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When a manufacturer of concrete blocks wanted to improve the handling of the finished blocks in the yard, the hydraulics specialist tasked with the design approached Sensor-Technik for help with the control system. The design was for a special pick-up tool that could pick up and set down the blocks without using pallets and with no need for the operator to get out of the vehicle.
The designer had already devised the mechanical and hydraulic equipment for the concrete block lifter, and Sensor-Technik was required to create a simple solution for the hydraulic valve control, making use of an existing remote control unit in the yard vehicle used by the concrete block manufacturer. And with the intended operating environment being both outdoors and potentially hazardous, the system had to be rugged and robust.
Sensor-Technik set about designing a “black-box” controller that could be connected to the receiver of the remote unit to control the valves as required. Protection against vibration and shock impact were key design considerations, especially as the control unit had be mounted as close as possible to the hydraulic valves themselves.
Crucially, the first part of the design process involved talking with the vehicle operators themselves to get their feelings about what was required. Only then did Sensor-Technik start to work closely with the hydraulics company to develop and prove the solution. With the system built and all the mechanical and hydraulic components in place, Sensor-Technik brought the control system to the site and was able to complete the wiring and control system installation. And, true to form, the system was up and running within a few hours.
This was an application where good consultation, accurate specification and a close working relationship with the hydraulics company meant the control system was right first time and could be installed in a single day.
