Improved Lifting

Modulift introduced its Trunnion spreader beam in 2015. The lifting solution helped to reduce rigging costs and quickly became a staple for myriad industries including renewable energy, offshore, gas compression, and oil and gas, as well as logistics and construction sectors worldwide. Nearly a decade later, Modulift has redesigned the Trunnion, introducing a lighter design that is the result of advanced finite element analysis.

Available in multiple sizes, the newly designed Trunnion requires no shackles or drop links. “The original Modulift Trunnion featured a pin and crosspin, but the new one has a tubular design, reducing machining time, material costs, and weight,” said Harshal Kulkarni, engineering manager at Modulift. “Trunnion spreader beams add an additional level of stability for the lift due to the slings being looped on the two faces/sides of the trunnion simulating two-legs to four-legs both for top and bottom. This is a major design advantage. The Trunnion spreader beam sizes and capacities have been selected judiciously so that the top slings are compatible with the similar capacity crane hooks without any overlapping.”

Compatible with the company’s existing MOD Spreader Beam range, the Trunnion End Unit is interchangeable with struts from the MOD 110 up to the MOD 600/1000 product lines. “Constructed from Heavy Wall Thickness Tube, the Trunnion End Unit features a carefully chosen tube size to suit a sling diameter ratio greater than 3.0, making it compatible with steel wire rope and dyneema slings,” said Kulkarni. “The fabrication sequence is meticulously planned to ensure perfect contact between the trunnion tube and side cheek plates, facilitating optimal load transfer. In addition, Trunnion End Units are equipped with sling retainers to prevent sling dislodging during slack.”

All welds on the Trunnion End Unit undergo Shared Topology analysis to detect non-linear contacts. Welds are performed by Modulift welders coded to BSEN Standards and undergo rigorous non-destructive testing, including Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) and Ultrasonic Test (UT) for critical welds.

According to Kulkarni, if the Trunnion End Unit is used with existing MOD struts, it can achieve a WLL of up to 1000 tons (907 tonnes) — using struts from the MOD 110 up to the MOD 600/1000 tons. The Trunnion can also be custom designed up to 3000 tons (2722 tonnes) which would require bespoke struts.

“The Trunnion demonstrates Modulift’s commitment to innovative design engineering,” said Kulkarni. “DNV has approved the design methodology, adhering to industry standards Eurocode 3, DNV-CG-0127, DNV-RU-SHIP Pt.3 Ch.7, and DNV-RP-C208. The geometrically non-linear trunnions undergo validation through leading technical engineering software, ensuring a robust and effective design.”

Headquartered in Dorset, United Kingdom, with a worldwide distribution network, Modulift specializes in high-performance heavy lifting equipment. The company offers a full start-to-finish engineering service, from the initial design concept to manufacturing to lifting rig planning. It manufactures spreader beams, lifting beams, and spreader frames, as well as custom-designed lifting equipment. All Modulift standard products are available off-the-shelf up to 600-ton (544-tonne) capacity or custom designed to meet a customer’s specific requirements.

“The MOD is the linchpin in Modulift’s product lineup, a versatile foundation that seamlessly modifies into the shackle-free Trunnion, and the CMOD and TriMOD spreader frames,” said Sarah Spivey, managing director at Modulift. “Alongside spreader beams, Modulift offers lifting beams including the clamp-based CLS lifting system, the multi-point beam and custom design, and beams, frames, and rig design with high-level engineering and quality assurance.”

“The Trunnion marks another milestone in our commitment to providing innovative lifting solutions,” added Spivey. “The improvements not only enhance the efficiency and safety of lifting operations but also underscore our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our diverse customer base.”