STREET CRANES INSTALLED AT
WORLD-LEADING SPACE
FACILITY
world-leading space
facility is using 14 new
overhead cranes from
Street Crane to help lift
and manoeuvre highly
specialist equipment around the 80,700
sq ft site.
A
The RAL Space facility in Oxfordshire
forms a key part of the Rutherford
Appleton Laboratory, which is operated
by the Science & Technology Facility
Council (STFC). Involved in more
than 210 space missions, RAL Space is
home to one of the most sophisticated
space design, production and research
facilities in Europe. It comprises thermal
vacuum chambers, 15 cleanrooms and
low vibration chambers, which recreate
conditions in outer space and at blast-off.
Working with main contractor Willmott
Dixon, Street Crane designed and installed
11 new overhead cranes with lifting
capacities ranging from 0.5 tonnes to 10
tonnes. These are used throughout the
building for lifting and moving scientific
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equipment and instrumentation and
other specialist materials used by RAL.
Two larger cranes have since been
installed, each featuring specially-
des igned dual hoists that are integrated
into common hoist trolleys for
independent lifting operations. The main
50-tonne hoist is used for infrequent
heavy lifts and the 15-tonne hoist offers
a faster lifting speed intended for smaller
loads and regular use.
The other crane is similarly configured
with a 30-tonne lifting capacity and with
an auxiliary 5 tonne hoist fitted. This
30/5tonne crane spans the full 35-metre
width of the facilities hall and will be
used to transfer space instrumentation
and equipment across to the hall’s clean
rooms for assembly and testing.
Chris Lindley-Smith, sales director at
Street Crane said: “We’re really proud to
have played a part in RAL Space’s world-
class space research and technology
development facility.
“The larger cranes’ dual hoists have
been designed specifically to suit the
operation’s requirements on quite
significant structures that both span over
35m.
“The other smaller cranes will ensure
that space instruments weighing up
to 10 tonnes can be lifted and moved
very effectively, reliably and safely. Our
ZX hoists improve performance and
safety while at the same time reduce the
need for maintenance. These benefits
are essential in such a demanding
environment, which has to meet the
exacting needs of customers and
collaborators.”
This is the second STFC facility that uses
overhead cranes designed and installed
by Street Crane. Two overhead cranes
also form part of the Boulby Underground
Laboratory, a world-class £1.7m science
facility located 1,100m underground in
Yorkshire.
www.streetcane.com