Removal and installation of heavy machines in VDS Hapert

On behalf of VDS in Hapert, Koninklijke Saan removed an old eccentric press from the factory and installed a new one. These tasks were carried out in three phases. VDS Technische Industrie specialises in both mechanical and hydraulic stamping in (medium to) long production runs. Fully automated pressing is done up to 800 tonnes.

In the production factory at the Hapert site, an old 72-tonne eccentric press was removed during the first phase. The space between the presses was so tight that the press was first tilted in situ and then laid down flat with Saan’s hydraulic gantry crane. It was only after the removal of the gantry that there was sufficient space to be able to move the old press out of the way.

In the second phase, Saan’s industrial relocators unloaded the ‘new’ used 80-tonne press from the lorry and moved it inside. To allow the press to be properly overhauled, it first had to be temporarily
placed upright. A difficult task because the press was 710 cm high and the total height under the roof trusses was only 800 cm. Because of this small difference in height it was necessary to raise the press in two steps. This worked extremely well with Saan’s ultramodern gantry crane.

During the third phase, the overhauled press was lowered again to the same position in two steps. Because the doorway was a little too narrow, the Saan employees first widened it. Then the press was moved to its final position. Now the press had to be lifted in again but this time between all the other presses. The available height in this area was only 720 cm. For this, the 710-cm press had to be tilted in a pit in the floor that was in the final position. The available height was minimal, even with the use of this pit in the floor.

In the preparation of this very tight job in terms of room to work, a Saan engineer did calculations and made drawings regarding whether and how the press could be tilted in situ. In practice it turned out that there was only a 2 cm difference between the actual situation and the drawing. Such a small difference is unique in a project like this. Taking the burden off others is one of Saan’s priorities. Thanks to the careful preparation of this contract work, the job was carried out without a hitch and that guaranteed successful completion of this project.