In April 2024, GTAKE successfully completed a crane modernization project for a pulp and paper industry facility, upgrading the electrical and drive systems of a crane used for handling long-length timber. The project replaced outdated electrical equipment that had been operating for more than 10 years and was affected by frequent failures and discontinued components.
The modernization included the replacement of the old Simatic S115 controller, the main hoist motor and related electrical equipment, as well as the installation of modern GTAKE AC drives. The upgraded system was designed to improve drive control, equipment reliability and maintainability for timber handling operations.
For this project, the GK820 High-performance AC Drive was used as part of the crane modernization solution. GK820 supports advanced speed and torque control, multiple motor-control modes and functions designed for demanding industrial applications, including hoisting and lifting equipment.
The project involved the electrical modernization of an industrial crane used for handling long-length timber at a pulp and paper industry facility. The crane operates at a quay wall where timber is unloaded from railcars, river vessels and trailers.
The modernization focused on the crane’s electrical control and drive systems rather than replacing the complete mechanical structure. This approach allowed the existing crane application to be retained while upgrading obsolete control and drive components.
The project can be considered a crane retrofit and industrial crane modernization case involving high-power hoisting, crane travel and trolley travel applications.
The primary goal was to modernize the crane’s electrical system after more than 10 years of operation. The original equipment had become difficult to maintain because several components were discontinued, while frequent failures of the old Simatic S115 controller and the main hoist motor were affecting crane availability.
The crane modernization solution therefore focused on replacing obsolete electrical components, updating the control system and upgrading the motor drive system while maintaining the crane’s existing mechanical application.
The project aimed to:
These specifications describe the crane configuration after modernization and provide a reference for the operating requirements of the upgraded timber handling crane.
GTAKE’s project scope covered electrical system modernization, drive panel manufacturing, control system replacement, motor replacement, installation supervision and commissioning.
The implementation process included electrical documentation development, equipment manufacturing, on-site installation support, system commissioning and final testing.
The upgraded crane included multiple drive applications with different power requirements:
The main hoist represents the highest-power drive application in the system, while the crane travel system uses multiple motors that require coordinated control. The trolley travel system uses a separate 25 kW drive application.
This configuration demonstrates the use of crane VFD technology across different motion functions, including hoist drive, crane travel and trolley travel.
The crane modernization required different drive capacities and control functions for the main hoist, crane travel and trolley travel systems.
For the main hoist, the GK820 High-performance AC Drive provides advanced motor control functions suitable for demanding lifting applications. GK820 supports V/f control, sensorless vector control and closed-loop vector control, allowing the control method to be selected according to motor and application requirements.
For multi-motor travel applications, drive configuration and motor synchronization should be determined according to the mechanical arrangement, motor ratings, load distribution and control architecture.
The modernization project addressed several challenges associated with the aging crane electrical system:
Replacing obsolete equipment with a modern AC drive system helped establish a more maintainable electrical architecture for the crane.
The project followed a complete crane retrofit process rather than simply replacing a single frequency inverter. The modernization covered:
Electrical documentation → Drive panel manufacturing → Controller replacement → Motor replacement → Installation → Commissioning → Testing
This integrated approach is important for industrial cranes where the drive, motor, controller, braking system and mechanical equipment need to operate as one coordinated system.
The GK820 High-performance AC Drive was selected for the demanding motor-control requirements of the modernized crane system.
For crane applications, protection and control functions should be configured according to the complete equipment architecture and applicable safety requirements. Drive functions are one part of the overall crane control and safety system.
In April 2024, the modernized crane successfully completed commissioning and testing and was returned to operation.
The project replaced obsolete electrical equipment, updated the control system, installed modern GTAKE AC drives, replaced the main hoist motor and completed system commissioning.
By April 2024, more than 20 cranes were operating with GTAKE inverters, demonstrating GTAKE’s experience in applying AC drive technology to industrial crane and material-handling applications.
GK820 High-performance AC Drive is designed for demanding industrial applications requiring precise speed control, torque control and fast response. It supports V/f, sensorless vector and closed-loop vector control, as well as encoder feedback, mechanical brake control, dynamic braking and other advanced motor-control functions.
For crane modernization projects, GK820 can be considered for compatible hoisting and lifting equipment, crane travel and trolley travel applications where advanced speed and torque control are required.
GK900H Crane-Specific AC Motor Drive is another GTAKE drive platform developed specifically for crane applications. Its product page includes the pulp and paper crane modernization project as a related solution and lists GK820 among its related products.
This provides a relevant internal link between GTAKE’s crane modernization solutions and its crane-specific AC drive portfolio.
