Moving multi-ton weights fluidly
Process cranes for
the steel industry
the steel industry
Automated cranes for the metal industry
Sheets, coils, tubes, and wire made of steel or copper are base materials for numerous industries—from automotive manufacturing to power plant construction to medical technology. Before these materials can be further processed, they undergo several handling, storage, and machining steps. Each of these steps has its own specific requirements in terms of precision, material protection, and process reliability.
For several decades, Vollert has been developing and implementing crane systems for leading manufacturers in the steel and metal industries that move sensitive heavy-load materials weighing up to 50 metric tons reliably, without damage, and around the clock. These systems are not off-the-shelf standard solutions, but are specifically designed to meet the requirements of the respective material profile, process logic, and operational needs.
Where Heavy-Duty Cranes Are Used
From steel coils and sheet metal to copper wire and metal pipes: Vollert develops automated crane and handling systems that move delicate, heavy-duty materials weighing up to 50 metric tons reliably, without damage, and around the clock.
Coils and sheets – Handling sensitive flat materials
Steel coils and sheets are raw materials used in car body parts, household appliances, plumbing fixtures, and many other products. Handling them poses special challenges: The materials are heavy—often weighing several metric tons per unit—yet their surfaces are delicate. Scratches, dents, or deformations can result in the rejection of entire batches.
In practice, this means that crane systems for coils and sheet metal must not only lift and transport, but also rotate, turn, and position with precision—all within tightly scheduled production environments where downtime results in direct costs. To address this, Vollert designs specialized cranes with slewing, hoisting, and trolley mechanisms tailored to the specific material characteristics and process logic.
COIL HANDLING
For the transport and storage of steel or aluminum coils, Vollert relies on automated crane systems equipped with specially designed load-handling attachments. These attachments handle the coils gently, without damaging their surfaces, and position them precisely in storage or transfer locations. Systems of this type have been implemented for Aleris, among others.
SHEET METAL HANDLING
Sheet metal handling depends on surface pressure, gripper geometry, and positioning accuracy. Vollert develops crane systems that pick up, transport, and precisely transfer sheet metal—either individually or in stacks—even in brownfield situations with limited space in the facility.
Automated transport in wire and tube production
Copper and steel wire are key materials for the electrical industry, the automotive sector, and, increasingly, for electric mobility. The demand for reliable, automated handling systems for wire coils and spools is growing accordingly. Wire spools place specific demands on load-handling attachments, bearing geometry, and access logic.
This also applies to metal tubes. Their production requires several rolling and machining steps, between which Vollert crane systems serve as a central interface. Pipes are typically transported in cassettes. Spreaders with twist-lock mechanisms mounted on the trolley chassis pick up these cassettes and transfer them precisely to the next process station.
WIRE HANDLING
Wire spools and wire bundles place specific demands on load-handling devices, bearing geometry, and access logic. Fully automated crane systems from Vollert ensure safe and precise transport within production and warehouse logistics. These customized solutions ensure short cycle times, high process reliability, and gentle material handling—even with heavy loads and during 24/7 operation.
PIPE HANDLING
Fully automated crane systems from Vollert ensure the safe and efficient transport of metal pipes in production, temporary storage, and shipping. The custom-designed systems enable precise material flow, gentle handling, and high throughput—even for long, heavy, or delicate pipe products in continuous operation.
The metal industry uses different crane systems
Steel and metal materials combine two properties that seem contradictory at first glance: they are heavy—often weighing several dozen metric tons—and yet fragile at the same time. Surface damage to sheet metal or coils, deformations in pipes, or scratches on copper wire can render entire batches unusable and result in costly rework or scrap.
Added to this is the process logic: In the steel and metal industry, crane systems are not isolated means of transport. They form a central interface between rolling and machining areas, intermediate storage facilities, shipping zones, and production lines. Downtime or positioning errors have a direct impact on the entire production flow.
Standard crane solutions—such as those used in general mechanical engineering or logistics—are not designed for this combination of load capacity, material sensitivity, proximity to the process, and 24/7 operation. Vollert develops systems that take precisely these requirements as their starting point.
System architecture
A crane system in the steel and metal industry is rarely a standalone investment. It is part of a production and logistics architecture in which material flow, warehouse logistics, process control, and interfaces with adjacent systems must all work together. Anyone who plans only the crane is not thinking far enough ahead.
That is why Vollert does not see itself merely as a crane manufacturer, but as an engineering partner that keeps the entire system in view. This begins with an analysis of the material profile and process logic, continues through the design of load-handling devices, control architecture, and material flow computers, and extends to integration with WMS, MES, and production control systems. Brownfield situations—that is, the integration of new systems into existing facility structures and ongoing operational processes—are also part of our daily project work.
