Worker crushed after failure to risk-assess top-heavy machinery 11/05/2009

The senior partner of a vehicle-breakdown recovery company has been fined £100,000 after an employee was crushed under a five-tonne press brake used to bend metal. Stuart Mullen, 33, was killed on 23 May 2006, while he and another employee were moving the machine using a jack and rollers. The company had brought the machine into its unit at Willowholme Industrial Estate, in Carlisle, a month previously but had set it down too close to the electric box into which it had to be wired.

Describing the machine, HSE inspector Steve Smith told SHP: “It was 5.3 tonnes, about two metres wide and about two metres high, but its depth was only about a metre and a bit. The problem that causes is, it is fairly unstable. All the hydraulic machinery and the hydraulic reservoir are at the top of the machine, which makes it quite top-heavy.”

The workers jacked up the left-hand side of the machine and inserted three rollers underneath, before repeating the process on the right-hand side. However, the feet of the machine were slightly offset from its base. This meant that as the device was moved a few inches, the rear roller had to be passed back to the front of the machine so that it could continue to be edged into position.

Once the equipment had been moved the required 10 to 12 inches away from the electric box, George Robertson Graham, the senior partner at the firm, told the employees to leave it where it was, and walked out of the unit. The workers thought this amounted to an instruction to take out the rollers and lower the machine.

As the machine was jacked up and they began to remove the rollers, it rocked and tipped over, trapping Mr Mullen underneath. Colleagues rushed to his aid and used a reach truck to lift the machine up. Paramedics were called but Mr Mullen had already died by the time they arrived.

Facing a charge under s2(1) of the HSWA 1974, for failing to carry out an adequate risk assessment, or having a safe system of work in place, Robertson Graham pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court on 27 April. He was fined £100,000 and told to pay £20,000 in costs.

His barrister pointed to the company’s show of remorse for the outcome of the incident, and its previously clean record as mitigating factors. The court was also presented with references showing Robertson Graham to be of good character.

Inspector Smith said: “What the risk assessment, if sufficient, should have shown is where the centre of gravity was on the machine, so they knew where to put the jack.”

He continued: “In this instance, an ad-hoc system was devised without proper consideration of the nature of the object that was being moved, or detailed analysis of the situation and the possible pitfalls.

“There had not been any special arrangements made through risk assessments, formalised systems of work, specially designed equipment, or training of the employees involved. Consideration had also not been given to the use of a specialist contractor.”
http://www.shponline.co.uk/article.asp?pagename=incourt&article_id=8803

Tectura Partners With Dean Machinery for Delivery of Heavy Equipment Dealer Solution

Tectura Corporation, a worldwide provider of business consulting services, is pleased to announce that it is partnering with Dean Machinery Co. Tectura will implement NAXT®, a solution developed on Microsoft Dynamics® AX technology exclusively for Caterpillar dealers, which will allow the company to plan and manage business operations throughout its seven locations.

NAXT streamlines and consolidates a dealer's computer system requirements on a single platform supporting all departments, including Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Equipment Sales, Equipment Rental, Parts (new, used and tear-down), Service, and Power Systems. The solution enables improved business process and business intelligence, integrates with Caterpillar systems, and is capable of interfacing with many leading OEMs and financial institutions.

"The NAXT solution represents another step in our quest to take our business to the next level," said Lori Dean, President of Dean Machinery. "As is our newly opened headquarters facility, our new Microsoft solution will be an important tool for us to provide the best possible customer experience and will provide our entire Dean Team visibility to all of our customer data. We chose Tectura as our partner on this journey based on their deep understanding of our industry, coupled with their knowledge and delivery skills related to NAXT and Microsoft Dynamics AX."

"We are pleased to partner with Dean Machinery on this important initiative," said Terry Petrzelka, Chief Executive Officer, Tectura Corporation. "Tectura has made a global commitment to this industry. Our heavy equipment team members have a proven track record of focusing skill, experience and deep industry knowledge and leading technologies to achieve success. We look forward to exceeding expectations and delivering the value-added services that make a distinctive impact for our heavy equipment dealer clients." In addition to Dean Machinery, Tectura has implemented solutions at Caterpillar dealers in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia.

About Dean Machinery Co.

Dean Machinery Co. is the Caterpillar dealership providing quality equipment and superior support for construction, power generation, transportation, and agriculture customers in northwestern Missouri and eastern Kansas. Dean Machinery Co., founded in 1955, employs 320 people in 7 locations including its new headquarters campus in Kansas City, Missouri. Learn more at www.deancat.com.

