Tough test
From ship-hoisting in the Gulf to contamination-free medical clean rooms, technology is keeping pace with the increasingly complex demands made of control applications. Julia Pierce reports
Whether working in construction in the deserts of the Middle East or supporting those searching for oil in the Arctic, wherever hydraulic and pneumatic applications are involved, the technologies are continually expected to deliver more.
Nowadays, such systems are used in highly testing environments, covering everything from the development of landmine clearance equipment to lifeboat launch systems — the RNLI uses systems designed and supported by
of Shropshire.
In the Middle East,
recently successfully supplied the complete drive and control technology for two ship-lifting and transfer installations at purpose-built maritime centre Dubai Maritime City.
These included the use of a powerful wheel tractor with hydrostatic drive to pull ships over a rail transfer system ready to be repaired in the inland dry docks of Jadaf Dubai shipyard, providing the facility with direct access to the sea. The equipment had to be capable of hoisting cargo ships up to 430ft (130m) long and weighing up to 6,000 tonnes out of the Persian Gulf before transporting them overland.
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