Skidding System

Skidding is an ancient transportation technology. The Egyptians built their pyramids by the use of a skidding technique to move stones of impressive dimensions and weight. Over the years a variety of skids were used to move heavy structures, mostly by using skid-tracks and lubricated skid materials.

Technical basics

With the ’PC Controlled Hydraulic Compensated Skidding technology’ we have added a major innovation to the skidding method:

Hydrospex has introduced the use of a skidshoe that is pushed over a skidtrack by a hydraulic push-pull cylinder. Special PTFE coated blocks are placed on the skidtracks to reduce friction. The PTFE coating guarantees a friction of less than 5%.

To compensate for uneven foundation surfaces a hydraulic lifting cylinder has been installed. This cylinder lifts the object from its support and it compensates the load during travelling. This results in a constant spread of the level and the load.

Operation and control

Our SCC control system is applied to control and correct the motion of the push-pull system and the levelling. Pressure sensors and stroke encoders are connected to the skidshoes and to the push-pull cylinder. Both are connected to the PC-system. The SCC skidding software can control a maximum of 12 skidshoes synchronously.

Hydrospex Compensated Skidding Systems are available in two versions. A system constructed to move a 1250kN load per skidshoe and one that will move a 6000kN load per skidshoe.

Applications

Compensated Skidding Systems are applied for load-outs in general, to move oilrigs and they are widely used in machine moving industries.

Buyers information

Hydrospex Compensated Skidding Systems are available with 125 or 600Te capacity. They are built on customer’s order. Maximum delivery time: 10 weeks depending on the specifications of the configuration. All systems are certified and tested under Lloyd’s whiteness. Each system is delivered with an instruction and operation manual in English.