Electric Rope Winches for Industrial Use – Safe Lifting Solutions for Demanding ATEX Applications

Table of contents

1. Introduction: Electric Rope Winches as a Key Technology in Plant and Machinery Engineering
2. Project Example: Electric Rope Winch at the Bottrop Gasometer (ATEX Zone 1)
3. Technical Solution: Custom-Built Electric Rope Winch
4. Special Requirements: Automatic Ground Tracking & Redundancy
5. Electric Rope Winches in ATEX Zones – Safety Without Compromise
6. More Than Just Delivery: Engineering, Installation, and Service
7. Conclusion: Electric rope winches as a customized system solution

Electric Rope Winches as a Key Technology in Industrial and Plant Engineering

The electric rope winch has become an indispensable part of modern industrial facilities. Whether in mechanical engineering, plant construction, the steel industry, or in potentially explosive atmospheres—anywhere there must be safe, precise, and reliable movement of loads or people—customized cable winch solutions are in demand.

It is particularly in special applications with limited installation space, high safety requirements, or ATEX zones that standard products often prove insufficient. This is where custom-designed electric rope winches come into play, tailored precisely to the specific application.

Project Example: Electric Rope Winches at the Bottrop Gasometer (ATEX Zone 1)

An impressive example of the successful use of an electric rope winch in a complex industrial environment is the Bottrop Gasometer project.

Initial Situation and Task Description

As part of the gasometer’s renovation, an outdated elevator system must be replaced. The new solution must:

• Be ATEX-compliant for Zone 1
• to safely lift people
• operate in extremely confined spaces
• Overcoming a unique structural challenge: The floor of the gasometer rises and falls during operation

This combination made it possible to use a specially developed electric rope winch necessary.

Technical Solution: Custom-Built Electric Rope Winch

An SB 307 electric rope winch, which was designed specifically for these conditions

Key Technical Specifications of the Electric Rope Winch

• Drive: 7.5 kW electric motor
• Auxiliary drive: Pneumatic emergency drive (6 bar)
• Load capacity: 1,000 kg
• Lifting speed: 18 m/min
• Rope length: 90 m
• Control: Frequency converter with pneumatic backup

This combination ensures a smooth, precise, and safe lifting operation, even in the case of varying load conditions.

Special Requirements: Automatic Ground Tracking & Redundancy

One of the biggest technical challenges was the gasometer’s movable floor. The electric rope winch so it is equipped with an automatic floor-tracking system.

The rope winch continuously adjusts its movement to changes in ground level—an important factor for passenger safety.

In addition, a pneumatic backup drive has been integrated to be used as a safety measure in case of an emergency. This redundancy is an essential component of modern safety concepts, particularly in ATEX zones.

Electric Rope Winches in ATEX Zones – Safety Without Compromise

The use of electric rope winches in potentially explosive atmospheres places particularly high demands on:

• Ignition Protection
• Control Technology
• Emergency Plans
• Standards & Guidelines

As part of the Gasometer Bottrop project, a TÜV type approval test was conducted in accordance with the EC Machinery Directive, underscoring the high level of safety and quality of the electric rope winches used.

More Than Just Delivery: Engineering, Installation, and Service

An important factor in the success of industrial electric rope winches is comprehensive project support. In the project described, the scope of services included:

• Support During the Design and Planning Phases
• Delivery of the electric rope winch, including the passenger car
• Support for Installation and Commissioning
• Conducting TÜV Inspections
• Routine Maintenance and UVV Inspections

For operators of industrial facilities in particular, this means maximum operational reliability throughout the entire life cycle of the electric rope winch.

Conclusion: Electric rope winches as a customized system solution

The Gasometer Bottrop project impressively demonstrates that an electric rope winch is much more than just a standard lifting device. In industrial and ATEX applications, it is:

• a key security feature
• a precise motion system
• A custom solution instead of a mass-produced product

For companies in the industrial, plant engineering, and mechanical engineering sectors:
Those who want to work safely, efficiently, and in compliance with standards over the long term rely on customized electric cable winch solutions with expert project support.