Located on a second floor mezzanine, their existing press needed to be dismantled, lifted, lowered and transported through several confined areas to the ground floor in order to be removed. Getting the press to fit through the bay doors required it to be in a horizontal position. Once inside, the press needed to be flipped vertically and lifted to the second floor in order to reach its location on the production floor.
The Enerpac SL400 hydraulic gantry was used to lift and lower the crown and base of the existing press onto load skates. Once on skates the crown and base were rolled to the end of the mezzanine. Weighing less than 30t, both pieces were lowered to the ground level with a 15t overhead crane and heavy-duty forklift.
With the existing press removed, the new press was backed halfway into the bay doors on a semi-trailer. The SL400 hydraulic gantry was used to offload and transport the new press horizontally through the bay doors. Once inside, the press was lifted to a vertical position.
Two gantry units were then moved to the second floor mezzanine and re-shackled to the press. Supported by props, the gantry tracks were extended beyond the edge of the mezzanine. With two gantry units on the ground floor and two units on the second floor, the press was lifted to the second floor and tilted back to a horizontal position. The two gantry units on the ground floor were moved to the second floor and proceeded to lift and transport the press to its new foundation. Once again, the press was lifted from a horizontal to vertical position and lowered onto securing bolts.
Nick Kemp, director, JH Kemp said: “The only other possible way to achieve the lift would be the old fashioned jacking way, but that would have been a nightmare and unsafe.
Being on the second floor mezzanine made the job too complicated for any machine other than a gantry.”
