[PLUG-TALK] High Technology In the Construction Industry

Rich Shepard rshepard at appl-ecosys.com
Thu Apr 14 16:52:19 UTC 2016


A bridge needs to be built, so time to bust out the cranes, right? Not so
fast, a Chinese company has built a machine that has a creative way of
setting girders into place.

The SLJ900/32, made by the Beijing Wowjoint Machinery Company, is a 580 ton,
300 foot long and 24 foot wide mega machine that looks more like a train
than a crane and acts a lot like a Stretch Armstrong action figure. Instead
of using a stationary or crawler crane to lift the girder of a bridge from
the ground and drop it into its place, the SLJ900/32 drives the girder onto
the previously placed girder, slowly extends its arms to the next support
platform, pushes the girder towards the front of the machine and then lowers
it into place.

Watch it here: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbaD2-2Ktwc>.

We could use such machines here in the US to rebuild ancient bridges. And
just think of the benefits to the steel and concrete industries!

Rich




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