The invention relates to a method for operating a conveyor means, in particular a hoist, a crane, a continuous conveyor or the like, and to a control unit, the conveyor means comprising a drive unit (21) and a control unit (20) for controlling the drive unit, the drive unit comprising at least two drives (43, 44), the drives being controlled by means of a control device (22) of the control unit, a rotary encoder (25, 38) of the control unit being connected shafts (29, 42) of the drive unit of the conveyor means each allocated to the drives and registering a rotation of the shafts, a rotation angle signal and/or a rotational speed signal being transmitted to the control device by means of an encoder device (26, 39) of the corresponding rotary encoder in order to control the drives, the control device determining the corresponding rotational speed of the shafts and comparing it to a referential rotational speed, the control device controlling the drives depending on the comparison

The invention relates to a method for operating a conveyor means, in particular a hoist, a crane, a continuous conveyor or the like, and to a control unit, the conveyor means comprising a drive unit (21) and a control unit (20) for controlling the drive unit, the drive unit comprising at least two drives (43, 44), the drives being controlled by means of a control device (22) of the control unit, a rotary encoder (25, 38) of the control unit being connected shafts (29, 42) of the drive unit of the conveyor means each allocated to the drives and registering a rotation of the shafts, a rotation angle signal and/or a rotational speed signal being transmitted to the control device by means of an encoder device (26, 39) of the corresponding rotary encoder in order to control the drives, the control device determining the corresponding rotational speed of the shafts and comparing it to a referential rotational speed, the control device controlling the drives depending on the comparison

A maintenance assistance method for assisting in maintaining a metal cable of a lifting or transport apparatus, the metal cable forming a closed loop and cooperating with a re-tensioning system. The maintenance assistance method implements the following steps: supervising the re-tensioning operations of the metal cable by the re-tensioning system, for each re-tensioning operation of the metal cable, determining of an elongation value of the metal cable, estimating an overall elongation value of the metal cable, which corresponds to the sum of the elongation values of the metal cable determined after each re-tensioning operation, and determining a damage index of the metal cable as a function of the overall elongation value.

A maintenance assistance method for assisting in maintaining a metal cable of a lifting or transport apparatus, the metal cable forming a closed loop and cooperating with a re-tensioning system. The maintenance assistance method implements the following steps: supervising the re-tensioning operations of the metal cable by the re-tensioning system, for each re-tensioning operation of the metal cable, determining of an elongation value of the metal cable, estimating an overall elongation value of the metal cable, which corresponds to the sum of the elongation values of the metal cable determined after each re-tensioning operation, and determining a damage index of the metal cable as a function of the overall elongation value.

The invention relates to a control method for controlling an actuating device (8) in a handling machine (1) comprising a main movable body (2) and a handling arm (6) intended to receive a load that is to be moved, the actuating device being configured to perform a movement of the handling arm in relation to the main body, the method comprising: measuring a parameter indicative of a tilting force applied to the main body in relation to a tilting axis, and stopping or hindering a movement of the handling arm performed or requested when a stopping condition is met, the stopping condition being dependent on the parameter indicative of the measured tilting force, and, in which, when a reinforced operating mode is selected, the stopping condition is also dependent on a parameter representative of the speed of the movement of the handling arm.

A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility includes a manufacturing tool including a load port, a maintenance crane, a rectangular zone overlapping with the load port of the manufacturing tool, a plurality of first sensors at corners of the rectangular zone, an OHT vehicle, a second sensor on the OHT vehicle, a third sensor on the load port, and a control unit. The first sensors are configured to detect a location of the maintenance crane and to generate a first location data. The second sensor is configured to generate a second location data. The control unit is configured to receive the first location data of the maintenance crane and the second location data of the OHT vehicle. The control unit further sends signals to the second sensor and the third sensor or to cut off the signal to the second sensor.

A system for a semiconductor fabrication facility includes a manufacturing tool including a load port, a maintenance crane, a rectangular zone overlapping with the load port of the manufacturing tool, a plurality of first sensors at corners of the rectangular zone, an OHT vehicle, a second sensor on the OHT vehicle, a third sensor on the load port, and a control unit. The first sensors are configured to detect a location of the maintenance crane and to generate a first location data. The second sensor is configured to generate a second location data. The control unit is configured to receive the first location data of the maintenance crane and the second location data of the OHT vehicle. The control unit further sends signals to the second sensor and the third sensor or to cut off the signal to the second sensor.

A control unit of the crane controls drives that move an upper load suspension point and, together therewith, a load suspended via a cable system. As the upper load suspension point is moved, an inner safety zone around the load is repeatedly dynamically determined according to state variables of the crane. The state variables include at least a position and a speed of movement of the upper load suspension point, and an effective pendulum length of the load. The control unit checks, based on further known information whether an object different from the load has entered the inner safety zone, in which case the movement of the upper load suspension point is stopped or a message to stop the movement is outputted to an operator of the crane. Otherwise, the movement is maintained or no message to stop the movement is outputted to the operator.

A crane risk logic apparatus and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the crane risk logic apparatus, the crane risk logic apparatus is integral with a crane, such as a mobile or crawler crane or a tower crane, and located in communication with a load moment indicator. The crane risk logic apparatus receives crane data from the load moment indicator and determines various data analytics, such as, lift angle data, allowable capacity data, operator override data, anti-two-block activation data, operational time data, lift cycle count data, lift classification data, slewing speed data, wind speed data, warning message data, error message data, and winch direction and speed data for each crane lift cycle. The data analytics may be utilized to inform a crane operator evaluation or a crane maintenance schedule for the crane, for example.

A crane risk logic apparatus and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment of the crane risk logic apparatus, the crane risk logic apparatus is integral with a crane, such as a mobile or crawler crane or a tower crane, and located in communication with a load moment indicator. The crane risk logic apparatus receives crane data from the load moment indicator and determines various data analytics, such as, lift angle data, allowable capacity data, operator override data, anti-two-block activation data, operational time data, lift cycle count data, lift classification data, slewing speed data, wind speed data, warning message data, error message data, and winch direction and speed data for each crane lift cycle. The data analytics may be utilized to inform a crane operator evaluation or a crane maintenance schedule for the crane, for example.