Latest Plant Projects
Rigging of Turbine Generators for Siemens Westinghouse
AME’s Customer - Siemens Westinghouse – Charlotte, NC
Following the decline in the power industry Siemens Westinghouse was left with over a dozen turbine generators which were produced to support predicted power programs and the decision was made to store them at the Charlotte, NC facility. Due to already limited space and insufficient foundations, Siemens approached AME to assist them with the foundations and off-loading of the Generators from the rail-cars on which they would be delivered to site as part of the Generator storage program.
AME’s project managers and estimators worked hand in hand on a design build for the layouts (locations) and designs of the fifteen (15) massive concrete slabs which would be installed in the field behind the plant and adjacent to the rail spur from which the generators would be unloaded. As members of AME’s General Construction division raced to get the foundations completed, members of AME’s Rigging and Millwright division worked to provide a comprehensive lift plan and associated costs to move the generators from the gravel encased rail system to the newly installed foundations. These generators varied in size and weight. The smallest generators were 12 wide, 12’ tall, 34’ long and weighed 500,000 lbs. The largest generators were 12’ wide, 13’ tall, 38’ long and weighed 625,000 lbs. Moving pieces of this magnitude across gravel, soil and onto concrete terrains requires considerable research, planning and rehearsal.
With years of experience assisting Siemens and other customers with foundations, heavy lifts and millwright support AME was more than prepared to provide the planning, equipment and personnel to cost effectively get this project completed. After numerous site visits, plan reviews, etc it was decided that a Lift Plan involving AME’s Lift Systems 500 Ton Power Tower with Wedgelock System would be the safest and most cost effective way to move the generators from the railcars across gravel and uneven soil to the new foundations.
AME personnel pre-determined the strategic locations along the rail spur from which each generator would be unloaded and then determined the locations for the four posts of the 500 Ton gantry system (which would be relocated for each generator) to lift the generators off the railcars. Once each generator was raised from the railcar it would have to be transferred from the rail line to the foundations utilizing specialized dollies and beams. This plan called for heavy steel beams to be placed under the generator for the dollies to roll on. In turn, these beams had to withstand the enormous weight of the generators and not compress at any point along the path of travel. The Lift Plan underwent several revisions and modifications prior to the first lif. Each modification was field tested at AME’s corporate headquarters under the supervision of AME’s President, Frank S. Campbell and members of the project management staff to guarantee safe rigging practices and inspections were repeated each time.
After several tests the plan was completed and AME mobilized to site to begin moving the generators. The fist step was to use precision level transits to survey the unload points along the rail line for each generator and the path of travel for each generator to its respective foundation. Using hard-wood timbers (12x12’s, 8x8’s, 6x6’s, 4x4’s), pre-compressed plywood shims, plate /shim steel AME field personnel constructed and precision leveled four 6’x 20’ bases for the Towers of the Gantry system to set on. The elevation of these bases and all track systems was predicated by the elevation of the railcar rails at the pre-determined unload points and the elevation of the respective foundation for that unload point. Onto each base AME set a 20’ section of 4’ wide Tower track. This allowed AME to adjust the locations of each gantry tower parallel to the railcar tracks. Between the Gantry towers, perpendicular to the railroad tracks and in-line with the concrete foundation onto which each generator would be set, AME personnel constructed and precision leveled a series of 30’ long W14x211 parallel dolly beams / track. These beams were reinforced with ½” gusset plate installed on both sides and the full length of each beam. The two dolly beams, which made up each 30’ section of track, were tied together using five W10x33 beams per section of track. These W10’s prevented the dolly beams from rolling in or out and kept them in line with each other while the generator passed across them. Under this system of dolly beams / track AME personnel again utilized hard-wood timbers, compressed plywood, and plate / shim steel to overcome the inconsistent terrain between the railcar rails and each foundation. Once this system was completed the 30’ section of dolly track which crossed the railcar rails was removed and set aside allowing the railcar to move into position.
