Wire and Cable Manufacturing Crane Solutions
Wire and cable manufacturing (copper/aluminum rod coils 2–5 t per coil, stranding machines 50–200 t per unit, insulated wire 1–3 t per reel, cabling machines 100–300 t per unit) involves heavy-load, long-length material handling. Recommended setup: QD double-girder bridge crane 10–30 t with C-hook spreader, MH gantry crane 5–10 t, and electric flat car. Kelude Heavy Industry's cable solutions are engineered for heavy-load, long-length handling across the full process.
Wire and cable manufacturing spans four core stages — drawing, stranding, insulation, and cabling. The defining material-handling challenge is the sheer weight and size of copper/aluminum rod coils and finished cable reels (2–5 t per coil, 1–2 m in diameter), combined with high-frequency transfer between workstations. This article presents a complete heavy-load logistics solution for the full process.
Drawing Workshop: Handling Copper & Aluminum Rod Coils
The drawing stage handles copper and aluminum rod coils, each weighing 2–5 t with diameters of 1–1.5 m. Coils move from raw-material storage through the drawing machine and annealing furnace to finished-coil staging, requiring frequent transfers (every 20–40 minutes). Because coil surfaces are bright, scratch-sensitive copper, direct contact with wire rope slings is strictly prohibited.
Recommended model: QD-type double-girder bridge crane, 5–10 t capacity with a 16–22 m span, fitted with a rubber-lined C-hook spreader (800 mm opening width) that inserts into the coil's center hole for lifting. Coil storage areas use V-saddle supports (wood or polyurethane) to protect the coil's bottom surface.
Price reference: A QD double-girder crane (5 t, 18 m span) runs approximately $11,900–$22,200 per unit; the C-hook spreader adds roughly $700–$1,500 per set. Kelude's drawing-stage solution includes a rubber-lined C-hook plus deformation-prevention coil saddles.
Stranding Stage: Machine Reel Loading & Reel Transfer
Stranding machines twist multiple individual wires into stranded conductors, with each reel weighing 500–2,000 kg. Loading these machines requires lifting reels onto the pay-off stands (1.5–2 m high), and each stranding machine needs 6–12 pay-off stands operating simultaneously. Reel handling is frequent, with changeovers every 2–4 hours.
Recommended model: MH Type gantry crane, 5–10 t / 8–12 m span, covering the stranding machine loading area, fitted with a specialized reel spreader (core-piercing type, 50 mm insertion rod diameter). Electric flat cars (5 t capacity, 20–40 m rail length) handle inter-process reel transfer.
Price reference: MH single-girder 5 t: approx. $8,900–$14,800 per unit; electric flat car 5 t: approx. $4,400–$7,400 per unit. Kelude's stranding solution includes interlocking flat car control and reel positioning/identification.
Insulation Line — Extruder Take-Up and Pay-Off
Insulation extrusion lines (PVC/PE/XLPE insulation) consist of a pay-off stand, extruder, cooling trough, spark tester, and take-up stand. Take-up and pay-off reels (0.8–2 m diameter, 1–3 t per reel) require frequent changeovers every 2–6 hours.
Recommended model: Electric flat cars (3–5 t capacity) positioned along both sides of the production line handle reel delivery and empty reel retrieval. A hydraulic lifting table (3 t capacity, 0.5–1.5 m lifting height) transfers reels from the flat car onto the pay-off stand.
Price reference: Electric flat car 3 t: approx. $2,900–$5,900 per unit; hydraulic lifting table: approx. $1,500–$2,900 per unit. Kelude's insulation solution features integrated flat car and lifting table control.
Cabling Line — Reel Handling for Cabling and Armoring Machines
Cabling machines (100–300 t each) combine stranded conductors, insulated wires, filler, and binding tape into the final cable. Take-up reels are large (2–3 m diameter, 3–8 t per reel), and finished cable reels go directly to storage. Cabling workshops feature wide spans (20–28 m) and high clear heights (12–16 m).
Recommended model: QD Type double-girder bridge crane, 10–20 t / 22–28 m span, covering the cabling machine loading area. A rotating lifting beam (1.5 m length, 10 t capacity) enables horizontal positioning of large-diameter reels. Finished reel storage uses an MH gantry crane (10 t) for stacking.
Price reference: QD double-girder 10 t / 24 m: approx. $17,800–$29,700 per unit; rotating lifting beam: approx. $1,500–$2,900 per set. Kelude's cabling solution includes automatic reel weighing and barcode-based warehousing.
