KAMAX GmbH & Co. KG Project Report – Homberg Production Plant

KRAUSE built three stationary work platforms that were adapted to fit on the tops of two tempering furnaces and one annealing oven and to the conditions on site, to provide a greater level of safety for maintenance and repair work. The tops of the furnaces were fitted with steel platforms and guardrails as well as access ladders that slot into the platform base.

The tops of industrial furnaces tend to have a lot of equipment attached to them. This includes drainage and supply lines, cable ducts and other equipment, all of which meant that the work platforms had to be carefully adapted to the conditions on site. This is why KRAUSE first took detailed stock of all of the elements on site and of the furnaces dimensions during a visit to the KAMAX plant in Homberg (Ohm), where they also discussed the work platforms to be built and their requirements with KAMAX. KRAUSE's engineers subsequently used this information to create the production drawings for the three different work platforms.

The surfaces of these work platforms are made of steel grating with an anti-slip rating of R13, which will still provide the highest level of slip resistance possible even in the presence of oil and grease. Depending on the type of furnace, the steel grating was either fitted on one side, on one side with a step or on both sides of the top of the furnace with a central support. The edges of the work platforms were painted in the colour specified by KAMAX and fitted with fixed as well as removable powder-coated guardrails with mid rails and toe boards. The relevant platform access openings between the guardrails were fitted with swing gates.

Thanks to the fact that the guardrails are removable, it is also very easy to equip the work platforms with tools and materials and to replace parts quickly and easily when needed as part of the furnace maintenance work.  
 
This can be done using a ceiling crane or, depending on the space available, a forklift truck. On completion of the maintenance work, the guardrails can then be quickly replaced again to protect against falling from the platform.

The work platforms can be reached over ladders that are fitted with handrails on both sides and that easily slot into the platform bases. When they are not needed, they can be moved into a standby position by means two additional hooks and will subsequently not obstruct the space and traffic routes around the furnaces. Thanks to being manufactured in KRAUSE’s proven modular design, it will also be possible to expand the work platforms or adapt them to changing conditions at any time in the future, such as if a furnace were to changed or replaced. This sustainable solution has a positive impact on the investment costs involved and ensures that the work platforms can be easily adapted to any unanticipated future changes to the production systems.