About Tectura Corporation

Tectura is a worldwide provider of business consulting services delivering exceptional service and sustainable value through consulting, software and IT implementation. Our diverse clientele includes mid-sized companies and larger enterprises in the aerospace, life sciences, manufacturing and distribution, retail and services industries.

With more than 1,800 team members in 20+ countries, Tectura applies its industry knowledge and best practices philosophy to provide Microsoft Dynamics® ERP, CRM and technology solutions throughout the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we maximise our vast technology resources and deep Microsoft expertise to deliver increased efficiency, project acceleration and a competitive edge. Learn more at www.tectura.com.

http://ca.sys-con.com/node/930722

Special bearings for agricultural machinery

Schaeffler has an enviable reputation amongst designers of agricultural machinery for providing reliable, high quality, maintenance-free bearing solutions

Heavy-duty agricultural machinery, including tillage and sowing machines, harvesters and tractors, must be designed to withstand extremely harsh operating conditions.

Key here is the selection of appropriate bearing supports and seals.

Harsh conditions such as dirt, dust, sand, high humidity levels, heavy clay soil and shock loads, all take their toll on the mechanical strengths of the machine components and seals.

Large machinery often involves high costs for regular bearing maintenance.

Indeed, specialist agricultural machinery contractors are now demanding such solutions for their equipment.

This explains the current trends towards incorporating maintenance-free bearing solutions and seals on agricultural machinery.

Components on a harvester, for example, have to cope with plant remnants and sap, the acidic contents of which can cause ingress of dirt, leading to possible seal damage.

On a corn harvester, high rotary speeds lead to high mechanical stress on the bearing; contamination and aggressive, acidic corn sap affect the seal.

To solve these problems, Schaeffler has developed a ready-to-fit bearing unit with triple-lip sealing.

Similar to automotive wheel bearings, flingers can also be offered as an additional protective measure against ingress of dirt and other contaminants.

These components are pressed onto the rotating inner ring, using centrifugal forces to transfer contamination away from the bearing.

Schaeffler double-row angular contact bearings transmit loads through a solid housing into the adjacent structure.

The bearing has an additional grease chamber, which protects the bearing from dirt and corn sap.

The spherical bearing outer ring and the counter-shaped surface in the housing compensate for any misalignment in the adjacent structure during shaft mounting.

Similarly, tillage machines that are used to prepare the field for seed planting also require very robust bearing supports.

The bearings are combined with suitable flange housings, which simplify installation.

In plough discs, for example, the inclined position of the disc results in transverse forces and bending moments, as well as radial loads.

For these applications, Schaeffler offers double row angular contact ball bearings or robust, four-point bearings for applications with limited space.

Robust ball bearings are also offered for shaft supports.

For seeders, where the forces involved are lower, Schaeffler offers smaller bearing supports, as well as corresponding solutions for combinations of tillage and seeding machines.

* Bearing solutions for tractors.

Increasing working speeds and the higher performance capacity of tractors means that drive and power transmission units are subjected to higher stresses, which places higher demands on the bearing arrangements.

For these applications, Schaeffler offers both standard bearing units and custom designed bearing solutions.

On tractor engines, for example, under its INA brand, Schaeffler offers various belt drive components, such as tension systems and over-running clutches, water pump and fan bearings.

Together, the Schaeffler INA and FAG brands offer a wide range of bearings for applications in gears, power transmission systems and axles.

This includes needle roller bearings, drawn cup needle roller bearings and needle roller cages, machined or manufactured by forming methods.

Schaeffler premium quality 'X-life' range of bearings boast improved surface and geometrical accuracies, resulting in increased service life.

Full complement needle roller bearings are offered for maximum load carrying capacity in tight installation spaces and needle cages with a special, profiled 'KZK' cage is used in high acceleration applications.

Similarly, cylindrical roller bearings with different cage designs (and as full complement variants) with or without outer ring are other important components for the tractor drive train.

Schaeffler X-life tapered roller bearings with large contact angle, can be used for high load applications, with various heat treatment and material coatings available.

These types of bearings are often used in transmission-integrated hydro engines, pumps, in pinion bearing arrangements and rear axles.

For the interface between engine and transmission, Schaeffler can provide its LuK branded clutches, which incorporate specially developed clutch release bearings.

