Rodolfo De Franceschi uses bridge cranes with Verlinde
blocks, designed and assembled by Handel Sollevamenti

The Rodolfo De Franceschi & C. S.a.S. company of Pordenone specialises in installation and maintenance of medium, high and very high voltage electrical systems (up to 400 kV), for both civil and industrial applications, and particularly for power plants.

For the handling of turbines and other parts inside small hydroelectric power plants, the company uses bridge cranes equipped with manual blocks, built and installed by Handel Sollevamenti of Porcia (in Pordenone province).

Easy-to-operate manual chain pulley block
Various installations have been carried out to date, the largest being for loads of up to 6,300 kg. The ultimate purpose of the latest crane installation is to lift a hydroelectric turbine so as to enable ordinary and extraordinary maintenance. "The Verlinde manual chain pulley block was chosen because this machinery is needed to lift limited loads for lengthy time periods," explained Federico Alcido, the Handel Sollevamenti Sales Manager. "With this type of hoist, the operator can safely and on his own lift the turbine to be overhauled, by applying a small amount of force."

The bridge crane was designed to the UNI EN 13001 standard and constructed according to the 2006/42/EC machinery directive. "The machinery's conformance guarantees full compliance with the safety and construction quality provisions in force," added Mr. Alcido.

In detail, the structural beam consists of a HEA 200 UNI 5397 profile, while the runway beams are of HEA 180 UNI 5397 profile, all beams carefully dimensioned for a maximum load of 3200 kg. "The stand-out feature of this device is the absence of runway columns," emphasized the Handel Sollevamenti Sales Manager. "In fact, the runway beams rest on brackets which are sunk in concrete so that the clearances are always free of obstacles."

The beams are made of S275 (ex Fe 430), while the bumpers are made of S355 (ex Fe 510). All welds are executed by certified welders to ensure best technical results. Finally, the 10.9 grade bolts (manufactured in Italy) also contribute to ensuring maximum safety of all bolted assemblies.

A trusted supplier
"Handel Sollevamenti has become our preferred partner," says Rodolfo De Franceschi, the company's technical manager. "The first plant was installed about a year ago, the latest last April. We haven't had any problems in this time, also because the installations were designed following our specifications to the letter."
The essential objective of Handel Sollevamenti is to solve a customer's requirements and problems quickly, by supplying top quality products. Customer satisfaction is achieved through a continuous and effective process of research and collaboration, including with their suppliers. This explains the choice of Verlinde products (motors and hoists) that Handel Sollevamenti has been using in its projects for several years now.

"When Handel Sollevamenti offered us the first bridge crane with Verlinde components, we did some research of our own on the Internet and found excellent write-ups," says De Franceschi. "So we decided to accept our supplier's choice and have been very satisfied. More generally, I must say that the customer is always the top priority for Handel Sollevamenti. In addition, for a small company like ours, working with a local partner is a great advantage."

"Our father's idea when he founded the company was that the customer must be totally satisfied," Mr. Alcido says. "To be sure that we respect this principle, we do everything as if it were for ourselves." The welds, the painting, the ducts and all other details of the bridge crane, all receive our maximum care and attention. Ultimately, we always supply something more, never anything less than the initial quote. Our customers notice the difference and are always satisfied because they obtain an excellent product, though it might not always be the least expensive one. As a result, the word of mouth about our company is always very favourable and demonstrates that customer satisfaction always pays off. This is the reason for choosing Verlinde, whose products have been renowned for their high quality standards for 150 years. Handel Sollevamenti generally always chooses the most qualified partners and components in each sector (from hoists to cables, etc.). Added to this is their competent and rapid service, provided with all the right equipment (crane truck, oscilloscope, etc.)."

For further information, e-mail: jean-yves.beaussart@verlinde.com  Refer to page 170

Sunlight readable displays for
explosion-protected HMI systems

The PC-based, explosion-protected operating systems from the Open HMI series can now, on request, be fitted with innovative 15" displays that reduce glare and reflections to a minimum. The displays of these models can be read easily even in bright sunlight, since a filter pack effectively diverts even strong incoming ambient light. The new solution is based on a very effective combination of polarisation filters placed on top of and behind one another in front of the display.

Many important operating and monitoring tasks are carried out at HMI systems installed outdoors. This can only be done safely and easily if the displays do not reflect ambient light too strongly. Thanks to the new solution, bulky canopies that were supposed to give shade but in practice hardly did so to a sufficient degree are no longer necessary. High Brightness displays, which caused thermal problems in explosion-protected systems in particular and which were similarly useless against glare, are also no longer necessary, as the new package does not require particularly bright LEDs. Unlike any standard filters used so far, this filter pack hardly affects the image display for viewers: although the sunlight readable displays can be adjusted to up to 1,000 cd/m², they are already easily readable even in direct sunlight with a luminescence of 700 to 800 cd/m². Certified for hazardous gas and dust explosion zones 1, 21, 2 and 22, the Open HMIs are fitted with low-energy CPUs from the Intel Atom series and consist of explosion-protected modules. These touchscreen systems can be operated in rugged environments and even at continuously extreme ambient temperatures between -30 °C and +50 °C. Numerous international certifications ensure suitability for various applications in a wide range of industries, such as the oil and gas sector, package units and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

For further information, e-mail:kerstin.wolf@stahl.de   

Refer to the pictures: The displays of conventional HMI systems show a distinct glare in strong sunlight (Left: Sunlight1), while innovative displays ensure much better readability. (Right: Sunlight2).

