Introduction to the components of the Crane Conductor Rail System
In the crane system, the Conductor Rail System plays a vital role, continuously transmitting power to the crane and ensuring its stable operation. Jinan Dema Electric Co., Ltd.'s different types of Conductor Rail System have their own unique components, and the following is a detailed description of the common types of Conductor Rail System.
In the crane system, the Conductor Rail System plays a vital role, continuously transmitting power to the crane and ensuring its stable operation. Jinan Dema Electric Co., Ltd.'s different types of Conductor Rail System have their own unique components, and the following is a detailed description of the common types of Conductor Rail System.
- Enclosed Conductor Rail System
Demaelectric DMHP Enclosed Conductor Rail typically consists of multiple copper conductive strips that are tightly encapsulated in an insulated PVC tube. Its components include:
a. Conductive bar: As the core component of current transmission, it is generally made of high-quality copper material with good conductivity, which can effectively reduce power loss and ensure that the crane has a stable power supply. For example, in some metallurgical cranes that frequently lift heavy objects, high-quality conductive bars ensure the continuous transmission of power and will not cause heat due to excessive resistance to affect the operation.
b. Insulating housing: It is mostly made of high-strength and aging-resistant engineering plastics, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It not only provides reliable insulation protection for the conductive bar to prevent leakage accidents, but also can resist external mechanical impact, chemical corrosion and harsh climate environment, and extend the overall service life of the busbar. In industrial plants, even if there is a certain amount of dust and moisture, the insulating tube can ensure the normal operation of the busbar. Our products have been improved materials and can be used in environments ranging from minus 40 degrees to above 90 degrees
c. Current collector: It is composed of brushes, brackets and springs. The brush is usually made of graphite, which is soft and has good conductivity. It can fit the conductive bar tightly and collect current smoothly as the crane moves. The bracket provides stable support for the brush, and the spring applies appropriate pressure to keep the brush in good contact with the conductive strip at all times, ensuring the continuity of power transmission.
d. Tow arm: Generally used in conjunction with the collector of the crane. During the operation of the crane, the Tow arm can guide and push the collector, so that the collector can smoothly transition from one section of the Conductor Rail System to another, ensuring the continuity of power transmission and avoiding power outages.
e. Joint cover: Mainly used to protect the joints of the Conductor Rail System. It can prevent dust, water vapor, corrosive gases, etc. from entering the joints, avoiding external factors that cause the conductivity to decrease or short circuit failures. At the same time, it can also buffer the impact force caused by the vibration and shaking of the busbar when the crane is running, prevent the joint from loosening, and ensure the stability of the current transmission.
f. Hanger clamp: Used to hang the Conductor Rail System on the running track or other supporting structure of the crane. It can adjust the height and position of the Conductor Rail System according to the needs so that the Conductor Rail System and the collector of the crane maintain a good relative position relationship, ensure that the collector can smoothly obtain power from the Conductor Rail System, and ensure the reliability of power transmission.
g. End cap: It is installed at both ends of the Conductor Rail System, it plays a role of sealing and protection. On the one hand, it can prevent dust, debris, etc. from entering the interior of the Conductor Rail System and affecting the performance of the conductive strip; on the other hand, it can also prevent people from accidentally touching the conductive part inside the Conductor Rail System, play a certain safety protection role, and ensure the normal operation of the trolley busbar and the safety of personnel.
h. Mounting bracket: provides overall support and installation foundation for the Conductor Rail System. It can install the Conductor Rail System in a suitable position according to the actual installation environment and requirements, so that the power busbar matches the operating mechanism of the crane. The mounting bracket can also bear the weight of the Conductor Bar System and various forces generated during the operation of the crane to ensure the stability and reliability of the Conductor Rail System.
i. End feed: It is the connection part between the power supply and the Conductor Rail System, mainly used to introduce external power into the Busbar system. It usually has components such as wiring terminals inside, which facilitate the reliable connection of the power line with the conductive strip of the slide line, provide stable power input for the slide line, and ensure that the Conductor Rail System can normally supply power to the crane.
- Insulated Conductor Rail System
The Demaelectric DMHX Insulated Conductor Rail System is mainly composed of a single long strip of conductive rail and supporting components:
a. Conductor rail: There are two common types: copper and aluminum.
Copper conductive rails have excellent conductivity and are mostly used in large cranes with high power requirements and frequent operation;
Aluminum conductive rails are relatively light and low in cost, suitable for some small or lifting equipment that does not have top-level conductivity requirements. At the same time, in order to enhance durability, stainless steel tape will be fitted. Demaelectric uses 6101 conductive aluminum alloy (T5 aging treated) for superior hardness and oxidation resistance. But other companies use 6063 industrial-grade aluminum without aging treatment.
Demaelectric uses 304 stainless steel strips; its high nickel content ensures excellent conductivity, smooth surface, and enhanced hardness.
And our Custom-designed extrusion equipment for 304 stainless steel-aluminum bonding.
Other companies use 201/301, and their machines find it difficult to perfectly fit 304 steel strips and aluminum.
b. Current Collector: It is mainly composed of a Carbon brush, brush cover, springs, brackets, etc. Among them, the Carbon brush are generally pressed from a copper carbon, and the contact pressure with the busbar is provided by the spring, and the bracket is supported and fixed; according to the current carrying capacity, it can be divided into light collectors (current not more than 500 amperes), heavyⅠCurrent Collector (Current is between 630A and 1250A), and heavyⅡCurrent Collector (Current is above 1600A). Generally, it can be divided into light and heavy types.
