Mold Handling Crane for AAC Production Line: Reliable  Engineered Fixed-Position Lifting Solution

The mold handling crane for aerated concrete is a specialized overhead crane designed specifically to serve autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) production lines. It is mainly used for lifting and handling concrete molds and green bodies (wet cakes).

Equipped with dedicated lifting devices, this crane is capable of completing critical processes such as mold tilting, mold opening, and demolding. It is an indispensable fixed-position lifting solution in AAC production lines.

The crane adopts an overhead bridge structure and consists of four main components: a box-type bridge girder, crane traveling mechanism, hoisting mechanism, and electrical system. Its operating modes and motion characteristics are closely matched to the technological requirements of the aerated concrete production process.

Operating Environment Characteristics of AAC Production Lines

1. High-Temperature Operating Environment

Conventional indoor cranes are generally designed for operating temperatures not exceeding +40 °C. However, in actual AAC production lines, ambient temperatures often exceed +40 °C, and in certain workstations, the temperature of autoclave cars may reach over 200 °C.

Therefore, during the design of fixed-position cranes for aerated concrete, KUANGSHAN CRANE places particular emphasis on the following aspects:

• Rational selection of steel structure materials and structural design
• Lubrication solutions suitable for high-temperature operating conditions
• Motors equipped with thermal sensors or temperature control protection, with forced air cooling when necessary
• Use of high-temperature-resistant and anti-aging cables
• Ventilation or cooling measures for large electrical equipment

2. Humid Operating Environment

During processes such as mixing, casting, green body transfer, static curing, and autoclaving, large amounts of water vapor are continuously released, resulting in a highly humid operating environment. The humidity level is significantly higher than the conventional relative humidity limit of 85% for standard indoor cranes.

Therefore, in terms of structural design, protection measures, and electrical configuration, the specialized crane must be fully adapted to long-term operation under humid conditions.

Structural Configuration and Technical Features of the Fixed-Position Mold Handling Crane for Aerated Concrete

Unlike conventional overhead cranes, the specialized crane is generally equipped with only the following mechanisms:

• Hoisting mechanism
• Crane traveling mechanism

Hoisting Mechanism

The hoisting mechanism is installed between the two main girders and consists of an electric motor, reducer, brake, drum, and guide sheaves.

The wire rope is wound off the drum, passes through sheaves fixed at both ends of the bridge, and is then reeved through the sheaves on the lifting device, forming a double-rope, four-point hoisting system. This configuration is beneficial for the stable lifting and handling of rectangular loads.

Traveling Mechanism

The crane traveling mechanism adopts a separately driven configuration and is equipped with conical motor braking and open gear transmission.

According to user requirements, soft-start motors or variable frequency drives (VFD) can be selected, enabling smooth crane startup and safe, reliable operation.

Control Technology Features

To meet the process requirements of the production line, the specialized crane primarily adopts electrical control technology and, depending on the needs of different processes, integrates the following control methods:

• Automated electrical control technology
• Hydraulic control technology
• Pneumatic control technology

Among these, the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) system performs logical processing of crane operating information, automatically executes required actions, and works in conjunction with proximity switches, encoders, and other detection components to achieve high-precision control.

Motion Characteristics of KUANGSHAN Fixed-Position Cranes

Unlike conventional overhead cranes that operate within a three-dimensional (X, Y, Z) working space, specialized cranes used in AAC production lines typically provide only:

• Vertical lifting movement along the Z-axis
• Longitudinal traveling movement along the Y-axis

For this reason, they are commonly referred to as fixed-position cranes.

Their motion characteristics can be summarized by four key features: fast, stable, precise, and intensive-duty operation.

1. Fast

To improve production efficiency, lifting, traveling, and tilting actions are required to be completed rapidly.

In large-scale production lines, crane traveling speeds have already exceeded normal human walking speeds, placing higher demands on control systems and mechanical responsiveness.

2. Stable

Stability is a fundamental requirement for handling semi-finished products such as green bodies.

By increasing main girder stiffness, adopting variable frequency speed control, using four-point lifting structures, and applying rigid guide legs, load sway and vibration can be effectively reduced, ensuring smooth and stable load handling.

3. Precise

Production lines impose extremely high positioning accuracy requirements, typically reaching ±2 mm, and in some cases even ±1 mm.

To achieve such precision, a combination of variable frequency control, PLC automation, and various sensing and detection technologies is required. Traditional electrical control alone is insufficient to meet these requirements.

The fixed-position crane for aerated concrete is not a general-purpose overhead crane, but a specialized lifting solution deeply aligned with AAC production processes.

Its structural form, mechanism configuration, control methods, and performance parameters are all designed around the demanding operating conditions of high temperature, high humidity, high frequency, and fixed-position operation, making it a key piece of equipment for ensuring continuous, efficient, and safe operation of aerated concrete production lines.