Atlas Industrial Recognized for Industrial Maintenance Job
June 2, 2004 - Companies are redefining industrial maintenance-saving weeks of downtime and hundreds of thousands of dollars per day in the process. Atlas Industrial Contractors, Cleveland , Ohio , was called on to accomplish a highly sensitive job of raising and tilting a 250-ton stator housing so that the generator at American Electric Power in Colesville , Ohio , could be rebuilt.
What's more, the company was awarded recognition for the best Rigging Job of the Year in the $150,000 to $750,000 category by the Specialized Carriers and Rigging Association for their work.
While the generator was unbolted from its turbine and the windings and laminates were removed, Atlas was making modifications to its 800-ton tower lifting system. The lift began on May 28, 2003 at a rate of one foot for every three minutes. The entire housing was raised 8 feet above the floor. One set of strand jacks was locked as the remaining pair continued to lift the unit to a 45-degree angle. To accommodate the housing as it was raised to vertical, two lifting towers rolled toward two stationary towers on 45 feet of track supported by 30 inch risers.
After completing the lift and tilt, Atlas removed the tower lifting system permitting National Electric Coil to rebuild the entire generating apparatus. While being rebuilt, the weight of the housing crept to a staggering 750,000 million pounds. Once the generator was rebuilt, the lift was reversed and the housing was returned to horizontal so the generator could be re-mated with its turbine.
All safety procedures and precautions were reviewed and discussed before each shift and for added safety, a "beam safe" system was employed. The job from concept to completion, was finished in 14 days with no accidents.
Other Rigging Job of the Year winners included Mammoet Europe BV in the Over $750,000 category for work it did on the Dusseldorf Rhine-Arena Stadium in Germany . And Scholpp Crane & Transport of Stuttgart , Germany , was recognized in the Under $150,000 category for installation of a 500-foot, 380-ton steel bridge at the DaimlerChrysler plant in Sindelfingen , Germany .
