The truck cranes of the Finnish crane manufacturer Kesla are also perfect for industrial use. In fact, the company, which was established in the 1960s, supplied its first industrial cranes in the 1980s. Since then, hundreds of industrial cranes have been made and delivered to dozens of countries.
Industrial cranes are fixed cranes that are normally used at sawmills to remove disturbances. They are utilised to straighten misaligned logs, extract unsuitable logs, clear blockages or remove logs that contain foreign objects before they reach the sawmill, for example.
An industrial crane can be a timber crane or loader crane
Since there are plenty of differences in needs in addition to similarities, cranes are always designed and installed according to each customer’s needs. As a general rule, the lifting capacity and oureach of a crane are extremely important for an industrial crane.
“Among the Kesla cranes, the KESLA 2112, 2115 and 2117 models are popular in industrial installations. Their lifting capacity is sufficient for the needs of most facilities, and they also boast plenty of outreach. For example, the maximum reach of the KESLA 2117 models is a whopping 12.5 metres,” says Ari Pirhonen, Kesla Oyj’s Director of Truck and Industrial Cranes.
The cranes are usually installed in a fixed arrangement, and Kesla can provide the mounting pedestal used to attach the crane to the foundation. The crane’s range of equipment largely depends on whether the crane is classified as a timber or loader crane. This, in turn, depends on whether or not people tend to be present in the danger zone around the crane. Kesla provides the necessary equipment to meet both needs.
The crane is driven by a hydraulic power unit, which the customer can purchase separately or can also be provided as part of the crane package.
Control via a control room, radio control or side control device
The crane can be controlled from multiple locations. Many saw lines are controlled from a control room which provide for the good visibility of the crane and ensure that the weather conditions do not impact the work. The crane is controlled electrically through the KESLA proC with two mini joysticks. This enables simultaneous camera monitoring, for example.
Another option is radio control. The radio control unit is usually positioned near the crane, but the specific location can be chosen freely. The coverage of the radio controller is 90 metres, which can be a limiting factor in some environments. In addition to radio control, a side control device can be mounted to the crane. The side control device serves as an auxiliary operating station and six levers are used for control. A side control device is also available.
Grapple designed specifically for saw lines
Kesla’s selection includes a wide range of grapples. The size of the grapple is limited by the width of the line’s protective walls. The most popular model is the KESLA proG26P which was specifically designed for saw lines and, thanks to its pincer-like geometry, is suitable for lifting individual logs even in cramped environments.
More information about Kesla Oyj
Truck and Industrial Cranes business Product Manager Jouni Kainulainen tel. +358 (0)40 764 7713
The KESLA 2112 is used to remove disturbances at the Kuhmo Oy sawmill.
The crane can be controlled from the control room with the KESLA proC and mini joysticks.