Industrial transport - functions, types and features

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

At the current stage of industrial development, logistics is of great importance. The speed of movement of various kinds of goods in the maintenance of production processes must be maintained at specified rates, otherwise enterprises will not be able to perform planned tasks. A key role in such processes is played by industrial transport, carrying out transportation, as well as performing lifting and unloading and other auxiliary functions.

Features of industrial vehicles

The specifics of the industrial use of transport equipment is determined by the special characteristics of the goods and the conditions of their delivery. What does the concept of an industrial vehicle mean in principle? In each case, it is worth considering the specific functions of technology as a full-fledged and self-sufficient carrier. For example, industrial rail transport, which carries out more than 80% of intra-industrial transportation in the country, is defined asa set of direct trains and service infrastructure with tracks, signaling devices, structures, etc. It is the tight connection to the technological production or transport infrastructure that is the key feature of such equipment, but, of course, not the only one.

In addition to the principles of operation and connection with various technological processes, transport of this kind has special performance characteristics. The same rail transport delivers goods in volumes that are several times higher than those of mainline carriers. A special category is hoisting industrial transport, which, depending on the type, not only manipulates goods on the spot, but also moves them in volumes up to 600 tons. Heat and electric locomotives operating at mining and processing plants stand out in terms of traction and power. For example, 2000-kilowatt equipment is involved in quarrying at a depth of up to 500 m. Conventional equipment, of course, cannot cope with such tasks. And now it’s worth taking a closer look at the functional orientation of special equipment for the industrial sector.

What are the functions of industrial transport?

The main task can be defined as the movement of cargo, which can be understood as raw materials, fuel, building materials, food products, etc. In many respects, the specifics of the technical organization of the transportation process depend on the type of serviced objects. Here it is worth highlighting the different ways of moving goods. Fundamentally sharethe following types of transportation: long-distance intercontinental, main road and intrashop. Technologically, transportation tasks may also differ - equipment moves on rails, on wheels, caterpillars, etc. Liquid fuel, gas mixtures, electricity and hydraulic pressure can be used as a traction source.

Special attention deserves the functions of industrial transport associated with lifting and unloading operations. In order to optimize production and transportation processes, manufacturers of vehicles tend to equip vehicles with power units for handling loads. On the contrary, classic warehouse trucks are actively developing in their driving characteristics, which expands the possibilities of their application. In some industries, the concept of equipping transport with autonomous gripping and moving elements is in demand. For example, switch cranes and winches provide the ability to install and dismantle structures at the bases of marine vessels.

Road transport

One of the most developed and widespread worldwide ways of cargo transportation on trackless tracks. In industrial sectors, the main motor transport is used, which carries out transportation on short, intracity and intercity routes. Long-distance routes are usually used to transport valuable and perishable products, as well as materials that are inconvenient or impossible to deliver by other industrial vehicles in given logistical conditions. Today, in one form or another, cars are used in almost all areas of production activity - from industrial complexes to agricultural enterprises.

Although the road infrastructure is characterized by a whole range of problems associated with environmental and technological negative factors of operation, the share of trucks in the tasks of the industrial sector is increasing every year. Also, experts predict the active growth of this type of transportation against the backdrop of improved technology. Optimization of structures and methods of power supply is already improving the quality of forwarding services for industrial road transport, increasing the volume of cargo turnover. Logistics companies offer ever more efficient direct transport schemes, eliminating wasteful and high-cost car models.

Rail transport

In many developed countries, railway transport is the main means of cargo transportation on an industrial scale. At the same time, the infrastructure for servicing and maintaining production trains can be organically connected to public railway transport complexes. For example, in Russia, industrial railway transport enterprises are part of the structure of the Russian Railways company and include the following infrastructure elements:

• Railway access tracks. The length of industrial access roads in the country is about 60,000 km, which is over 75% of the total length of all Russian railways. The length of lines served by one organization, independing on the magnitude of the latter, it can vary from 100 m to 400 km.
• Tractive stock. Directly locomotives, most of which run on diesel traction. This group includes all kinds of traction machines, main diesel locomotives, as well as railcars. Industrial rail networks almost do not use power plants for power, so the infrastructure lacks appropriate contact networks.
• Rolling stock. Thanks to this technique, industrial rail transport can, in principle, carry multi-ton loads. Rolling stock includes both standard freight and special wagons. For example, it can be tanks, platforms, hoppers, dump cars, refrigerators, etc.

Regardless of the composition and form of the railway infrastructure, it must be maintained by a special organization with the appropriate qualifications. These are companies involved in the operation, maintenance and repair of elements of the railway complex.

Technological transport

Also an extensive group of vehicles that may differ in design, principle of operation, purpose, etc. In particular, the following types of industrial vehicles in this category are distinguished:

• Construction machinery.
• Production transport.
• Fold transport.
• Mining and underground machines.
• Communication transport channels.

All types of technological transport are united by the fact that, except fordelivery, they can also perform intermediate handling of goods - from lifting and unloading to basic processing like separation. The latter function is especially relevant for mining bunker trains and self-propelled wagons, which perform basic coarse sorting operations right at the receiving or unloading site.

In warehouse and hydraulic technology, to a greater extent, the emphasis is on power handling manipulations in special conditions. The ability to perform intermodal operations, for example, characterizes floor trackless transport. Wheeled industrial reachstackers can handle empty and loaded containers, thus not only realizing the movement of cargo, but also performing the distribution of technological equipment on the job site.

