Henan Mine Unmanned Grab Crane: Pioneering Intelligent Manufacturing in the Steel Industry — Benchmark Case Study: Baowu Shaogang 250,000T Rotary Kiln Project

Unmanned Grab Cranes, as core equipment in the era of intelligent manufacturing, are becoming a key driver for upgrading global heavy industries such as steel and metallurgy. Leveraging its core competencies in “customized R&D + technical benchmarking,” Henan Mine has delivered intelligent lifting solutions for high-end manufacturing projects across more than 40 countries and regions worldwide. Among these, the 250,000-ton rotary hearth furnace project in collaboration with Baowu Group’s Shaoguan Iron & Steel stands as a prime example of how intelligent grab cranes can adapt to the demanding conditions of the metallurgical industry.

1. Project Overview

As a global leader in integrated steel enterprises, Baowu Group’s core subsidiary Baowu Shaoguan Iron & Steel is fully committed to establishing a demonstration base for intelligent steel manufacturing. The 250,000-ton rotary hearth furnace project is a critical component in achieving its “one-button steelmaking across the entire system” objective.

To meet these high-end requirements, Henan Mine custom-engineered two unmanned grab cranes, fully adapted to rotary hearth furnace characteristics. These cranes became the “intelligent lifting core” for project implementation, enabling Shaogang to leapfrog from “manual operation” to “unmanned operation.”

2. Core Product Advantages: Precisely Addressing Metallurgical Industry Pain Points

This batch of unmanned grab cranes specialized for rotary hearth furnaces integrates cutting-edge technologies like 3D scanning and automated coordination. Their core strengths encompass “precision, intelligence, sustainability, and safety”

• 5mm Precision Positioning Ensures “One-Button Steelmaking” Synergy: Equipped with high-precision 3D scanning and automatic positioning systems, the equipment maintains positioning and repetitive operation accuracy within 5 millimeters—far exceeding the industry standard of 10-15mm. This capability makes the 5mm Precision Positioning Unmanned Crane for the Steel Industry perfectly suited to rotary hearth furnace requirements for “precise charge feeding and efficient billet transfer.” Seamless integration with intelligent steelmaking systems prevents production interruptions caused by positioning errors, boosting transfer efficiency by 30% compared to traditional cranes.
• Remote Unmanned Operation for a Green Work Environment: Operators remotely control the crane from a central control room 1,000 meters away, completely avoiding dust pollution in metallurgical workshops and significantly reducing worker labor intensity. Since its deployment, this dust-environment remote-controlled grab crane has operated with zero faults, earning unanimous recognition from frontline overhead crane operators to management at Shaogang. It has also attracted delegations from multiple global metallurgical enterprises for study tours.
• Industry Benchmark Certification, Technical Strength Gains Authoritative Recognition: The equipment’s unmanned operation level reaches the top tier domestically, drawing significant attention from the North China Institute of Heavy Machinery. Both parties jointly established inspection and testing standards for this type of equipment, making the Baowu Shaogang 250,000-ton Rotary Kiln Unmanned Grab Crane a technical model in the industry and providing a “Chinese standard” reference for intelligent lifting equipment in the global metallurgical sector.

3. Endorsed by Deep Collaboration

Henan Mine’s partnership with Baowu Group enterprises is no coincidence: In 2018, we were selected as Baosteel Zhanjiang’s premium supplier; we have consistently served as Shaogang Steel’s annual contract partner for overhead crane spare parts; and previously developed the first unmanned overhead crane for the water slag transfer workshop at Shaogang’s No. 6 blast furnace.

II. Corporate Hard Power

When selecting lifting equipment, international clients evaluate not only project case studies but also corporate production capacity and technical assurance. Since 2015, Henan Mine has consistently ranked among the top in domestic industry metrics for production volume, sales, and market share: • Operates over 600 welding/machining robots and more than 100 automated welding/machining production lines, achieving independent R&D and precision manufacturing of core components; It has been recognized as a “National Green Factory” and “Henan Provincial Smart Factory,” with products certified under ISO, CE, and other international standards, fully meeting global industry requirements across regions.

III. Global Application Cases

Beyond the Baowu Shaogang benchmark project, Henan Mine’s unmanned grab cranes have been successfully adapted for multiple metallurgical and steel projects worldwide, further demonstrating their versatility and reliability:

• Southeast Asia Steel Plant (2 million tons/year): Supplied 3 dust-environment-specific unmanned grab cranes adapted for local tropical high-temperature/high-humidity conditions. Enhanced moisture-proof and anti-corrosion designs, with a remote control system supporting multi-language switching. Equipment operated continuously for 18 months with zero failures.
• A large metallurgical project in the Middle East: Customized four salt-fog resistant unmanned grab cranes. Optimized metal structure coatings for the highly corrosive desert fringe environment, maintaining positioning accuracy within 5mm standards. This enabled the client to achieve efficient recycling and processing of metallurgical waste.
• Specialty Steel Plant in Europe: Supplied two intelligent collaborative unmanned grab cranes compliant with CE certification requirements. Integrated multi-device coordination scheduling system seamlessly interfaces with the client’s existing smart manufacturing platform, significantly enhancing production flexibility.
  

IV. Dedicated Service System for International Clients

Addressing core concerns of overseas clients, we established an end-to-end assurance mechanism for worry-free collaboration:

Customized R&D: Delivering comprehensive solutions from parameter design to 3D simulation based on project processes, environmental conditions, and international standards (CE/FEM/DIN);

Global Logistics & Compliance: Partnering with logistics giants like Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to resolve oversized component transportation challenges while assisting with customs clearance, certification, and other compliance procedures;

Overseas Implementation Support: Dispatch bilingual technical teams for on-site equipment installation, commissioning, and operator training to ensure rapid production start-up;

After-Sales Maintenance Assurance: Operate a 24/7 multilingual (English, German, Spanish, Arabic) service hotline. Maintain three overseas spare parts warehouses in Germany, Singapore, and the UAE with a maximum 72-hour response time for spare parts.

V. Vision for Collaboration: Empowering Global Industrial Upgrades with Intelligent Lifting Equipment

From the 5mm precision positioning unmanned grab crane deployed in Baowu Shaogang’s 250,000-ton rotary kiln project to successful implementations across global metallurgical initiatives, Henan Mine consistently prioritizes “technological innovation” as its core and “green intelligence” as its direction, delivering “safer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly” lifting solutions to global clients.

If your enterprise operates in steel, metallurgy, non-ferrous metals, or related fields and is seeking unmanned rotary hearth furnace cranes, “remote-controlled lifting equipment for dusty environments,” or customized intelligent lifting solutions, please feel free to contact us anytime. We not only provide high-quality equipment meeting international standards but are also committed to becoming your trusted long-term strategic partner, jointly advancing intelligent manufacturing and green upgrades in global heavy industry!