The first robotic clamping and handling arm owned by China Shenhua's Shendong Coal Group has been successfully deployed. It commenced operation at the winding section of the pump repair workshop within the No. 3 Repair Plant of the Equipment Maintenance Center.
This marks a significant shift for the center in the handling and maintenance of large and medium-sized pump stators. The process has moved away from traditional manual labor methods, entering a new era characterized by safer, more integrated, efficient, and intelligent mechanized operations.
The winding section is primarily responsible for the repair tasks involving the winding of stators for large and medium-sized pumps ranging from 15kW to 45kW. In previous maintenance operations, a single stator could weigh between 25 to 80 kilograms. The entire process of moving these workpieces relied on the coordinated effort of two workers manually lifting and carrying them.
This method not only posed potential occupational health risks for employees but was also constrained by the need for perfect coordination between workers and specific on-site conditions. It presented significant safety management challenges, including the risk of workpieces being dropped, causing impacts, or leading to crushing injuries.
With the introduction of this intelligent clamping system, the workshop conducted thorough research and feasibility studies based on actual working conditions. They selected a scientifically appropriate model and completed the installation of the robotic clamping arm.
The device has a rated load capacity of 100 kilograms and integrates multiple safety protection systems, including hydraulic clamping, precise electronic control, and emergency locking mechanisms. The clamping force and rotation angle can be finely adjusted, making it fully adaptable to handle the entire range of stator sizes and types within the section's workflow.
Following its deployment, a single operator can now complete the entire workflow—clamping, lifting, transferring, and positioning the workpiece—in a streamlined, one-stop operation.
The implementation of this handling arm fundamentally reduces safety hazards associated with manual labor at the source. It significantly lowers the physical labor intensity for frontline personnel.
By solidifying the foundation of on-site safety management, this initiative continuously optimizes the maintenance process flow and enhances the efficiency of equipment upkeep and repair operations. This relatively minor technical upgrade has achieved a dual improvement in both production safety and lean management control.
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