For Zinq Antwerp, Aerts Electro Mechanics supported a major maintenance project involving the replacement of an existing zinc bath and the complete overhaul of two lifting spindles. The work formed part of a carefully planned maintenance shutdown involving several technical disciplines.
Replacement of the zinc bath
The existing zinc bath had reached the end of its service life and was replaced with a new unit. To carry out the work, our technicians dismantled two lifting spindles and the entire enclosure above the bath. The enclosure was dismantled in two sections and moved simultaneously to a temporary location in the production hall using three overhead cranes. The old 85-tonne bath was then safely lifted out and the new 87-tonne bath lifted into position.
Overhaul of two lifting spindles
During the shutdown, two lifting spindles were also completely overhauled to ensure the operational reliability of the installation. As the original gearboxes are no longer available, Aerts Electro Mechanics supplied new internal components, and the existing gearboxes were completely overhauled. The new worm gear sets were custom-manufactured based on the original components.
During dismantling, it was also found that the spindle shafts showed localised wear. To ensure reliable operation, these sections were machined on site, and our technicians produced new bronze guide bushes to match the modified dimensions.
