Andromeda Industries has established itself as an innovator in the wire rope industry, and is the only manufacturer of 12 Strand Plaited Wire Rope in Australia. The range of Superflex cable is particularly beneficial to the foundation, or piling, industry, as Pilequip’s National Sales Manager, David Hopkins, explains.
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Pilequip has identified noise pollution, unwanted vibrations, safety and reduced energy consumption as the the most significant issues for the piling industry currently.
Tackling these issues requires high performing, reliable equipment that is stringently tested in accordance with the highest of Australian standards. For David Hopkins, Pilequip’s National Sales Manager of the last three years, this is why the company will always turn to Andromeda Industries.
“Andromeda’s Superflex Slings,” he said, “represent the pinnacle of lifting solutions for vibro hammer equipment.”
Pilequip, based in Vineyard, NSW, 50km west of Sydney, is the Australian arm of the Dieseko Group, a global developer, manufacturer and provider of innovative hydraulic foundation equipment.
Pilequip possesses over 20 years of combined experience in the sale, rental, training, technical support, maintenance, overhaul and repair of equipment within the piling industry.
David says the vibratory hammers that Pilequip both sells and rents out have the wire rope slings that Andromeda Industries produces, using its patented Superflex design, as an essential for work to take place.
“Our hammers must be lifted with wire lifting strops,” he said. “Chains cause damage to the vibro, and synthetic slings display a high rate of failure without prior warning due to the heat generated during vibration.”
As the name suggests, Superflex cable is a highly flexible, steel cable built to never compromise on durability and toughness. The unique interplaiting of the steel cords on Andromeda’s Superflex design creates a very tough and set resistant cable which consists of many more wires than what is possible for cable laid wire rope.
A distinct advantage of this design is its tremendous flexibility, and that it can withstand temperatures up to the lower tempering temperatures of carbon steel – 350 degrees Celsius – making them a highly suitable solution for the vigour of the piling industry along with other extreme environments.
This was also highlighted by Borger Cranes Queensland Yard Manager, Hennie Geyser, who spoke of his appreciation for the high performance of the Superflex product in hot environments.
“Numerous instances have been documented where synthetic slings have failed without warning, jeopardising both equipment and personnel because of the heat generated during vibration,” said David. “Andromeda Superflex Slings eliminate this risk, ensuring that your lifting operations are not compromised by unforeseen failures.”
As reported on in the December edition of Cranes and Lifting, owner, innovator, and engineer of the Superflex cable, Raymond Maclaren has been manufacturing what he labelled as his “climax design” since the 1970s in Moonbi, New South Wales. Initially manufacturing the products for specific requests from customers, demand for Andromeda’s products quickly grew, as did their applications in different sectors, which brought about the design and manufacturing of a vast range and size of cables.Today, the Moonbi manufacturers create a whole range of Superflex slings and strops, along with a range of steel Flat Woven slings, providing a large inventory of lifting and rigging solutions to customers all across Australia.
With sizes ranging from one tonne through to a sizeable 168 tonnes, Andromeda’s products are also designed and tested with the highest level of accreditation through the National Association of Testing Authority, compliance with relevant Australian standards, and full membership with the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) – something that David stressed is pivotal to the team at Pilequip.
“We always keep safety at the forefront of our products,” he said.
“We stand by the quality of our products, ensuring that each strop is delivered inspected and tagged in accordance with industry standards, specifically AS 1661.1 and AS 1666.2.”
And so, for David and the team at Pilequip, it’s the combination of quality, safety, and performance of the Superflex product that he sees as aligning with Pilequip’s focus on safety and high performing products, seeing an already prosperous relationship with the Moonbi manufacturers continue.
“Andromeda’s products combine cutting-edge technology, uncompromising safety and unparalleled reliability – especially in hot environments,” he said. “Andromeda’s Superflex Slings consistently ensure structural integrity, which is why we invest in Andromeda.”
READ MORE:
- Raymond Maclaren: The Inventor of Superflex.
- Borger’s super lifts with Superflex.
- Small town, big product.
Image: Pilequip