Gantry Crane With Shield

Description

Weihua Shield Gantry Crane, also known as TBM Gantry Crane, is a specialized heavy-duty lifting equipment launched by Weihua Group for the tunnel engineering construction field. Named for its unique shield-shaped lifting device, it is primarily used for the installation and dismantling of the cutterhead and shield body of underground trenchless shield tunneling machines (TBMs), as well as the lifting and transport of tunnel support segments during construction.

Shield gantry cranes are indispensable key supporting equipment in tunnel construction. As the core equipment for underground tunnel excavation, the installation and dismantling of large components such as the cutterhead (weighing tens to hundreds of tons) and shield body, as well as the precise assembly of each ring of tunnel segments, all rely on the support of specialized gantry cranes. Weihua Shield Gantry Cranes are a professional solution designed to meet these demanding working conditions.

Structurally, the shield gantry crane adopts a double-girder gantry structure, combined with a professional 360° rotating lifting device and a dual-trolley collaborative operation mechanism, ensuring the precise installation of TBM components at various angles. The electrical system employs PLC variable frequency speed control, ensuring smooth operation and precise positioning. The safety system is comprehensively equipped with overload protection, limit protection, and emergency stop devices to maximize the safety of operators and equipment.

The standard lifting capacity ranges from 100 tons to 440 tons, with a maximum lifting capacity exceeding 500 tons, meeting the hoisting needs of large tunnel boring machines. Applicable spans range from 18 meters to 36 meters, and lifting heights range from 33 meters to 40 meters (or 30 meters below the lower rail), satisfying the construction requirements of various tunnel diameters and depths. The working class is typically A3 or A4, adapting to the operational frequency characteristics of tunnel construction.

As Weihua Group's flagship product for tunnel engineering, the shield tunneling gantry crane is widely used in various underground engineering projects such as urban subways, railway tunnels, water conservancy tunnels, and highway tunnels, playing a crucial role in major infrastructure projects in China and globally. Weihua has over 30 years of crane manufacturing experience, with products exported to more than 130 countries and regions worldwide, and a cumulative production of over 1 million units (sets) of various lifting equipment.

Parameter

Rated load(Under Spreader)			100+100		100			130
Span		m	33	34	20	22	24	20	22	24
Lifting Height			1500+21000		9800+30000			9800+30000
Duty			A4		A4			A4
Speed	Main	m/min	0.3~3~6		0.37~3.7~6			0.37~3.7~6
	Trolley Traveling		2.5~25		2.5~25			2.5~25
	Crane Traveling		2~20		1.4~14			1.4~14
limit dimension	L1	mm	1850		1270			1250
	L2		850		1270			1250
	L		3000		3000			3000
	C1		2500		1750			1750
	C2		2500		1900			1900
main dimension	H	mm	21000		16240			15920
	H1		15000		9800			9800
	H2		21000		30000			30000
	H3		650		660			660
	B		19038		16380			16180
	W		12000		10700			10700
	K		5000		6500			6500
	D		13000		6300			6300
Max.Wheel Loading		kN	270	290	230	235	240	270	275	280
Total Power		kw	225		145			145
Crane Rail Recommended			QU80		QU80			QU80
Power Supply			3-Phase A.C.50Hz 380V		3-Phase A.C.50Hz 380V			3-Phase A.C.50Hz 380V

Feature&Advantages

1. Professional Shield Tunneling Construction Design

The core value of a shield tunneling gantry crane lies in its specialized design for tunnel construction scenarios:

360° Rotating Lifting Gear: The lifting gear can rotate 360°, adapting to different angles for cutterhead installation. Precise positioning is required for the installation of the shield machine cutterhead. The rotating lifting gear allows operators to flexibly adjust it according to the actual tunneling direction, eliminating the need to repeatedly move the crane or adjust the shield machine's position, significantly improving installation efficiency.

Rotation Angle and Adaptability: For ultra-large diameter shield machines (applicable to cutterheads up to 15 meters in diameter), the dedicated rotating lifting gear can meet the ±90° rotation requirements, covering the spatial positioning requirements of various complex underground projects.

Dual Trolley Collaborative Operation Mechanism: Adopting a dual-trolley structure design, the two trolleys can work together (linked mode) to lift heavy components such as the cutterhead, or work independently (independent mode) to lift auxiliary materials such as tunnel segments. This flexible configuration meets the needs of heavy lifting while ensuring efficient workflow in daily construction.