Here, effectively sealed bearings with drawn outer and/or inner rings are used, which enable cost-effective overall designs, while offering high reliability and extended service life.

For supporting slewing, tilting and for the alignment of chassis movements, axle suspensions and load harnesses, Schaeffler spherical plain bearings and rod ends are ideal.

Spherical plain bearings with complex lubrication groove systems on the outer ring can be used in combination with spring-dampened front axles and chassis.

Stabilisers, damping and hydraulic cylinders are fitted with spherical plain bearings and rod ends.

For example, Schaeffler Elgoglide maintenance-free, heavy-duty spherical plain bearings are used in the wishbone systems of front axles with independent wheel suspension.

Maintenance-free Permaglide cylindrical plain bushes can be found in door hinges, engine hood supports, lever sets and rod systems.

* Radial insert ball bearings.

In agricultural machinery, housed bearing units are often used to compensate for static angular misalignment of the shaft of up to 5 degrees for non-lubricating units.

The housing bore and bearing outer ring are spherical in shape so that the radial insert ball bearing can align itself in the housing.

In conjunction with the different housing types (cast iron and sheet steel), Schaeffler radial insert ball bearings form complete units, offering significant rationalisation options at the design stage and during customer manufacturing/assembly.

Numerous combinations are possible for every application.

Radial insert ball bearings come with a choice of five seals.

Most seals comprise three pieces and are made from zinc-coated outer and inner steel plates with rubber sealing ring.

This prevents ingress of dirt and humidity, while also ensuring the required elasticity and preload of the seal, even after a long period of operation.

The deep drawn outer steel plate protects the sealing ring against mechanical damage.

Bearings with R-seals have a larger grease reservoir due to sealing shields that are bent to the outside.

All sealing concepts comprise evenly and concentrically abutting rubber lips for increased bearing life, as well as firmly rolled inner and outer caps to ensure easy re-lubrication.

Schaeffler Corrotect coating can be applied to its radial insert ball bearings, offering customers a corrosion-resistant, low cost alternative to stainless steel bearings.

The inner rings and locking collars are coated against fretting corrosion as standard, which also prevents rust formation at the sealing lip.

http://www.processingtalk.com/news/ina/ina166.html

Caterpillar, Navistar plan venture to custom-build heavy trucks

Caterpillar Inc. and Navistar International Corp. agreed to jointly produce a new line of heavy-duty Caterpillar trucks made to order for customers in fields from earth moving to mining and road-building.

The so-called vocational trucks will be "purpose-built to complement Caterpillar's existing product line," George Taylor, general manager of the company's on-highway department, said in a statement. They will be built at Navistar's plant in Garland, Texas, and sold through Caterpillar's North American dealers.

The 50-50 joint venture will also develop and assemble commercial trucks outside of North America and India, initially targeting markets such as Australia, Brazil, China, Russia, South Africa and Turkey, a Caterpillar spokeswoman, Kate Kenny, said in a telephone interview.

The accord brings together Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of bulldozers and earth-moving equipment, with Navistar, the world's fourth-largest truckmaker, as the recession damps demand for construction and other heavy-duty vehicles.

"We believe this clearly is an opportunity where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts," Dee Kapur, president of the Navistar Truck Group, said in the statement.

The companies said the new vocational trucks will be unveiled in late 2010 and move into full production in early 2011. Commercial trucks built under the joint venture will be sold under both the Caterpillar and International brands as early as the third quarter.

The transaction is subject to various regulatory approvals and other closing conditions, the companies said.

Caterpillar, based in Peoria, fell 84 cents, or 2.6 percent, to $31.31 at 6:40 p.m. after the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The company has said it may post a first-quarter loss, its first in 16 years.

Navistar gained $1.18, or 3.8 percent, to $31.93. The shares of the Warrenville-based company have risen 49 percent this year. Navistar was the largest supplier of blast- resistant vehicles to the U.S. military under a $22.4 billion program to equip troops in Iraq.

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=284597

Sector Snap: Heavy machinery makers decline

Stocks of heavy machinery manufacturers tumbled Monday as crane maker Manitowoc Co. retracted its full-year guidance and the broader market fell on fresh challenges for General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.

Manitowoc also predicted first-quarter earnings per share from continuing operations would be at least 50 percent below current Wall Street estimates. The company cited continued decline in demand for its cranes.