Wire and Cable Crane Configuration Comparison
| Process | recommended model | tonnage | Material Form | reference price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wire Drawing | QD+C-hook spreader | 5~10t | Copper Rod Coil2~5t | 8~15Ten Thousand |
| Stranding | MH+Electric Flat Car | 5~10t | Wire Spool500~2000kg | 6~15Ten Thousand |
| insulation | Electric Flat Car+Hydraulic Lifting | 3~5t | Wire Spool1~3t/Reel | 2~6Ten Thousand |
| Cabling | QD+rotating lifting beam | 10~20t | Large Reel3~8t | 12~22Ten Thousand |
Key Parameters for Wire and Cable Handling
Kelude Service Advantages for Wire & Cable
Kelude Heavy Industry has been deeply involved in the wire and cable manufacturing sector for years, backed by a 50,000 m² production facility and an ISO 9001 Quality Management System. We supply heavy-duty, long-load crane solutions tailored to the four core processes: drawing, stranding, insulation, and cabling.
Heavy-Duty Long-Load Solutions
Our core combination — QD double-girder cranes, C-hook spreaders, MH gantry cranes, and electric flat cars — covers the full material handling flow for heavy reels across drawing, stranding, insulation, and cabling.
Reel Protection Features
Standard equipment includes rubber-lined C-hook spreaders (to prevent scratching of copper rods), V-shaped polyurethane saddles, and anti-deformation lifting beams — all designed to protect the surface of high-value copper and aluminum rod coils.
Whole-Line Logistics Planning
We provide complete workshop layout planning for wire and cable plants — covering crane type and tonnage for each process, electric flat car routes, and reel buffer zone placement — to minimize handling and waiting time.
FAQ
Q: Why is a C-hook spreader essential for handling copper rod coils?
A: The bright surface of a copper rod coil (weighing 2–5t, 1–1.5m in diameter) is a direct reflection of product quality — any scratch requires cutting out the damaged section, costing 500–2,000 yuan per segment. A C-hook spreader with rubber-lined jaws solves this: ① It lifts from underneath the coil, with the coil's dead weight resting on the C-hook's base plate, never touching the sides; ② the polyurethane lining (10mm thick) protects the contact surface; ③ single-point lifting makes operation simple. Wire ropes or lifting slings are not suitable — they can crush or gouge the coil. Kelude C-Hooks come standard with polyurethane lining and a load detachment lock.
Q: How do electric flat cars and MH gantry cranes work together in the stranding process?
A: The electric flat car handles reel transfer between processes, while the MH gantry crane manages loading and unloading. The workflow: ① The MH gantry crane lifts the reel from the warehouse onto the electric flat car; ② the flat car travels along the crane rail at 20m/min to the stranding machine; ③ the hydraulic lift platform on the flat car raises the reel to the pay-off stand height; ④ operators push the reel onto the pay-off stand. One stranding line (with 6–12 stranding machines) typically needs 2 electric flat cars and 1 MH gantry crane. Kelude also offers an integrated dispatching system for coordinated operation.
Q: How often do payoff and take-up reels need to be changed?
A: For single insulated extrusion lines running at 50–200 m/min, payoff reels (500–2,000 kg each) require replacement every 2–6 hours depending on wire diameter and line speed. Take-up reels (finished insulated reels from 1 to 3 t) are changed every 4–8 hours. Solutions include: ① dual payoff/take-up stands for non-stop reel changeover with automatic flying splice; ② electric flat cars that deliver new reels and retrieve empty ones automatically per MES instructions. Kelude offers a dual-station reel changeover system with automatic splicing.
Q: How are 2–3 m diameter stranding line reels lifted and transported?
A: Large reels (2–3 m diameter, 3–8 t) are handled as follows: ① a QD overhead crane equipped with a rotating lifting beam (1.5 m long, with adjustable hook spacing at both ends); ② the beam hooks engage the reel's shaft sleeves; ③ the reel is lifted horizontally (tilt ≤ 3°) to prevent cable from slipping off; ④ once moved to the storage yard, an MH gantry crane takes over for stacking. Note: reel shaft sleeve inner diameters typically range from 150 to 300 mm, so hook dimensions must match accordingly. Kelude's stranding line solution includes a rotating lifting beam with shaft sleeve protectors.
