Supply of control equipment for a kiln charging overhead crane at the Pittini Group

Verona Galtarossa melt shop of the Pittini Group has received the kiln charging bridge crane with new equipment/control equipment from AIC in cooperation with Carpenteria Meccanica Almici SpA.


The activities began near the end of October 2022, followed by in-house tests at Almici, and were fully operational in-site on the first days of 2023. 

AIC provided the switchgear room, Siemens Simatic operator panels, line arrival switch, Siemens PLC, and software in the TIA Portal, which were assembled in the pre-assembly container. The charging crane is operational 24/7: the position of the hook is visible remotely in three dimensions and in real time, allowing for immediate remote diagnostics. 

The presence of redundant machines permits operations can continue without production interruption if an inverter fails, by utilizing the others that are available. Furthermore, operation without a PLC is possible: in the event of its breakdown or malfunction, an electromechanical push button on the panel can be used to control the movement of the kiln charging crane and bring it to its limit switch at a reduced speed and safety. 

The ladle's load has been increased to 160 tons because of these additions, resulting in an undeniable increase in productivity, the assurance of regular continuous casting, and an improvement in sustainability outcomes. 

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