As LeMar Industries expanded their grain equipment solutions in the Midwest, they needed to implement a new system for their temporary grain storage towers that would offer a cost effective solution to raising and lowering tarps during inclement weather. They needed an effective solution that would keep labor costs down and simplify the tarp control process. Upon careful research LeMar decided to outfit all of their grain towers with a central control panel and four Thern 4WS3M Series power winches.
Since 1982, LeMar Industries has been providing the grain industry with innovative steel products such as catwalks, towers, conveyors and overhead rail protection. Recent growth in the industry has generated additional requests for quality temporary grain storage equipment and products. As sales increased LeMar expanded its production by constructing around forty temporary grain storage towers located throughout the Midwest. “We are looking at hitting the fifty mark by the end of the year,” says Larry Stayner, Sales.
“The grain elevators generally have a sixty foot perimeter and hold anywhere from ½ million to 2½-million bushels of grain,” says Stayner. “With this type of volume the towers require the use of four winches powerful and efficient enough to lift the 200 to 300 foot diameter tarps used to protect grains from the elements.”
 The winch system they designed worked so well that LeMar Industries purchased Thern 4WS3M series for all of their temporary grain storage towers. The winch system is used to control the rate at which the tarp is raised and lowered. Compared to the previous manual system, LeMar’s new system has vastly improved their ability to operate the giant tarps.
Prior to their new system, tarps were hand winched up as grains filled the tower. Hand winches were located on the ground around the perimeter where workers could hand crank the tarps to their specified heights. “What takes only two people to operate now used to take five workers,” says Stayner. “We are glad to have found such a cost effective solution for our system.”
The four Thern winches are generally located on the corners of the grain distribution box, which is located near the top of the storage tower. A conveyor belt hauls the corn up and into the distribution box, evenly distributing the corn into upside down cone. Thern’s weatherproof control panel located on the ground lets the operator control the speed and height of the tarp as grain fills the tower. A centralized control box gives the operator added control for all four winches.
The Thern winches utilized by LeMar are the 4WS3M series power winches. These durable winches handle a 6,000 lb. load capacity. Besides sheer power the 4WS series offers additional options, which include TEFC, brake motors, enclosed machine cut gearing and flange style ball bearings. The 4WS series also offers custom modifications for specific job needs, which include grooved drums, special drum lengths, diameters and limit switches.
 The four-winch system and custom control panel makes grain storage more cost effective by lowering labor costs and shortening operation time. The operator now has the ability to control the rate at which the tarp is raised and lowered to coincide with the rate at which the grain tower is filled. All of which is done from a centralized location with only two workers.
All Thern winches are finished with a durable paint combined with zinc and iridescent dichromate plating to protect against corrosion for lasting service. For an industry that relies on maintaining the integrity of its products finding the right equipment to shelter the storm can make all the difference in a storage facilities success.
< Back to case histories list
|
