Crane Wheel Blocks for UAE Demag DRS-400 Case Study

In the rapidly developing industrial sector of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), locations such as the logistics hubs in Dubai's Jebel Ali Port and modern steel processing plants in Abu Dhabi place extremely high demands on the reliability, safety, and operational efficiency of crane equipment. Harsh environments, including high temperatures, high dust levels, and heavy-duty cyclic operations, make the durability of core equipment components crucial for ensuring continuous production.

Client Challenges

A large multinational logistics, warehousing, and steel manufacturing company based in the UAE faced the following challenges with their overhead cranes in workshops and outdoor gantry cranes:

Severe wear on the original travel wheel sets led to frequent replacements and high maintenance costs.

Component mechanical performance degraded in high-temperature environments, posing safety risks.

Automated production lines required extremely high positioning accuracy for the crane trolley, but the existing equipment exhibited shaking and inaccurate positioning.

A solution was needed that could adapt to diverse working conditions, ranging from ambient temperature warehouses to high-temperature workshops near molten metal.

The Solution

Following a rigorous technical evaluation, the company decided to batch adopt the German-engineered Demag DRS-400 driven travel wheel blocks for key positions on their crane equipment.

The core advantages of this solution perfectly aligned with the requirements of the UAE market:

• Exceptional Weather Resistance and Durability: The wheel body, made of high-strength spheroidal graphite iron (GJS), possesses inherent corrosion and wear resistance, enabling it to easily handle the high-salinity coastal air and industrial dust in the UAE. Its operating temperature range (-25°C to +150°C) ensures stable performance even during hot summer outdoors or in areas with radiant heat from molten metal.

• Enhanced Safety and Stable Operation: Double-Sided Flange Design effectively prevents derailment risks during high-speed travel or sudden load changes, complies with international safety standards, and provides assurance against the UAE's strict safety regulations. Integrated Horizontal Guide Wheels: Ensure smooth crane travel on the rails, significantly reducing sway and impact, which is crucial for protecting delicate goods and achieving precise handling.

• Optimized Drive and Load Performance: 80mm Drive Shaft provides robust torque transmission capability, ensuring smoothness during start-up and braking. 60mm Tread Width: Increases the contact area with the rail, evenly distributes the load, not only extending the wheel block's own service life but also significantly reducing rail wear.

Application Results

After the replacement, the company reported significant improvements:

In an Automated High-Bay Warehouse in Dubai: The Demag wheel blocks achieved millimeter-level precise positioning, meeting the high demands of the Automated Storage/Retrieval System (AS/RS) and increasing the overall throughput efficiency of the logistics system.

Within a Steel Plant in Abu Dhabi: For cranes handling ladle transfer, the service life of the travel wheel blocks under high-temperature conditions increased severalfold, while unexpected downtime due to wheel block issues was virtually eliminated.

On Gantry Cranes at Jebel Ali Port: The equipment demonstrated excellent stability and wear resistance in harsh outdoor environments, reducing comprehensive maintenance costs by over 30%.

Conclusion

The successful application of the Demag DRS-400 travel wheel blocks in several benchmark projects across the UAE demonstrates its effectiveness in addressing the stringent local industrial challenges. It not only enhances equipment safety and reliability but also delivers long-term economic benefits through its extended service life and low maintenance requirements. For companies in the UAE seeking to improve their material handling system performance, choosing proven, high-quality components like those from Demag is a strategic investment for operational optimization and sustainable development.

Contact our team today to get a customized solution for your specific application in the Middle East!