Dedicated Lifting Device for Tunnel Boring Machines:The tunnel boring machine (TBM) gantry crane is equipped with a dedicated shield-shaped lifting device or beam to ensure reliable connection with all components of the TBM, guaranteeing safety and stability during lifting.

2. Ultra-Large Tonnage Load Capacity:Tunnel construction involves the lifting of numerous heavy components. Weihua TBM gantry cranes consistently lead in load capacity:

Wide Tonnage Coverage:Standard lifting capacities include 100 tons, 130 tons, 200+200 tons, and 400 tons, with customizable capacities up to 500 tons and above. For ultra-large diameter TBMs (such as 15-meter class), lifting capacities up to 400 tons or even higher can be provided.

High-Strength Double-Girder Structure:Utilizing a double-girder box-shaped welded gantry structure made of high-strength structural steel, the gantry spans the tunnel construction area, ensuring sufficient stability and load-bearing capacity. Compared to traditional designs, it offers superior structural rigidity and fatigue resistance for the same load capacity.

 Lifting Capacity Performance: Main lifting speed ranges from 0.09~0.9m/min (slow speed fine-tuning) to 7m/min (rapid lifting), balancing precise positioning and operational efficiency. Maximum wheel pressure reaches 415kN, equipped with QU80 or QU100 heavy-duty rails to ensure reliability under heavy loads.

3. PLC Variable Frequency Precision Control

Weihua shield tunneling gantry cranes utilize advanced control technology to achieve precise operation in the complex environment of tunnel construction:

PLC Variable Frequency Speed ​​Control System: The lifting, trolley travel, and main trolley travel mechanisms all employ variable frequency drive technology, achieving unified scheduling through a PLC programmable controller. Each mechanism achieves smooth acceleration characteristics and precise speed control, enabling millimeter-level accuracy in the installation and positioning of large components such as the cutterhead and shield body.

Multi-Mechanism Linkage Control: Supports multiple operating modes such as dual trolley linkage and main/auxiliary hook coordination. The control system boasts a high degree of automation, is easy to operate, and reduces the burden on operators.

Intelligent Monitoring and Safety Alerts: The cab (control panel) is equipped with comprehensive safety indicators and status displays, monitoring equipment operating parameters in real time. In case of abnormal operating conditions, the system automatically alarms and prompts the operator to take appropriate measures.

Flexible Control Methods: The standard cab control provides excellent visibility and comfort; remote control is optional, allowing operators to complete complex lifting operations from the optimal viewing position.

4. Tunnel Adaptability

The shield tunneling gantry crane is designed with the special environment of tunnel construction sites in mind:

Compact Structural Design: The gantry structure spans the tunnel construction area, with a compact overall structure, enabling flexible operation in narrow and long tunnel environments and adapting to the space constraints of complex construction conditions.

Rail Travel System: The crane travels along laid tracks, moving freely along the tunnel direction to quickly respond to the needs of different work positions. The trolley travel speed is 1.4~14m/min or 1.6~16m/min, allowing for precise positioning at low speeds and rapid relocation at high speeds, meeting the requirements of different stages of operation.

Low Temperature and High Humidity Adaptability: Operates normally in ambient temperatures ranging from -20℃ to +45℃, with a maximum relative humidity of up to 95% (including condensation), adapting to the harsh, humid, and dusty environment of underground tunnels.

Wind Resistance: Allows a maximum wind speed of 20m/s during operation, providing reliable wind resistance for construction areas such as shaft entrances that may be affected by wind.

Optional Explosion-Proof Function: For construction under special geological conditions such as gas tunnels, some models can be equipped with explosion-proof functionality to meet higher safety requirements.

5. Multiple Safety Protection Systems

Safety is paramount in tunnel construction. Weihua shield tunneling gantry cranes are comprehensively equipped with safety protection features:

Overload Protection Device: Real-time monitoring of the lifting load; automatically alarms and cuts off the lifting circuit when the load exceeds the rated lifting capacity to prevent overload accidents. This device is particularly important for protecting valuable equipment such as shield tunneling machines.

Limit and Buffer Protection: Equipped with crane travel limit switches to prevent overtravel; equipped with high-quality polyurethane buffers to reduce impact at the end of the stroke.