Rope vehicles

The fundamental difference between this type of transport can be called the use of cable traction. Specific devices include end haulers, trolleys, hanging tanks and scrapers. Haulage is used to transport various raw materials along production routes. They move uphill along workings with a slope of up to 6 degrees, and go down under their own weight.

At mining plants today, combined devices and rope-powered devices are more often used. These can be small hoisting machines with double-drum winches, provided with traction ropes, safety and towing devices.

Suspension mechanisms inmainly used by mining industrial enterprises, the transport of which must carry out the delivery of rock in conditions where there is no possibility of constructing metal bearing supports and a concrete foundation. Traction is carried out by means of suspended ring roads on a two-rope junction. Such systems have higher productivity, but the safety requirements are much higher than conventional wire rope machines.

Features of conveyor transport

A specific type of technological transport, which is also used in the maintenance of rock masses. The conveyor principle of moving goods is based on the operation of belt, screw, scraper and screw mechanisms that deliver the material to the immediate place of processing or collection. For example, in coal mines, drag and belt conveyors are often used, and on the surface, belt-rope transport lines are used. In Russia today there is an active development of industrial transport based on a conveyor system. The total length of such networks is 3,000 km, and the speed of movement is from 1 to 7 m/s.

Actually, the main advantage of conveyors is the high flow of movement of the delivery line, which also leads to considerable performance indicators - on average, about 15-20 thousand m33/h. The volume of delivery and the speed of the line will depend on the power of the connected drive and the design implementation of the conveyor itself. The length of the transportation line, by the way,can range from 3 to 15 km. But the shortcomings of this transport are immediately revealed, such as the need for large-scale construction of a structure right in the quarry.

Rules for the operation of industrial vehicles

Because industrial vehicles may touch different areas of production during use, cross-industry rules are applied to regulate operational processes. The main ones include the following:

• Transport is released to the work site or line only if it is in good condition and the lines of communication are ready. A special technical inspection certificate must first be drawn up.
• Defective or unsafe vehicles are taken out of service and are not allowed until they are restored to a condition suitable for safe use.
• Before commissioning, vehicles receive a special marking with a state license plate and registration data from the operating organization.
• In accordance with the inter-sectoral rules for the operation of industrial vehicles, equipment must also be equipped with an emergency kit. It includes not only standard items like a first aid kit with a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle, but also technical devices like wheel stops.

It is also worth emphasizing that only employees with the appropriate qualifications are allowed directly to manage, maintain and service transport. As a rule, in complex operation they takethe participation of entire groups of specialists - from the driver to the electrical engineer and mechanic.

How does this mode of transport affect the environment?

To this day, the main drive mechanism of most vehicles is the internal combustion engine. And in the manufacturing sector, where the greatest demands are placed on power, this factor is especially noticeable. For the same reason, in the rules on labor protection of industrial transport, special attention is paid to the processes of using fuels and fuels and lubricants. The processes of maintenance, storage and use of oily substances used in refueling equipment are strictly regulated.

But one of the main contributors to pollution is exhaust gas. For example, when burning 1 ton of gasoline in a conventional internal combustion engine, about 200-250 kg of carbon monoxide is released. Against this background, rail transport is becoming more and more attractive, which has obvious environmental advantages over the same wagons and trucks. Locomotives emit much smaller amounts of harmful gases, while coping with heavy loads during transportation.

The same universal environmental threats include factors handling hazardous goods. Both vehicles and trains can equally transport toxic, flammable and explosive materials, which requires special attention when organizing such events. Therefore, industrial transport in Russia, for example, in accordance with environmental standards, is provided with separate premises andcontainers for the transport of combustible, radioactive, flammable, caustic and gaseous materials. Moreover, even building paints and electrical products require special insulation, both during transportation and when kept at a temporary storage facility.

Development of industrial transport equipment

Prospects for the development of this category of transport are associated with the introduction of new technologies that allow increasing freight traffic with the same or less labor costs and energy resources. In the automotive sector, trucking companies are increasingly willing to switch to green vehicles. This is especially true for short distances, where trucks can only use electrical energy without connecting traditional internal combustion engines. Large companies also follow the requirements of labor protection in the operation of industrial vehicles, which is reflected in the increase in the safety of technical equipment. This can be seen in the examples of equipping cabins with modern climate control and ventilation systems, as well as in improving the ergonomics of systems and controls. Serious changes are taking place in the power plants. So far, the refusal of fuel engines is not particularly noticeable, but at least there is a process of replacing explosive diesel plants with units with an improved exhaust gas cleaning system.

Conclusion

As globalization and merging of different areas of transport operation, the importance of transportation organization processes increases. Today, point route planning is not enoughwithout detailed consideration of the various parameters of the operation. Therefore, the practice of developing entire projects for the use of industrial transport is being approved. In SNiP 2.05.07-91, for example, there are requirements to take into account the throughput and carrying capacity of a particular transport for the estimated period. Transportation schedules are compiled on the basis of the technical and operational data of a particular facility, which are correlated with the nature of the functioning of technological processes in the serviced production. Compliance with the requirements for a detailed calculation of transportation ultimately allows you to minimize the costs of transportation operations, and in some cases significantly increase the productivity of target enterprises whose logistics system uses transportation.