MONDAY, OCTOBER 11TH
There are several Fassi cranes employed at the forefront in San Jose. They equip the main drill, which on Saturday reached the 33 miners trapped 700 feet deep in the mine of San Josè, Copiapo, Chile.
These cranes are part of the equipment supplied by the company Geotec Boyles Bros. S.A., specialized in mine drilling. The American Layne Corporation, a world leader in the field of drilling and some Chilean investors form part of the partnership of this company operating in Chile as well as throughout the South American continent with over 100 drilling units.
Fassi Gru S.p.A through its local dealer Fassi Chile S.A., with its headquarters in Colina, Santiago, has been present in Chile for over 15 years and counts some international groups active in the mining sector among its clients. “Currently, Chile is one of the most important markets in South America", said Giovanni Fassi, chief executive of the industrial group with its headquarters in Albino. Fassi Chile S.A. also operates in the North of the country, in Antofagasta with a direct branch and also has a network of support and sales units throughout Chile.
“Just the day before the accident," says Germán Talavera, manager of Fassi Chile S.A., "the vehicle involved in equipping the pipes of the main drill had come to San Josè”. The vehicle is fitted with a Fassi crane model F170A.23 with a lifting capacity of 15.40 tm and a maximum standard reach of 10.40 m. In this case, the crane is also equipped with a kit including specific devices to operate according to the safety standards required by Geotec Boyles Bros. S.A. This crane configuration helps operator interventions in critical conditions and makes it more effective, especially during prolonged working cycles.
Currently, the Chilean drilling company has a fleet fitted with light range Fassi cranes, all equipped with specific devices developed in collaboration with Fassi Chile S.A.
“We are experiencing moments of feverish activity," said Walter Herrera Castillo, operational risk control manager at Geotec Boyles Bros. S.A., “and in any case, all teams involved in this rescue operation, although involved in a race against time, are trying to work on making the most of the tools and equipment”.
Back-up power to cover even the most demanding crane operating needs when the keyword is precision manoeuvring!Top power and manoeuvring precision: in short, these express in full the potential and advantages of the Fassi Extra Power system.
This system provides a source of back-up power when it is most needed by helping users in the toughest and most difficult working situations due to heavy workloads or challenging dynamic conditions The system delivers surplus power reducing the speed of the crane’s movements while boosting at the same time its lifting capacity It also offers several advantages to operators who can easily mount the device on the remote control pushbutton strip and safely carry out any task. The XP system will also help you brilliantly get through even the most complex situations without any negative impact on the crane’s performance and safety.
Thus a great achievement for Fassi's research and development area, which decided to make this device standard for a greater number of cranes. Therefore, BAUMA 2009 is the occasion for presenting the new range of light-duty models equipped with this system. A total of 6 models are available: F55AXP, F70AXP, F90AXP, F105AXP, F120AXP and F160AXP cranes.
Main technical specifications
F70AXP - lifting capacity 6.85 t/m – standard reach 10.30 m
F90AXP - lifting capacity 8.50 t/m – standard reach 11.10 m
F105AXP - lifting capacity 10.05 t/m – standard reach 12.25 m
F120AXP - lifting capacity 12.30 t/m – standard reach 12.30 m
F160AXP - lifting capacity 15.85 t/m – standard reach 14.70 m
Worldwide preview at bauma for the new F240D crane
Some of the features of the new F240D crane:
• Reduced weight
• Available in 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hydraulic extension versions
• S800 Fassi distributor
• Set-up for installation of higher category distributors
• Lifting capacity equal to 23,6 t/m for the .22 version
• Standard reach equal to 16,80 m for the .26 version
This new Fassi crane will be available in higher performance configuration, with XP system, also in the .22, .23, .24, .25 and .26 versions. It includes standard combinations with the L214 hydraulic extension for the .23 and .24 versions and with L102 hydraulic extension for the .25 version. Completing the available configurations, three C versions are planned with a short secondary boom which will provide .23, .24 and .25 with greater under-hook lifting heights thus making it possible to vertically lift large loads near the column.
Reduction in consumption and ecological sustainability
At Fassi we feel it is possible to concretely make choices which reduce consumption during the production cycle, but even more importantly, during daily crane use. A crane which moves always determines consumption, and it is precisely in this direction that it is possible to design and apply interventions to reduce its incidence. We are convinced that we can actively participate in the goal of a healthier and less polluted environment. We share the efforts of that economy that aims at reducing consumption as a high priority focus, with the dual intent of creating an ecologically sustainable well-being and at the same time without arresting development, but actually encouraging it. As emphasised in many of the most authoritative world economic forums, conditions already exist so that industrial development can go hand in hand with greater attention towards ecological sustainability. It is a question of choices and responsibility, as the new President of the United States wanted to underline during his inauguration speech.
Fassi's research is actively committed to two parallel, connected fronts, basically aimed at the reduction of crane weight and optimisation of the communication between truck and crane. The objective to reduce weight is mainly aimed at limiting fuel consumption during truck movements. To achieve this goal it is possible to act both on the crane weight and some structural needs connected with its equipment. The decision to use highly resistant steels for Fassi cranes, lets us significantly reduce the weight of the heaviest parts of the machine, obtaining greater robustness at the same time and an excellent physical-mechanical response to stress. Valuable highly resistant steels, which are supplied only by worldwide industry leaders, make it possible to manufacture cranes with larger dimensions while significantly reducing their weight. If these steels were not used it would be impossible to create a crane like the Fassi F1500AXP, or make a Fassi F950AXP so versatile. Lower weight cranes also mean fewer "load" needs on the frames and reinforcements which characterise the equipment, with new advantages in terms of limiting consumption.
Fassi's new field of research is aimed at implementing a proactive and two-way communication between the truck and crane. It is a matter of electronics and intelligent management of the power used via the vehicle power take-off. Our target is a constant interchange of information, so that the truck engine, and thus its fuel consumption, is metered and used exactly how and when it is needed, reducing waste to a minimum. Once again electronics has proven to be an important conquest for the evolution of our sector. And at Fassi we pursue advanced projects thanks to the experience gained in this field.