PcVue and Passivhaus, monitoring an ultra-low-energy building

This trend-setting building comprises a clinic for physiotherapy and medical muscle-building plus the offices of the builder, Steffen Holzbau. All of the efficiency systems are monitored from a PcVue 9.0 BMS system with remote WebVue access linked to BACnet controllers and communication.

As a specialist in design of wooden buildings, Steffen Holzbau planned and built the facility in cooperation with Sanichaufer based in Luxembourg - where the building is situated - and the contractor GIGA-Automation of Saarbrücken in Germany. GIGA-Automation is a PcVue Solutions Certified Partner which provides integrated building management systems (IBMS) in Germany and Luxembourg. The BACnet network was developed to rigorous specifications: PcVue for the operator workstation and control system, DDCs from SAIA Burgess with native BACnet communication and a Menerga Control System for the swimming pool and therapy controls.

The building conforms to the Passivhaus standard for energy efficiency with minimum ecological footprint. The clinical and administrative areas have each been optimized for ultra-low energy usage across several kinds of heating and cooling. Two central ventilation systems provide sterilized air to both areas. The cooling and heating plant uses special convector systems built into the floors and arranged in front of the window surfaces.

The ventilation is equipped with efficient heat recovery systems and adiabatic cooling. There are approximately 50 m² of solar panels on the roof for hot water production and heating support. As backup for the solar water heating (140 kW) both the ventilation and the pool heating are assisted by woodchip boilers (100 kW) and an oil-burning system.

The therapy pool of high-grade steel has a water treatment plant installed to ensure water quality. The pool is equipped with a countercurrent feature and underwater massage nozzles. Space heating and dehumidifying of the swimming-pool area are achieved with a special air handling unit.

Top: Start Browser. Centre: Graphics editor with the overview screen and BACnet Configurator. Below: Solar thermal control and monitoring via the Web.

PcVue 9.0 combines the data from those systems and from 65 sensors at various points in the façade, roof and outer surface of the building to measure temperature and in some cases humidity. The results are sent to a laboratory for evaluation to  assess the influence of external conditions on the internal environment and thus help to optimize the building´s energy performance.

For complete control of the clinical and office areas the BACnet EDE-File Import process populates the PcVue database automatically. The BACnet communication gives access to 2,000 BACnet I/O points in total. The project also includes BACnet Scheduling for the pool heating cycle. Historical data will be archived using Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Reporting is via SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services (SRSS) for data exchange with scientific institutions, including spreadsheet export for the energy analysis.

For further information, view website: www.arcinfo.com  Refer to page 169   

Audible and visual signalling devices from R. STAHL

R. STAHL, a leading international provider of safety technology, offers a wide range of warning systems for worldwide use. By means of audible and visual signals, these devices alert users to malfunctions in time, thereby ensuring optimal safety e.g. in fire protection systems and other monitoring facilities.

The industrial product program covers a wide range of applications, which include shipbuilding, process and materials handling, logistics, cranes, railways, storage facilities, factories, hotels, office and public buildings in addition to hospitals and airports.

The portfolio for hazardous areas contains Xenon and LED signal beacons with "Ex d" ignition protection (flameproof enclosure), intrinsically safe LED status beacons and traffic lights, flashing beacons, horns and robust manual call points that are available in Break Glass and Push Button versions. The Yodalex series for instance includes the YA60 horn, the FL60 beacon and the innovative YL60 combination unit, which integrates a sounder and beacon in a uniquely designed single enclosure. The YA60 horn has a maximum sound output of 110 dB at one meter, with a two stage audible facility that can be chosen from a sound selection consisting of 32 internationally recognised tones. The patented acoustic hood of the YA60 & YL60 ensures an omnidirectional sound emission, unique to the Yodalex range. In case of danger, the FL60 beacon activates a high-intensity flash ranging from 5 through to 20 Joules, at a frequency of one per second. Made from flame-retardant polycarbonate, the beacon lenses are available in seven different colours and feature a steel guard, as standard.

Products for safe areas include the Clifford & Snell range of electronic sounders and beacons such as the FL40 Xenon strobes and LED flashing and status beacons, as well as the Yodalarm and Yodalight sounders, beacons and combination units. These combine a sounder with a maximum output of 120 dB at one meter with a strobe that is available in a range of Joule outputs, voltage options and lens colours.

For further information, e-mail:kerstin.wolf@stahl.de