The Manitowoc, Wis.-based company also said it would sell its ice machine business for $160 millions. Baird analyst Robert F. McCarthy had expected the unit to fetch $200 million.

Manitowoc also warned that because of the lower-than-expected sale price, there is an increased chance the company could violate certain debt agreements during the second half of the year.

Manitowoc shares plunged $1.49, or 32.3 percent, to $3.12 in midday trading. The stock has ranged from $2.34 to $45.47 over the past year.

Meanwhile, Credit Suisse analyst Jamie Cook lowered his 2009 and 2010 estimates on Deere & Co. on his "more cautious view of farm equipment demand globally." The analyst cited South America and Eastern Europe as regions where "the global financial crisis continues to restrict access to credit for farmers."

Deere shares fell $2.73, or 7.8 percent, to $32.34. The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $24.51 to $94.89.

Meanwhile the White House rejected turnaround plans from General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, sending the broader market lower.

Shares of mining equipment maker Bucyrus International Inc. declined $1.36, or 8.3 percent, to $14.95. Joy Global Inc. gave up $2.25, or 9.6 percent, to $21.20 and Caterpillar Inc. slid $2.86, or 9.4 percent, to $27.49.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5helBMGvHhdB4qzWOqOHowWUUKQWQD978F8N00

The campus is alive with the sound of heavy machinery

Although finals are over at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, the campus is anything but quiet.

It's alive with the beeps, clanks and chugs of heavy machinery involved in more than $75 million in construction.

A giant hole has been dug for the largest building project, a $53.1 million science and engineering building, said Dave Schnabel, director of facilities. At 160,000 square feet, it will be one of the largest buildings on campus. It's scheduled to open in August 2008.

The renovation of Dwire Hall, partially inspired by a concrete chunk that crashed down in a hallway, is 30 percent complete, Schnabel said.

Nearly everything -- walls, windows, ventilation and wiring -- is being replaced. The $10 million project is scheduled for completion in August 2007.

For passers-by who've wondered about the towering white walls near the campus apartments, they mark the beginning of the $12 million student recreation center.

It's being built for energy efficiency, Schnabel said. Concrete poured into Styrofoam-like blocks will make it one of the campus's most efficient structures. It's 10 percent complete and paid for by student fees.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20061220/ai_n17112543?tag=content;col1

Vibro-acoustic fine-tuning for heavy machinery

Optimising heavy machinery in terms of vibration control and acoustics is a particularly difficult technical challenge.

Optimising heavy machinery in terms of vibration control and acoustics is a particularly difficult technical challenge.

To achieve the greatest possible degree of comfort for construction machinery or agricultural machinery workplaces and to meet the strict legal requirements and standards of comfort in terms of acoustics and machine vibrations, heavy machinery must undergo comprehensive fine-tuning.

Viewing the entire system as a whole is the basis of this optimisation process.

Freudenberg's Technical Development Centre has an outstanding international reputation in this field and has the technical equipment needed to fine tune these machines in this special way.

The transmission paths for vibrations and structure borne noise in heavy machinery such as combine harvesters or wheel loaders are highly complex.

The sources of vibration in the vehicle itself and the actual excitation caused by moving tools are many and varied.

Noise pollution and vibrations can distract the driver or the operator and thereby reduce the quality of their work.

This explains why vibration control and acoustics are one of the most important features which set high-quality heavy machinery apart from the rest.

Both of these factors are influenced by the vibro-acoustic fine-tuning of the entire system.

With a range of elastomer bearings, hydro mounts as well as passive, adaptive and active absorbers, Freudenberg has the right technological component for every application.

In order to reduce the sound pressure level in the driver's cab to well below the legal limit values and to decrease the vibrations to the comfort levels required by the customer, the entire vehicle has to be taken into account.

This procedure includes: experimental vehicle analysis; modelling and optimisation using computer-based simulation tools; and implementation of changes using specific product designs.

These steps include the selection of the bearing concept, followed by the selection of specially adapted unit and cab bearings, pneumatic springs, shock absorbers and hydro mounts.

These are then supplemented by acoustic measures such as double insulation, acoustic improvements to the machine structures, use of absorbent materials and the reduction of structure borne noise bridges.

In co-operation with the Technical Development Centre, Freudenberg offers the entire portfolio of services from the system development with an in-depth knowledge of the entire system right up to the ability to supply top-quality components anywhere in the world.
http://www.engineeringtalk.com/news/sri/sri103.html