May 7, 10 •
Industrial Product Service, Torque Fluid •
Comments Off on The Key to Great Industrial Product Support & Service: Service, Product Availability, and Shipping Capability.
Great Industrial Product Support & Service all boils down to a commitment to three factors: service, product availability and shipping capability.
Basically, we can repair or replace almost anything you need, and we can do it anywhere. Our goal is to help you minimize your down time after breakdowns with off the shelf exchange, replacement, or on-site field service. This is made possible with our extensive parts and units inventory. Read Full Article →
Oct 30, 09 •
Torque Converters •
Comments Off on Hydraulic Torque Converters Explained
At K&L Clutch, we supply only the highest quality torque converters. But to understand what this means, let’s start with the basics:
Torque converters are, of course, an automatic transmission’s answer to a manual transmission’s clutch””with one big advantageous twist (which we’ll get to below). Torque converters allow the engine to turn while a machine’s wheels and transmission gears come to a complete stop (think cars idling in a driveway).
To understand why this matters, think of a car in traffic. Keeping the car stopped at a stoplight takes just a light push on the brake, because there is only a tiny amount of torque being passed through the torque converter from the slowly turning engine or motor. But when you step on the gas, the engine roars and more torque is passed to the wheels. It’s basically a transfer of rotation power from any sort of internal combustion engine or electric motor to the driven object or load.
But here’s the twist “” hydraulic torque converters can actually multiply torque when there is enough of a difference between the rotational speeds of the engine and load, basically serving the same function as a reduction gear.
Hydraulic torque converters can be broken down into three basic parts:
Impeller “” The impeller (or the pump) is basically a ring of metal blades that are driven by the engine shaft, flinging fluid about in a manner similar to a washing machine, thereby imparting kinetic energy. The spinning also creates a vacuum, drawing even more fluid into the center.
Turbine “” The turbine is a set of three rings of blades connected to the shaft. The fluid from the impeller enters and turns the turbine and causes the transmission to spin, powering the machine.
Stator “” Located in the fluid circuit between rings of turbine blades, the stator (or reaction member) is made from two non-rotating sets of blades, contained in a stationary housing. The original fluid exits the turbine, moving in a different direction than when it came in (and in an opposite direction of the engine and pump spin). The stator keeps the fluid from hitting the pump, which would slow the engine.
Benefits:
· Longer Engine Life
· Longer Equipment Life
· More Efficient Fuel Economy
· Smoother Operation
· Better Shock Protection
· More Reliable Automatic Braking
· Faster Work Cycles
Hydraulic torque converters also have specific benefits that depend on your type of use.
For example, with slush pumps, hydraulic torque converters permit operation through a wide range of volume vs. pressure while using the maximum size liner. Crawler tractors can operate with maximum drawbar pull at all times, even in the roughest of operating conditions. Hoists and winches can hold loads in mid-air with the throttle alone, without bobbing. Shunting locomotives benefit from a good tractive effort curve. And in excavators, hydraulic torque converters deliver two to three times the amount of torque for hoist and crowd loads.
This great post has been a long lasting servant, and we recently decided to put out an update. Go ahead and read this too, though – It’s an oldie but a goodie!
After that, read our update: Boom Cranes: History, Parts and Anatomy
Cranes are multi-faceted pieces of apparatus, and while they are capable of some quite incredible feats the way they actually work is based on some pretty straightforward laws of physics. Boom cranes are used to effectively and effortlessly lift heavy and/or awkward to move objects. The crane is most commonly used to hoist weighty equipment and/or materials on construction sites and to load cargo to ships. Read Full Article →
Crane disasters have become quite prevalent in the world as the expectations for rapid urban development have increased globally. Bigger building, bigger projects, and exploding payrolls for the biggest construction companies have attracted a glut of workers, trained and untrained, to build these projects. No matter how much time is dedicated to safety accidents and crane collapses will happen.
1. “Big Blue” – Milwaukee, WI 1999
The larger the equipment that is used the larger the accident that can happen. On a frigid afternoon in July of 1999 occurred the crane accident of all crane accidents. A 567-foot crane in use had its own name, and to this day the accident is still referred to as “Big Blue”.
Crane operators working on the Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI were moving the largest piece of rooftop for the stadium, estimated at 423 tons. When it collapsed, it did so in dramatic fashion with numerous injuries and three fatalities. The wind was blamed eventually for the collapse at gusts of up to 35 mph.
2. Boston, MA 2006
Many construction accidents happen in construction zones, but sometimes they happen in the middle of a city. This is exactly what happened downtown Boston during April, 2006. At 10 ton construction platform plummeted 13 stories onto the traffic below instantly killing three people. The scaffolding in question was not a crane of any sort, but it deserves a spot on this list.
Crane Accident in Boston: April, 2006
3. Battersea, England 2006
One neighborhood saw destruction in Battersea, England in September of 2006. A crane collapsed onto a group of houses and car-park killing two people.
Crane collapse in Battersea kills Two
4. Bellevue, WA 2006
Accidents seem to happen when we least expect them. In November 2006 in Bellevue, Washington, A crane operator was shutting down his crane to go home for the day. Witnesses reported hearing a loud crack sound right before the crane toppled on the surrounding condos. One man was killed sitting in his home.
Bellevue, Washington 2006
5. New York, NY 2007
Yet another New York, New York accident happened in December 2007 when the lifting sling of a crane snapped. A load of roughly seven tons dropped 13 stories. Luckily, only one worker was injured, and no one lost their life.
Crane Accident: New York 2007
6. New York, NY 2008
Seven people died in the deadliest crane accident in March 2008. A crane towering over 200 feet in the air crashed into a couple of buildings and wiped out a townhouse completely. This accident marked the worst single death toll by a crane in New York City, New York history. The disaster was a sobering moment for the city as it was two days away from its annual St Patrick’s Day celebration.
7. Miami, FL 2008
March 2008 was a bad month for cranes. While New York was still reeling from its string of accidents Miami, FL was poised for its own tragedy. The crane that was helping to build a 46 story skyscraper Biscayne Bay suddenly lurched towards a home below crushing two workers and injuring five more. The force was so strong that onlookers described it as if an earthquake had struck the bay.
8. New York, NY 2008
New York City, New York seems to be a bastion for construction accidents and May of 2008 was no different. The same construction site had received at least one previous safety violation along with numerous complaints from members of the community. From a height of 20 stories, one crane dropped towards the site below crushing two crew members.
9. Houston, TX 2008
A giant tower crane capable of lifting thousands of tons made its home at an oil refinery in Houston, Texas. This particular crane found itself instantly destroyed before it had even completed being put together. During July of 2008, during the actual assembly of the crane itself, the crane snapped of at its base, smashing cars, cracking asphalt, and taking four people with it.
10. Cai Lan, Vietnam 2008
July 2008 was a tragic day in the port of Cai Lan, Vietnam. Seven workers were killed and six were injured badly. It is impossible to tell the tale of all the crane accidents that have happened in modern times. This list covers some of the more famous ones. It also gives an idea of the many mishaps that can lead to costly and usually fatal accidents.
At K&L Clutch, we supply only the highest quality torque converters. But to understand what this means, let’s start with the basics:
