Straightpoint (Indonesia) – PT. Xtra uses the 50t Radiolink plus to complete a load test on a knuckle boom deck crane.

Batam, Indonesia-based PT. Xtra Solusindo Sukses used 5t water bags and a 50t load cell from Straightpoint to complete a load test on a knuckle boom deck crane on a ship docked at a local shipyard owned by the Jan de Nul Group.

The company, a specialist in load testing, completes annual inspection of the crane, which has a safe working load of 11.6t at a radius of 6.27m and 5.3t at 12.04m. It was manufactured by Italy’s Heila, a provider of custom-built marine and offshore lifting equipment.

PT. Xtra, which services oil and gas, construction and marine customers, stocks load cells ranging in capacity from 5t to 200t but in this case it chose Straightpoint’s most popular product, the Radiolink plus. Commonly used in conjunction with water bags, the load cell is capable of both weighing and dynamic load monitoring.

Heru Gunawan, director at PT. Xtra, said: “Load testing is not only a legal requirement in all provinces, states and most countries, but it is also an essential part of any accredited inspection, repair, or maintenance program for lifting equipment. We cannot fulfil our role in these important processes without load cells.”

PT. Xtra completes up to four load tests every month, many of which represent repeat business from regular customers. It has recently employed Straightpoint’s force measurement, load monitoring and suspended weighing load cell equipment on a myriad of applications, including load tests on an overhead crane in a Batam warehouse and a davit crane used for releasing rescue boats.

Gunawan said: “We prefer to use our own stock because we work in a pressurised environment that relies on efficient provision of accurate information. Understanding the equipment we utilise is key to that. Our team has a comprehensive knowledge of our inventory of load cells, water bags and other lifting and rigging equipment.”

The latest Radiolink plus wireless dynamometer is constructed of aircraft grade aluminium and features an advanced internal design structure that not only provides the product with great strength to weight ratio, but also facilitates the use of a separate internal sealed enclosure. Electronic components are provided with IP67 environmental protection even with the battery cover plate missing, suiting the dynamometer to demanding applications, such as the oil and gas, construction and marine projects in which PT. Xtra employs its use.

Gunawan added that the scope of work from Jan de Nul included completion of a load test on a second similar crane aboard a separate vessel. Again, the Radiolink plus was utilised.