Tata Steel Melting Shop Scrap Grab

Tinsley Bridge Engineering (TBS) have delivered an uprated scrap grab for use in Tata’s steel melting shop.

The scrap grab is used in an extreme and hostile environment to load metal scrap into a 120 tonne electric arc furnace used to melt high grade engineering steel. Problems with the existing design meant the grab arms failed prematurely. Tata approached Tinsley Bridge Engineering to provide a turn-key design and manufacture solution to their problem.

The scrap grab was computer modelled in the TBS design centre using Autodesk Inventor and the model used to undertake a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) study. By evaluating the loads and stress conditions when in use, Engineers working at Tinsley Bridge were able to redesign improved components withn the scrap grab assembly to prevent failure and increase working life. The grab unit, a large piece of industrial equipment, was susequently stripped down and refurbished incorporating the new parts designed by TBS. Aswell as completing the design evalution, Tinsley Bridge also carried out all manufacture and refurbishment work in the company’s large 20,000m² factory.