Safety, ergonomics, and efficiency are key to manual handling processes in a broad range of manufacturing and assembly tasks throughout Australian and New Zealand industry.
To assist operators in demanding industries, the latest version of Konecranes' KBK workstation lifting systems builds on 50 years of globally proven performance, and adds new features and capacities designed for today's lifting needs.
"Updates to both the structural and component elements of the latest Konecranes KBK systems enable increased lifting capacities and configurations, for low investments," says Rowland Hudd, National Sales Manager – Industrial Equipment, Konecranes Australia and New Zealand.
The new KBK steel and aluminium workstation cranes provide a durable, reliable, easy-to-use crane for manufacturing, work cells, and applications requiring precise and repetitive lifts up to 2t.
These light lifting workhorses are ideally suited to manufacturing and assembly tasks, including HVAC equipment, transformers, switchboards, electrical equipment, food and beverage, metals, glass cutting, plastic injection moulding, machining, and maintenance.
Workstation cranes often support larger production cranes, ensuring that equipment, floor space, and personnel are fully utilised. In addition, these cranes are designed to make the most of limited space in busy industrial settings.
"A major advantage of the Konecranes KBK system is ease of movement. Force equivalent to less than 1% off the lifted load is all that is required to move the system, making it outstandingly efficient for manual handling," says Hudd.
The Konecranes KBK systems operate on a "load follows user" principle, which means the movement can be as quick as the operator, whilst also delivering increased control and accuracy.
"This time-saving direct path approach ultimately decreases cycle times, and speeds up the operator's tasks, allowing them to be more productive over their shift," says Hudd.
Safety and compliance
As part of compliance with AS 2550 – safe use of cranes, hoists, and winches, companies are required to service and maintain cranes, as well as assess their remaining design life, to ensure the ongoing safety of the crane.
"These assessments are an ideal time to examine if business requirements have grown and changed. For very minor costs and changes, a KBK workstation crane upgrade may be able to double lifting capacity within the same space, which is ideal for companies that have increased their load size to meet market demand," says Hudd.
"The Konecranes KBK series also reduces OH&S risks across all industries, by providing a safer way to manually lift loads, thereby avoiding repetitive manual handling injuries associated with other methods," he adds.
Flexibility
With standardised and pre-engineered components, that can be easily configured to suit specific site requirements, the Konecranes KBK system has been designed to meet the widest variety of manual lifting needs.
"For many applications, utilising existing support structures provides both a cost and time saving, and the KBK series is ideally equipped to be customised to existing structures and layouts," says Hudd.
"By having standardised components, commissioning and installation time are reduced, and the solution is ready to start working sooner," he adds.
The latest versions of the Konecranes KBK series also include larger steel or aluminium profiles, than the sizes typically seen over the past decades.
"The larger profiles enable larger crane spans and longer suspension distances, allowing heavier loads to be lifted over larger areas. Additionally, when lifting needs increase, it's simple to replace smaller profiles, and reuse the suspensions with a larger profile by replacing the track sections – it's a cost-effective like-for-like replacement, meaning existing systems are easily upgraded to higher lifting capacities," says Hudd.
Lifecycle Care
Konecranes' KBK workstation cranes are cared for in a whole-of-life capacity by the company's Lifecycle Care approach, which provides end-to-end service and optimisation to maximise the value of the crane.
Konecranes offers Lifecycle Care in real time, to maximise the productivity of the crane, minimise downtime, and achieve the highest lifecycle value from the equipment.
This is achieved through a comprehensive and systematic approach to managing assets by connecting data, machines, and people, to deliver a digitally-enabled experience in real time.
"Through this Lifecycle Care approach, the customer can consistently optimise the crane, gather valuable insights and data, and connect to real-time data, including remotely," says Hudd.
About us:
About Konecranes
Konecranes is a global leader in material handling solutions, serving a broad range of customers across multiple industries. We consistently set the industry benchmark, from everyday improvements to the breakthroughs at moments that matter most, because we know we can always find a safer, more productive and sustainable way. That's why, with around 16,500 professionals in over 50 countries, Konecranes is trusted every day to lift, handle and move what the world needs. In 2024, Group sales totalled EUR 4.2 billion. Konecranes shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (symbol: KCR).
