ZX6 and ZX8 hoists are also designed to minimize height and overall dimensions, and have 30% fewer components than previous standard designs.

Anew generation of mid-range (0-25 metric tons) hoists is being launched by Street Crane Co. (www.streetcrane.co.uk). The ZX6 and ZX8 Series hoists are the product of an advanced design process, and engineered for high-volume production to meet the needs of crane builders worldwide, as well as individual customers’ needs. The hoists have 30% fewer components than previous standard designs, and are quicker to build. Street Crane states they “offer exceptional value for this class of performance.”

The ZX6 and ZX8 Series gearbox is designed around hardened, precision-ground gears that are immersed in oil within a machined gearbox case. As with with other Street Crane hoists, these units have an open-plan design for easy access to components and to promote cooling.

Also, the hoists are designed to minimize height and overall dimensions so that they occupy only the minimum amount of space, making them suitable for low-rise plants and workshops. The modularized units can be customized to meet individual plant requirements and national standards, either by Street Crane or by its local trade partners and distributors.

To match the engineering changes, duty classifications have been up-rated across the hoist range. Street Crane states that long-term reliability has been proven by an intensive program of accelerated life tests. This allowed the effect of many years of operation to be compressed into a few weeks of 24/7 operation. With full loads, lift and fall cycles were followed with speed changes and pauses so that mechanisms were severely challenged. Advanced vibration analysis was conducted, too, to allow the performance of each individual component to be isolated and its performance optimized.