Application under the toughest conditions
At Hydro Precision Tubing in Lichtervelde, Belgium, Clark has once again proven that "Built-to-last" is not an empty promise. The application in the cast house demands top performance from two Clark forklifts of the C55sD series every day. The trucks not only have to withstand the enormous heat of the melting oven, but also prove their abilities when handling heavy loads.

The Clark diesel forklift with a load capacity of 5.5 tons is subjected to a special endurance test at the melting furnace.

Hydro Precision Tubing is part of the Norwegian company Norsk Hydro ASA, an aluminium supplier that operates worldwide along the entire value chain. The Lichtervelde site is one of six Hydro sites in Belgium and has more than 70 years of experience in the development and production of high-frequency welded aluminium tubes. These are manufactured from recycled aluminium in various alloys and with different surface treatments, in diameters from 12 to 76 mm and wall thicknesses from 0.6 to 3 mm.

After the Clark forklift has removed the dross from the furnace, it has to remove the collection containers with the dross.

Recycling for own production

In Lichtervelde Hydro recycles 80 to 100 tons of aluminium scrap per day for tube production. In the first production step, slabs are cast from the melted aluminium. Hydro can produce three aluminium slabs per furnace charge. The slabs weigh 7.5 tons each with a length of 5 meters. Hydro can produce three aluminium slabs per furnace charge. The slabs weigh 7.5 tons each with a length of 5 meters. The slabs are further processed in the rolling mill into coils from which tubes are later produced. To ensure that the individual production steps run smoothly, the aluminum specialist not only uses state-of-the-art production technology, but also powerful and reliable solutions for internal material flow. Hydro does not only use its materials handling vehicles for classic materials handling applications, but two Clark forklifts, have to face a very special challenge in the cast house.

The forklift is equipped with a rotating 5-metre long mandrel, at the end of which there is a scraping device with which the forklift removes the dross. The truck is exposed to very high temperature around the clock.

Daily endurance test

Clark forklifts of the C55sD series with a load capacity of 5.5 tons have been working on the re-melting part of the cast house for a little over a year. Old aluminium is melted here at temperatures of up to 700 degrees. Their task is to remove the dross from the hot furnace after each melting process before it is refilled. Strictly speaking, only one Clark forklift truck performs this task. Since the operation runs around the clock, the second forklift serves as a back-up and for transporting parts within the cast house. "We only shut down the melting oven and casting furnace once a year for maintenance," explains Yves Viaene, Manager Foundry, Hydro Precision Tubing. "If a vehicle breaks down for any reason, we need to have a replacement truck on hand immediately so that production does not stop. For this reason, we have purchased two identical Clark forklifts."

In order to remove the dross from the furnace, the truck has an attachment with a rotating five-meter-long mandrel. At the end of the mandrel is a scraping device with which the truck removes the dross. This is not an easy task, as the forklift is exposed to very high heat around the clock, despite the long distance from the oven.

The truck had to be equipped with a Clark Blue Safety Light to comply with Hydro's strict safety regulations.

Tailor-made for the application

In order to be optimally equipped for the demanding task, the trucks had to be protected against the intense heat on the one hand and equipped with additional safety features on the other hand, in order to meet Hydro's strict safety regulations. Clark's dealer in Belgium, Hendrik Deceuninck based in Izegem, took a close look at the application and the specifications and then presented Hydro with a forklift operation concept, taking into account the special requirements. "We had to protect all heat-sensitive electronic parts against the effects of heat," explains Marino Dendooven, sales consultant at Hendrik Deceuninck. "The windscreen was fitted with additional heat-resistant glass to prevent it from cracking, and the air conditioning system was also protected against the heat. In order to comply with Hydro's strict safety regulations, the vehicles are equipped with the Clark Blue Safety Light, which is attached to the top of the overhead guard frame and projects a large blue dot onto the floor. "In this way, people and other forklift drivers are warned of approaching vehicles," says Dendooven. The Deceuninck company also enclosed the Blue Spot to protect it from heat - as well as the hoses of the rotating attachment. The OptaFleet fleet management system is used to monitor the engine temperature of the truck. It warns the driver, if the truck is overheating. The mast is also of particular importance in the demanding task of the truck, which is put under enormous strain by the heavy attachments. "The predecessor vehicles of a market competitors were constantly defective because the mast could not withstand the hard application," says Yves Viaene. "We have now solved this problem with the Clark forklifts." The Clark mast with a robust torsion-resistant 6-roller fork carriage and adjustable inclined support rollers ensures the best possible distribution of the load and minimal play.

Clark has enclosed all heat-sensitive components and also the air conditioning system to protect against the effects of heat. The windshield has been fitted with additional heat-resistant glass to prevent it from cracking.

The hoses of the rotating attachment were protected against the heat as well.

CLARK Material Handling International

Since the forklift was invented by Eugene Clark in Buchanan, Michigan (USA) in 1917, CLARK has been one of the worldwide market leaders in the industrial truck business. With more than 100 years of experience in the industrial truck sector and over 1.4 million forklifts sold worldwide, the CLARK brand, which is proud of its roots in America, is associated with modern and robust product design, progressive, sophisticated technology and excellent customer service. Since 2003, CLARK has been part of the South Korean Young An Group based in Bucheon and offers a complete portfolio consisting of forklifts with electric power or internal combustion engines and load capacities of 1.5 to 8 tons, narrow-aisle forklifts, storage technology and an extensive range of services. CLARK Material Handling International (CMHI) with its head office in Bucheon, South Korea, is currently represented worldwide by more than 337 dealers at 474 locations in 93 nations. The operations are managed at four headquarters around the world. Production is assembled according to European quality standards at plants in Korea, the United States and China. With 168 Clark dealers in 58 countries, CLARK Europe GmbH is one of four subsidiaries of CMHI and serves the regions of Europe, the Middle East and Africa from its headquarters in Duisburg, Germany.

You can also visit CLARK online at www.clarkmheu.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CLARK.the.forklift.

From left to right: Yves Viaene, Manager Foundry, Hydro Precision Tubing and Marino Dendooven, sales consultant at Hendrik Deceuninck.

For more information, please contact:

CLARK Europe GmbH
Sabine Barde
Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: 02065-49913-230
Email: send an email
Web: www.clarkmheu.com
Dr.-Alfred-Herrhausen-Allee 33
47228 Duisburg