Emergency Stop and Electrical Protection: Equipped with an emergency stop button and cable reel emergency stop pull cord, with multiple points of contact for easy emergency response. It also features comprehensive electrical safety functions such as undervoltage protection and overcurrent protection.

Undervoltage Protection: Automatically activates protection when the supply voltage drops below normal to prevent motor stalling and damage due to undervoltage.

Wind-resistant Anchoring Device: For operating areas potentially affected by wind, such as shaft openings, rail clamps and anchoring devices can be installed to ensure equipment safety.

6. Modular Design and Convenient Maintenance

Weihua shield tunneling gantry cranes adhere to a modular design concept, fully considering the needs of disassembly, assembly, and relocation of engineering equipment:

Modular Structure: The gantry and various functional mechanisms adopt a modular design, facilitating transportation, installation, and disassembly. For tunnel construction projects requiring relocation, this feature can significantly save time and costs.

Easy-to-Maintain Design: Simple structure and reasonable layout, making daily inspection and maintenance convenient and easy. Key components are selected from internationally renowned brands or high-quality domestic suppliers, facilitating repair and replacement.

Open gear transmission: The lifting mechanism adopts an open gear transmission method, which effectively saves costs while ensuring transmission reliability.

Application

1. Urban Subway Construction

Urban subways are the most mature application area for shield tunneling gantry cranes. Subway lines are typically located underground in cities, and shield tunneling is the mainstream construction method. Shield tunneling gantry cranes are used throughout the entire shield tunneling process.

Typical Applications:

Shield Machine Launching and Assembly: At the shield launching shaft, the shield tunneling gantry crane is responsible for lifting large components of the shield machine, such as the cutterhead, front shield, middle shield, tail shield, and segment assembler, from the ground into the launching shaft and assembling them. 100-ton to 400-ton shield tunneling gantry cranes can cover the lifting needs of shield machines ranging from 6 meters to 15 meters.

Segment Lifting and Assembly: During tunnel excavation, the shield tunneling gantry crane is responsible for lifting concrete segments from the ground or segment stacking area to the segment assembly area, working with the segment assembler to complete the installation of each ring of segments. A single segment typically weighs 3-8 tons, and a dual-trolley design enables efficient transport.

Vertical Material Transportation: Vertical transportation of construction consumables such as rails, sleepers, ventilation ducts, cables, foam pipes, and grease ensures the continuity of tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavation.

TBM Receiving and Dismantling: After the TBM arrives at the receiving shaft, the TBM gantry crane is responsible for dismantling the TBM's components and lifting them out of the shaft, completing the equipment's transfer or removal from the site.

Configuration Advantages: Subway tunnels are typically deep (TBM shaft depths can reach over 30 meters). Weihua TBM gantry cranes have a lifting height of up to 40 meters (or 30 meters below the lower rail), fully meeting the operational requirements of deep shafts.

2. Railway Tunnel Construction

With the continuous improvement of the national railway network, the scale of railway tunnel projects is expanding daily. Railway tunnels typically have large cross-sections and long lengths, correspondingly increasing the requirements for lifting equipment.

Typical Applications:

Large TBM Lifting: Railway tunnel TBMs typically have large diameters (over 10 meters), with cutterheads and shields weighing hundreds of tons. Weihua tunnel boring machine (TBM) gantry cranes offer lifting capacities exceeding 400 tons and are compatible with ultra-large diameter TBMs.

Segment and Track Slab Lifting: Railway tunnel segments are larger and heavier than those for subway tunnels, requiring the lifting of railway-specific components such as track slabs.

Connecting Passage Construction: Material transfer and equipment lifting in areas where the main tunnel and connecting passages intersect.

Typical Projects: Weihua TBM gantry cranes are used as core lifting equipment in numerous railway mountain tunnels and underwater tunnel projects across China.

3. Water Conservancy Tunnels and Water Diversion Projects

Water diversion tunnels, drainage tunnels, and flood discharge tunnels in water conservancy and hydropower projects are important application areas for TBM gantry cranes.

Typical Applications:

TBM Lifting: Open-face TBMs (hard rock tunnel boring machines) are commonly used for tunneling in water conservancy projects. TBM gantry cranes are responsible for the lifting and assembly of large components such as the TBM main unit, supporting systems, and support equipment.

Segment Lining/Steel Arch Support Lifting: Depending on the surrounding rock conditions, tunnels may require concrete segment lining or steel arch support. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) gantry crane is responsible for the vertical transport of these materials.

