Electrical switching & drive systems & components


High-performance electric wire rope hoists

First Quarter 2025 Electrical switching & drive systems & components


Becker Mining South Africa’s Kito RX electric wire rope hoists, launched in Africa two years ago, play a critical role in many industries, including mining, construction, shipbuilding, food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing, chemical and petrochemical plants, and the wind power sector.

“The addition of Kito electric wire rope hoists to our extensive range of Kito manual and electric chain hoists and lever hoists has been a great success,” explains senior general manager, Rick Jacobs. “Becker Mining South Africa has distributed the Kito range in Africa since 1986. Our customers rely on dependable and safe lifting equipment, supported by the assurance of stringent quality specifications, as well as a reliable support service.”

Kito RX electric wire rope hoists have been developed with a robust design and advanced technology for dependable operation and extended service life in tough conditions. Typical applications are in production plants, plant engineering, production lines and workshops, shipbuilding and general maintenance procedures. “These flexible hoists are adaptable for use in conjunction with existing cranes and machinery and all components are easily accessible for ease of maintenance,” he says.

The Kito RX range, with lifting capacities between 1000 and 50 000 kg, is available from Becker Mining in units with two or four rope strands, reeving 2/1, 4/1 and 4/2. These hoists have lifting speeds from 1,5 to 12 m/min, with the option of single-speed, two-speed and frequency-control. The hoists are powered by a three-phase asynchronous motor or the option of a sliding anchor motor. A planetary gearbox ensures optimum power transmission between the hoist motor and rope drum.

For enhanced safety, an electromagnetic disc brake acts directly on the rotor shaft for effective braking force. Electronic overload protection with two adjustable levels offers protection to the hoist and all its components from overloading (Performance Level C). There is also integrated overheating protection for the motor.

A notable design feature includes the rope guide, which consists of two parts- the guide ring and the tension spring. The tension spring ensures that the rope lies correctly in the drum groove, while the guide ring always maintains the rope in the correct position, preventing it from coming off the drum groove. By moving the guide ring along the drum, limit switches are activated for the highest and lowest hook positions.

The double-girder trolley is equipped with double-flange wheels, all with high-quality ball bearings. This construction, where driven wheels are connected directly to the self-braking gear motor, ensures efficient power transmission between the running wheels and the trolley rail. This design also ensures extended service life, reduced wear and low maintenance requirements.

Trolley construction comprises a standard headroom monorail design that enables the hoist to operate directly under and parallel with, the crane or runway beam. The hoist is directly connected to the trolley and all components are easily accessible for ease of maintenance.

Hoists available in the Kito RX range include a foot mounted hoist without a trolley, designed for lifting capacities from 1000 to 50 000 kg, and a hoist with a standard headroom monorail trolley, for capacities from 1000 to 32 000 kg. Double girder trolleys are suitable for capacities from 1000 up to 32 000 kg, either supported or suspended, version S2-S4.

This range is available only in supported execution, for capacities from 20 000 up to 25 000 kg, two rope falls and for capacities from 40 000 to 50 000 kg, four rope falls. Units are also supplied as a double hoist, with capacities up to 100 000 kg. The low headroom monorail hoist trolley is designed for capacities from 1000 to 16 000 kg.

Various features have been developed to suit specific application requirements. These include radio remote control, customised painting and festoon cable systems. Users can also choose load spectrum monitoring and synchronisation, load display, summation and measurement and anti-sway control.

Becker Mining also supplies a full range of Kito accessories to enhance the performance of Kito hoists. These components include universal trolleys, available in plain or hand-geared configurations, which provide smooth, precise and easy traversing and positioning.

To ensure hoists are in pristine condition and always operate effectively, specialists recommend that equipment is tested regularly at Becker Mining SA’s workshops, or any certified repair centre. The company, which is committed to the highest standards in quality and safety, offers technical advisory, repair, test and backup services throughout Africa. A specialised consulting, training and support facility ensures the optimum efficiency of a wide range of equipment and total safety for workers.

For more information contact Rick Jacobs, Becker Mining South Africa, +27 11 617 6300, [email protected], www.becker-mining.com




Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

New generation low power frequency inverters
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG Electrical switching & drive systems & components
New to BMG’s electromechanical range are energy-efficient Synergy PI150 series frequency inverters, which have been designed for efficient use in many applications.

Read more...
Planar motor system for quality assurance
Beckhoff Automation Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Achieving the shortest possible inspection times, even when working with different components, is paramount when it comes to series production. This is precisely what special machine builder, stoba Sondermaschinen set out to achieve with its InspectorONE optical inspection system, which is based on deep learning and features the Beckhoff XPlanar planar motor system at the conveyor system core.

Read more...
Siemens elevates automotive and aerospace simulation
Siemens South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the latest update to its Simcenter portfolio, delivering advancements in aerostructure analysis, electric motor design, gear optimisation and smart virtual sensing. These enhancements are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate certification and provide deeper insights into system performance.

Read more...
Turbomachinery controls: the call of duty
Schneider Electric South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
There’s a lot to be said about the unsung heroes of this world; those men, women and machines that deliver such important functions, often overlooked and recognised. One such machine is turbomachinery, and while the name does sound quite obvious to the layman, its rich history and daily functions are not.

Read more...
More movement in the market
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Aerotech aims to revolutionise the market for precision motion and machine controls with an intuitive control platform.

Read more...
Motion technology for all types of automation
Bearing Man Group T/A BMG News & events Electrical switching & drive systems & components
BMG has been appointed by The Timken Company as a distributor in southern Africa for the Rollon linear motion guidance system.

Read more...
Servo motor series for explosive environments with expanded certification
Parker Hannifin - Sales Company South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Parker Hannifin’s ongoing commitment to safety and performance in hazardous environments is evident in the new certifications and product improvements for its EY and EX servo motor series.

Read more...
The world’s most powerful worm
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Geothermal energy from the natural heat of the Earth is an inexhaustible resource, yet the growth of the global geothermal power sector lags behind other renewable energies. Now Swiss startup, Borobotics is hoping to speed this up with its innovative new electric-powered geothermal drilling robot, which can be used to fast-track and lower the cost of heat pump installations in confined spaces.

Read more...
The impact of gearless mill drive technology on CO2 emissions
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
ABB has released an in-depth white paper detailing the vital role that gearless grinding technologies can play in driving productivity in mining while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint.

Read more...
Revolutionising TIG welding for aerospace manufacturing
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Yaskawa Southern Africa has partnered with Aerosud Aviation, a leading aerospace manufacturer, to implement a cutting-edge robotic TIG welding solution tailored to the exacting demands of aerospace production.

Read more...