Engineering news

140 TON HEAVY-LIFTING JACK SYSTEM SUPPLIED TO TRANSWERK DURBAN

 Pfaff-silberblau SA has supplied a large heavy-duty lifting system to Transwerk Locomotive Workshop in Durban.  The capacity of the lifting system is rated at 140 tons and is comprised of four 35 ton screw type jacks complete with PLC control systems and interfaced safety devices.  Each 35 ton jack weighs over 4 tons, is over 4.5 metres high and moves at a synchronised speed of 234mm/min, lifting the locomotive to a height of three metres above the ground.

 “The purchase of this lifting system by Transwerk will significantly reduce the time and cost for the lifting of locomotives of this type in the future,” says Piet du Randt, Transwerk operations manager for locomotives.

 The lifting system, the largest capacity custom-designed system Pfaff-silberblau has done worldwide, took over 16 weeks to be manufactured in the Pfaff-silberblau factory in Augsberg, Germany.  The project management and procurement was done by Pfaff-silberblau SA in conjunction with Transwerk project manager Keith Terry.  

“The commissioning was quick and professional and allowed the relevant personnel who will work with the jack system hands on training of its operations and built in safety functions” says Terry.  

The system was installed and commissioned in one day, with the second day consisting of operator and maintenance training.  This is the fifth locomotive lifting system to be supplied to Southern African customers since 2000, but it is the first of three orders currently placed with Pfaff-silberblau SA for 2003.  

This was one of the largest single contracts for the new owners following the purchase of Pfaff-silberblau SA by local shareholders in June 2002.