Equipment Maintenance: During long-distance tunneling, the TBM gantry crane also undertakes the maintenance and lifting of the TBM and its supporting equipment.

Environmental Adaptability:Water conservancy projects are often located in mountainous or remote areas with relatively limited transportation and site conditions. Weihua's TBM gantry crane adopts a modular design, facilitating modular transportation and on-site assembly, adapting to the characteristics of water conservancy projects with numerous points and long lines.

4. Highway Tunnel Construction: The application of the shield tunneling method has been increasing in recent years, especially for large-section highway tunnels. Compared to subway tunnels, highway tunnels have larger cross-sections and higher requirements for turning radii.

Typical Applications:

Large Rectangular/Circular TBM Lifting:Highway tunnels have large cross-sections, requiring larger TBMs. Weihua's shield tunneling gantry cranes offer high lifting heights (customizable up to 40 meters and above) and large spans (up to 36 meters) to meet the hoisting needs of large shield tunneling machines.

Road Structure Layer Construction: During the road construction phase after tunnel breakthrough, shield tunneling gantry cranes can be used for the vertical transportation of materials such as steel mesh, concrete, and formwork.

5. Integrated Utility Tunnels and Municipal Engineering

Urban integrated utility tunnels (common trenches) are a rapidly developing area of ​​municipal infrastructure in recent years, and the shield tunneling method has become an important construction method for integrated utility tunnels.

Typical Applications:

Small-Diameter Shield Tunneling Machine Hoisting: Integrated utility tunnels typically have a small diameter (3-5 meters), requiring relatively small-tonnage shield tunneling machines. Weihua can provide customized small-tonnage shield tunneling gantry cranes to meet the specific needs of utility tunnel construction.

Precast Pipe Segment Hoisting: Hoisting and assembling precast pipe segments for utility tunnels.

Multi-Compartment Construction Connection: Integrated utility tunnels typically include multiple compartments such as power, water and telecommunications, and gas compartments, necessitating material transfer and equipment transportation during construction.

Flexibility Requirements: Municipal engineering projects are typically located in urban built-up areas with limited construction sites and complex surrounding environments. Weihua's tunnel boring machine (TBM) gantry cranes are compact in structure and precise in operation, enabling efficient completion of tasks within confined spaces.

Company Strength

1. Company Overview and Industry Position

Henan Weihua Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd., founded in 1988, is a core holding subsidiary of Weihua Group. Headquartered at No. 18 Shanhai Avenue, Changyuan City, Henan Province, known as the "Capital of Lifting Machinery in China," the company boasts a registered capital of RMB 1.066 billion. It is a leading enterprise in China's crane manufacturing industry and one of the world's largest industrial crane manufacturers. As a national manufacturing single-item champion enterprise, Henan Weihua holds a significant position in the domestic and international lifting machinery industry.

2. Main Business and Product System

The company focuses on the research, development, manufacturing, and sales of bridge cranes, gantry cranes, electric hoists, and new intelligent lifting equipment. Product types cover multiple series including general-purpose bridge cranes, European-style cranes, metallurgical cranes, explosion-proof cranes, and port gantry cranes, meeting the complex operational needs of various industries. With its modular, lightweight, and intelligent design concepts, Henan Weihua's products are at the forefront of the industry in terms of structural performance, safety, reliability, and service life.

3. Application Areas and Market Coverage

Henan Weihua's products are widely used in many key sectors of the national economy, including machinery manufacturing, metallurgy, power energy, port logistics, railway transportation, petrochemicals, and construction engineering. The company's products not only sell well in all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions of China, but are also exported to more than 100 countries and regions in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, serving numerous Fortune 500 companies and key national engineering projects, earning a good international reputation.

4. Technology R&D and Quality Assurance

The company highly values ​​technological innovation and has established several high-end R&D platforms, including a national-level enterprise technology center, a postdoctoral research station, and the Henan Provincial Lifting Machinery Engineering Technology Research Center. In recent years, Henan Weihua has actively promoted intelligent and digital manufacturing transformation, accumulating over a thousand national authorized patents and participating in the formulation of multiple national and industry standards. In terms of quality management, the company has passed ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO45001 international system certifications and has successively won numerous honors such as "China Famous Brand Product," "National Quality Benchmark," and "National Technological Innovation Demonstration Enterprise," establishing a comprehensive quality control system from raw materials to finished products.