Our current collector pull rod uses 6063 aluminum, with vulcanized plastic spraying on the surface, head bearing structure, embedded copper block wiring terminals, and double insulating resin at the middle tail. The shoe sheet contains ≥70%.
c. Isolating section: also known as a segmented isolation device, mainly used in the same span workshop where 2 or more cranes share a busbar power supply. When one of the cranes needs to be repaired, the power supply of the crane can be cut off through the maintenance section without affecting the normal operation of other cranes, so as to facilitate the maintenance and repair of the busbar and related equipment and improve the convenience and work efficiency of equipment maintenance.
d. Fixing clamp: used to fix the outer housing of the power line, limit the deformation of the outer housing due to thermal expansion, and also prevent the busbar from shifting during use, so as to ensure that the busbar remains in the correct position and ensures its normal cooperation with the current collector and other components.
e. Power input: plays the role of connecting the power supply and the trolley busbar, is the power supply point of the busbar, introduces the power of the external power supply into the busbar system, provides a power source for the entire busbar system, and enables the busbar to power the mobile equipment like Bridge crane.
f. Hanging clamp: can support the hanging Conductor systems so that the busbar can maintain a stable hanging state in the air or at a specific position. It can not only fix the busbar in the horizontal and vertical directions but also make fine adjustments in the vertical direction to ensure a tight connection between the safe busbar and the collector.
g. Collector bracket: used to install and fix the collector, so that the collector is kept in a suitable position for good sliding contact with the conductive rail, ensuring that the collector can stably and reliably pick up electrical energy, and at the same time provide support and protection for the collector to prevent it from shaking, shifting, etc. during the operation of the mobile equipment.
h. Joint cover: mainly used to protect the joint part of the busbar, such as aluminum joints. It can prevent the conductor at the joint from being exposed, play the role of insulation, waterproof, dustproof, and corrosion-resistant, avoid short circuits, leakage, and other safety problems at the joint due to external factors, and also extend the service life of the joint.
I. End cap: installed at both ends of the busbar, protect the end of the busbar, prevent the conductor at the end from being exposed, play the role of insulation and safety protection, avoid electric shock to personnel, and prevent dust, water vapor, etc. from entering the inside of the busbar, affecting its performance and service life.
J. Expansion joint sections, also called expansion sections, are used to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the busbar caused by temperature changes. When the ambient temperature of the busbar changes, the busbar will change in length due to thermal expansion and contraction. The temperature compensator can absorb this length change, prevent the busbar from deforming and twisting due to thermal expansion and contraction, and ensure the normal use of the busbar.
K. Joint: It is used to connect the conductors of two busbars so that the busbar can be extended in length or connected to different parts as needed, which increases the contact area between the two conductors, ensures that the current can pass through the connection point smoothly, and reduces energy loss.
- Seamless Conductor Rail System
The seamless busbar is developed to meet the requirements of some occasions with extremely high requirements for power supply stability and continuity. Its components are unique:
a. Continuous conductor: It is generally made of copper alloy made by a special process. It is long and has no obvious connection gap. This greatly reduces the risk of power failure caused by poor contact at the connection part, ensuring that the current can be transmitted smoothly and continuously. For example, in the workshop of the automated production line, high-precision cranes rely on seamless busbars to achieve uninterrupted power supply, avoiding devastating losses to chip production due to instant power failure.
b. Housing: It is mostly made of high-performance polyurethane material with excellent flexibility, wear resistance and weather resistance. It tightly wraps the conductor, providing insulation protection for it and buffering external collisions. Even in narrow spaces or complex running tracks, it can ensure the normal operation of the busbar and adapt to the frequent turning and speed changes of the crane.
c. Collector: With exquisite design, the brush of the collector is hidden inside the housing and fits tightly with the conductor. This structure further reduces the possibility of external interference to the collector, improves the stability of power collection, and reduces the impact of impurities such as dust and water vapor on the contact between the brush and the conductor.
d. End Tensioner: After the busbar is installed, the tensioner can apply a certain tension to the busbar to keep it in a tensioned state. This can prevent the busbar from loosening or sagging due to its own gravity or temperature changes and ensure the straightness and stability of the busbar.
- Open copperhead conductor rail System
As the name suggests, the rigid busbar has high mechanical strength , and its composition is as follows:
a. Copper or aluminum conductor: solid copper or aluminum rods are used as the conductive body. This structure enables the busbar to carry large currents and is suitable for high-power cranes. The cross-sectional shapes of the conductors are diverse, and the most common ones are rectangular and dovetail. Different shapes have their own advantages in heat dissipation, installation convenience, and compatibility with the collector. For example, the dovetail conductor is easier to fit into the fixed slot during installation, and the contact area with the matching collector is larger, which is conducive to current transmission.
b. Connection components: Due to the limited length of the rigid busbar, connection components are required to splice multiple sections of busbars. The quality of the connection components is directly related to the conductivity and stability of the entire busbar system. It uses high-precision copper connectors and fastening bolts to ensure good contact at the connection parts and extremely low resistance so that the current can pass smoothly.
In short, different types of crane busbars provide reliable power guarantees for the safe and efficient operation of cranes under various working conditions through their unique components, meeting the needs of different industries and different operating scenarios.