Slashing Turbine Manufacturing Costs
Gas turbine engines, gas turbine-powered compressor sets, mechanical-drive packages and generator sets ranging up to 22 MW and 30,0000 hp can weigh as much as 90,000 kg and the final packaged units can be 9 m long. Moving them through the manufacturing process is at times a challenging. Solar Turbines has now incorporated a pair of Wheelift IP-SPMTs (In-Plant Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) into the process at its Mabank TX plant.
Benefits include increased efficiency and effectively reducing the cost of manufacturing via the savings in time and personnel gained through the use of Wheelift’s transporter technology.
Significant Savings
Stephen Burkhalter, Solar Turbine’s job coordinator notes that use of Wheelift IP-SPMT allows Solar to operate four times more quickly and use one third of the personnel formerly needed. In addition to manufacturing efficiency, Solar avoided costly investments in real estate due to the manoeuvrability and precise movement capability afforded them by the Wheelift IP-SPMT. “We purchased the transporters due to factory constraints. We don’t have the space for big tugs. Our space is limited and, instead of spending the money on a newbuilding or increasing our floor space, these transporters can turn very sharply and manoeuvre these packages in any way we choose.” noted Paul Keifer, Solar Turbine’s value stream manager.