Using a 175 Ton crane from AME’s crane division, the four Power Towers of AME’s 500 Ton Gantry System were placed onto the 20’ sections of 4’ Tower track on either side of the rail tracks and the four (4) main lifting beams (W36x300’s – reinforced by ¾” plate gussets every 5’ on both sides of the beam) were placed atop the towers. Four lifting D-rings were installed around the upper W36’s and Twin-path nylon slings (rated at 200,000 lbs each) were attached to the D-rings. At this point the generator was moved into position under the gantry system, all lift items were checked and rigging was connected to the generator. A pre-lift check was conducted, the Power Towers of the 500 Ton Gantry System were engaged and a synchronized lift of the generator raised the generator off the railcar. The railcar was then taken away and the 30’ section of dolly beam / track previously removed was repositioned under the generator and connected to the rest of the track system.
The generator was then lowered onto four 100 Ton custom made Hillman dollies. Each dolly had been custom designed by AME & Hillman dolly engineering with roller guides and heads that would keep each dolly aligned and centered on the beam as it moved under the massive weight of the generator. Attached to each of the two lead dollies was a hydraulic cylinder and clamping system. This system was designed for pushing or pulling the dollies while carrying extreme weights. The major components of the system are a hydraulic cylinder with 48” of stroke and a clamping device with hydraulic clamp jacks. This device wraps around the top flange of the dolly beam, provides a stable base point from which each dolly can be pushed or pulled and can be clamped along any location along the beams. Once the generator was resting completely on the dollies, the gantry system was disconnected, a pre-move check of the track system, dollies and push/clamping system was conducted and the process of moving the generator across the tracks began. The generator was moved 48” with each stroke of the push / clamp system until it was sitting centered above the concrete foundation.
Once the generator was safely and efficiently relocated over the concrete pad, the 500 Ton Lift Systems Power Tower System was reset into lift position around the generator & foundation. To expedite this relocation of the gantry system AME once again utilized one of AME’s 175 Ton cranes to quickly remove the header beams, relocate the Power Towers and re-install the W36 header beams. Again, all tower support pads, header beams, etc were checked for level and all rigging and equipment was checked prior to lifting the generator. The generator was then lifted off of the dollies, the dolly beam framework was removed from under the generator, and the generator was lowered onto the concrete pad. Once the generator was securely set onto the concrete pad, the entire Gantry system, track system, etc was dismantled and re-erected elsewhere along the railcar system to receive the next generator.
The entire process requires approximately 3 days per generator and has been completed more than 15 times by AME over the past 5 years. The first 15 times the generators were brought in for storage, since then AME has reversed the process moving 3 of the generators from the concrete pads onto rail cars for delivery to customers.
The successful completion and subsequent repeated successful execution of this process is a testament to the innovative thinking, standards of quality service and hard work of all AME’s employees. Such performance has been the backbone of the over 50 year history of AME and will continue to propel AME and their clients to the forefront of their industries well into the 21st Century.
The Green
AME Inc., set five pieces of the Niki de Saint Phalle Exhibition at Wells Fargo's public park, The Green, (across from the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art......
After coordinating the closure of College Street and Tryon Streets downtown Charlotte, NC across from the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, AME, Inc provided (2) two 90 ton hydraulic cranes with operators to rig and set (5) five pieces of the Niki de Saint Phalle Exhibition at The Green park. After securing the park and establishing safe barriers and distances for the hundreds of onlookers, a 90 ton hydraulic crane was erected at each end of the park to begin the delicate process of lifting the art work from the street and into position throughout the park. Rigging crews from AME, Inc, using nylon slings, softeners, and blocking, carefully set each of the pieces of art work in their respective display positions. The heaviest of the (5) five pieces of artwork weighed slightly more than 7'500 lbs.
Willie Stevenson looks inside a sculpture at The Green. The Bechtler
Museum of Art is presenting 55 works inside the museum and five
large-scale outdoor works in the park.
James Roberts prepares to move "La Cabeza", a sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle, into position at The Green in uptown Charlotte.
Willie Stevenson, Randy Adams, Scotty Terlinde, Kris Gholson, Shannon Tate, and James Roberts raise "Miles Davis" into position at The Green in uptown Charlotte.
Cofield
Chris Eddy and Tom Skews are up to their knees in concrete at the Perdue job Colield, North Carolina.
