Distance Detection in Container Cranes

Radar distance sensors continuously measure distances for controlling the approach of spreaders on ship-to-shore cranes

At container ports, cranes are used to load containers from ships into the port storage area or onto trucks or trains. Devices known as spreaders are used to grap the ISO containers using the locking points. The crane operator and the controller therefore require continuous information about the distance between the spreader and the container to avoid collisions and to control the approach speed based on the distance. 

Shock resistance for use in heavy-duty applications

The robust design of the DR-M30 distance radar sensors makes them ideally suited to providing this information. The stainless steel housing of the sensors can also withstand aggressive salt spray, which is omnipresent in port facilities.

Your Benefits

  • High availability thanks to stainless steel housing, shock resistance of 100 g and IP69K
  • Increased throughput thanks to dynamic motor control
  • Fast and precise commissioning thanks to the display of the signal curve in the Turck Radar Monitor
  • Increased safety through improved collision protection

  • Improved sensors for increased throughput: Turck DR-M30 distance radar sensors

  • The sensor provides reliable signals even when faced with interference factors such as fog, light or rain 

  • The stainless steel housing can also withstand aggressive salt spray in port facilities

Shock resistance of 100 g allows the sensors to be used in heavy-duty applications such as port logistics. In addition, DR-M30 sensors have an impressive range of up to 15 meters.

As the spreader is approaching, flipper arms are folded out for the final few meters to help the spreader accurately approach and gather the container. But because the flipper arms widen the dimensions of the spreader, they are unfolded as late as possible. 

Depending on the controller, the DR-M30 can output either an IO-Link process value or a conventional analog signal — which can be used in particular for retrofit applications. This means that even old container cranes with retrofitted intelligent functions (or sensor technology?) can achieve increased throughput.   

If IO-Link is used as an output signal, the Turck Radar Monitor in conjunction with the Turck IP67 IO-Link master can be used to ideally adapt the sensor to the application. The real-time visualization of the signal curve helps to suppress interference signals, for example. 

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