26.11.2015

Elebia hooks for aero engines

Rolls-Royce has taken delivery of its second e10 Elebia automatic hook for lifting and rigging operations at its Seletar Assembly and Test Unit (SATU) in Singapore.

The facility primarily assembles and tests large aircraft engines including the Trent 900 and Trent 1000 aero engines. At full capacity SATU can produce up to 250 engines per year. The hooks work with overhead cranes to lift modules and engines weighing between one and five tonnes.

The Trent 900 aero engine - developed for the Airbus A380 family - is said to deliver the lowest lifetime fuel burn and has been selected by 11 of the 17 airlines which operate the aircraft.
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The Elebia e10 hook at work during connection of the engine core to the fan case.

Bok Thye Boon, production leader at Rolls-Royce’s SATU facility, said: “The Elebia hooks are simple to use and keep crane operators and those responsible for rigging at a safe distance when connecting modules and engines to lifting equipment. Previously, when we joined the engine core to the fan case, our crane hoist was tied up for two days until the engine could be rotated to a horizontal position. Now, with the Elebia hook, we can free up the crane hoist for other usage. We particularly like the fail-proof safety features that prevent the hook from opening when a lift is taking place.”

Prior to using the Elebia hooks, it took four hours to lift the engine core to the fan case, 40 hours to connect other engine parts and tighten the flange bolts plus an additional four hours to tip the engine. Now, the engine core is lifted to the fan case and the Elebia hook is used only between 16 to 20 hours