27 October 2020
Bakker Sliedrecht, will implement condition-based maintenance at container terminal Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG), located at Maasvlakte 2, for its sixteen quay cranes. Bakker Sliedrecht’s renewed maintenance program makes maintenance and replacement of the frequency drives and circuit breakers of the cranes or its parts more predictable. This prevents downtime and is expected to reduce overall maintenance costs.
RWG is one of the most modern and innovative container terminals in the world. The company operates 24h/7 and can handle 2.3 million TEU of containers per year. RWG has eleven deep-sea quay cranes for unloading sea-going vessels, three quay cranes for loading inland barges and two rail cranes for rail transport.
The multi-year maintenance contract with Bakker Sliedrecht guarantees the operational safety, reliability, efficiency and continuity of the terminal, say head of technology Arend van der Velde and sales manager Ruud Springvloet of Bakker Sliedrecht. “RWG wants maximal availability. If a frequency drive or circuit breaker fails, a crane will stop and cannot operate. That must be prevented.”
Bakker Sliedrecht is one of the first companies in the industry to switch from time-based to condition-based maintenance (CBM). Based on visual inspections and electrical measurements, the actual condition of the frequency drives, which regulate the speed and power of the cranes, is continuously monitored. Some parts, such as the capacitors, are normally replaced after nine years, but may last longer on closer inspection. Postponement of replacement and maintenance can save direct maintenance costs and replacement can be scheduled at a more suitable moment.
On the other hand, a part can wear out faster than expected. In this case, earlier replacement prevents failure and downtime of the cranes. The same goes for the circuit breakers, which among others protect the frequency drives against short circuits. Because Bakker Sliedrecht also handles maintenance and repairs at other terminals and maritime vessels, the company has reference data available. Based on the inspection data from the cranes, the Bakker Sliedrecht can better predict which part needs to be replaced and when. Bakker has its own repair department for repairing and testing frequency drives.
Within its maintenance program, Bakker Sliedrecht has also deployed other innovations such as Remote Assistance and Augmented Reality (AR). “With Remote Assistance, we can log in remotely and help the operators to solve problems. That is especially valuable during the international travel restrictions this year,” says Van der Velde. Using the AR glasses, technicians see all kinds of digital information on computer screens via a live connection. Springvloet: “In this way it feels like we can almost stand beside them.
