Application: George Washington Bridge Suspension Cable Replacement
Company: Skanska-Koch Joint Venture
Location: New York City
Hoist Model: Columbia HU19500–4A17-L-01 AC Electric Hoists (Five units)
Performance Based on 460 VAC / 3 Phase / 660Hz:
Line Pull: 19,500 pounds on the first layer
Line Speed: 28 feet per minute on the first layer
Wire Rope Capacity: 1,497 feet x 5/8” 6X36 EIPS wire rope
Special Features (Hoist):
- 20.0 HP TEFC UL-listed brakemotor
- Mounting code: FM-12
- Rated for continuous duty
- Automatic, load-suspending braking system
- Tension roller with linear potentiometer
- Gray epoxy (Devran 261QC) overcoat
- 1200 feet x 5/8” EIPS wire rope on each hoist
Special Features (Controls):
Hoists are paired on custom fabricated skids with an enclosed cab for the operator on each one.
- 460/3/60 input power
- NEMA 12 rated enclosure
- Variable frequency drives for each hoist
- Control system includes
- Digital proportional joysticks to operate hoist separately A (Hoist A)
- Digital proportional joystick to operate both at the same time
- Pushbutton, Locking – E-Stop
- Selector switch for low speed/high torque or high speed/low torque (4:1 differential)
- Low Speed – 0-60 HZ -100% Torque Max
- High-Speed – 0-120 HZ – 25% Torque Max
- System status indicator lights
- Touch screen display
- Main screen
- Line Speed for both hoists in feet per minute
- Torque output of each motor
- Wire rope layer on each hoist
- Status/Maintenance Screen
- Cumulative operating hours
- Fault display
- Overload
- Encoder Error
- Brake Wear
- Brake Function
- DBR Overtemp
- VFD status
- Main screen
- 100% duty dynamic brake resistors in NEMA 3R enclosures
Why APPI: When it came time to replace the suspension cables on the George Washington Bridge, the busiest motor vehicle bridge in the world carrying over 103 million vehicles per year, joint venture Skanska Koch was awarded the bid based on their experience with similar suspension cable replacements project they had completed.
Skanska’s Senior Project Manager for the GWB Project, Mike McCue, researched many types of hoists – including hydraulic, pneumatic and AC electric. Based on prior experience with pneumatic hoists that did not meet their operating requirements and eliminating hydraulic units due to environmental concerns, he eliminated all other potential vendors and asked us to provide him with custom Columbia AC electric hoists for the project.
After a facility visit to by Skanska to review parameters and specifications prior to building the hoists, we manufactured and delivered the construction hoist systems almost a month ahead of schedule.
Please contact us if you would like more information about these construction hoist systems or any of our other products and services.
