A year after launch, the DHR rope hoist gets the two designs crane builders were waiting for
Demag has extended its DHR rope hoist series with the F-DHR foot-mounted hoist and the EZ-DHR double-rail crab, taking the range to four types and load capacities up to 20 tonnes.
Filling out a new series
The DHR was launched at LogiMAT 2024 as the EK-DHR — a short-crab monorail hoist optimised for crane use. The two additions announced a year later broaden it towards the rest of the market: a compact basic hoist for stationary work, which can be wall-mounted or floor-standing and is available with a reeving device, and a double-rail crab for double-girder cranes.
Across the range Demag emphasises compact dimensions and low deadweight, together with low service requirements. Motor and gearbox are accessible, and the rope drum bearing needs no lubrication.
Drives and rope
Three motor solutions are offered depending on the application, from two-stage hoist motors with a 6:1 ratio through to inverter-controlled motors that deliver load-dependent speeds up to factor three via the Demag ProHub function. On the EK-DHR the cross-travel drive uses the Demag DualDrive as standard, in which a single belt drives two wheels; a second motor is available as an option for demanding conditions, depending on size, up to the DHR 10.
The hoist can be supplied with high-strength synthetic rope in place of steel. Demag puts the weight saving at around 85 per cent, with no wear on the drum or guide rollers and no lubrication required. Because the drum geometry is identical for both rope types, an operator can change from synthetic back to steel rope later.
Control, monitoring and safety
What separates the DHR from the preceding DVR series is the control and safety architecture. Crane components communicate over an optional CAN bus, allowing a range of safety-relevant parameters to be monitored automatically. Smart features can be selected to suit the application, among them load sway damping, bypass control and hook centring — functions that let a standard rope hoist take on work that would previously have called for a special design.
Remote monitoring runs through the web-based StatusControl 2.0 tool. The Demag Equipment App shows live hoist and crane data on a mobile device and allows trained users to adjust DHR parameters; the wireless connection also supports over-the-air software updates for cranes already in service. On the mechanical side, the hook block has an ergonomic guide handle and an intervention guard.
Source: Demag — Photos: Demag
Crane facts
- Series: Demag DHR rope hoist
- New designs: F-DHR foot-mounted hoist, EZ-DHR double-rail crab
- Existing: EK-DHR short-crab monorail hoist
- Capacity: up to 20 t across four types
- Drives: two-stage 6:1 to inverter-controlled with ProHub (to factor 3)
- Cross travel: Demag DualDrive, optional second motor
Rope and digital
- Dyneema synthetic rope option, approx. 85% lighter than steel
- Identical drum geometry for both rope types
- Optional CAN bus; sway damping, bypass control, hook centring
- StatusControl 2.0 and Demag Equipment App, over-the-air updates