The new Trunnion spreader beam is set to revolutionize the rigging industry by offering lifting professionals an efficient, lightweight and economic below-the-hook solution.

Modulift, a manufacturer of spreader beams, lifting beams and other below-the-hook equipment, has launched the product primarily to ease the attachment of slings when rigging heavy lifts.

The game-changing Trunnion Modular Spreader Beam offers a myriad of benefits to high capacity lifting operations, including significant time savings when compared to similar applications using standard rigs below the hook, taking only half the duration in the rigging up phase, tests suggest.

A trunnion is defined in engineering as one of a pair of projections attached to opposite sides of a container to provide a support about which it can turn in a vertical. Practically, the Modulift spreader has been modified and a drop link removed to make way for the trunnion pin and cross pins. This allows for direct connection of slings to the spreader beam.

The trunnion spreader will initially be launched to cover a range of capacities from 250t to 1,000t. The shackle-less solution is in essence a standard modular spreader, using the same struts and bolting configurations and is, thus, fully compatible with current and legacy equipment.

Sarah Spivey, managing director, Modulift, said: “The difference is apparent when looking at the end unit, the focal point of the product that will enable us to appeal to customers who are primarily interested in ease of assembly and currently use drop link and shackle configurations.”

Spivey pointed to other features of the trunnion modular spreader beam, including improved safety, given there are no heavy shackles and drop links to manoeuvre; time saved due to more efficient rigging; cost efficiency over standard spreader rigs; and the Modulift hallmark of modular design.

At the capacity in which the trunnion spreader will operate, removal of shackles and drop links from the design can vastly improve the safety of the user. Shackles and drop links of this size can weigh up to 1,000kg, meaning they are difficult to handle and incidents can occur.

The three higher capacity models are anticipated to generated the highest demand. The MOD250 reaches 400t capacity at 8m and de-rated up to 20m; the 400 reaches up to 600t at 12m and de-rated up to 23m; and the 600 can be used to 1,000t at 15m and de-rated up to 26m as per the manufacturer’s standard 600XB/1000 spreader.

The current range has been developed according to BS EN 1993-1. Further sizes can be designed on a custom basis and additions to the range may be manufactured in future if demand is sufficient.