What Is an Electric Winch?
An electric winch is a general term for a winch that pulls an object by winding up a rope or wire with an electric drum. A manual winch operates on the same principle but is operated manually.
An electric winch is used for lifting and lowering heavy objects, as well as for pulling up cars and ships. The principle is the same as that of hoists, etc., but hoists can move horizontally, while an electric winch is fixed.
There are different sizes depending on the application, ranging from small portable winches to large stationary winches.
Uses of Electric Winches
As mentioned above, electric winches are used for lifting and lowering heavy objects, vehicles, and vessels. Installing electric winches above work sites to raise and lower heavy objects improves work efficiency and facilitates smooth operation. It also reduces the risk of accidents that can occur when lifting by hand.
Electric winches can be attached to a truck to recover a vehicle that has gone off the road and fallen down a cliff. They can also be used to bring a vessel to shore by attaching a hook to both the vessel and the shore and hoisting it up.
Principle of Electric Winches
The principle of operation of electric winches is that the drum is rotated by a motor (electricity) and a rope or wire is wound around it to pull an object. The motor attached to an electric winch is small, and the output of the motor by itself is small. By slowing down the motor through a speed reducer and increasing the torque, the output can be increased several times, making it possible to pull heavy objects. A hook is attached to the end of the wire, which is hooked onto the object to be pulled. The type with a hook on the main body is used by hooking the hook on the side to be fixed. The type that is fixed to the beam instead of hooks is fixed to the beam with bolts, nuts, etc.
The electric winches to be used are selected according to the weight of the object to be pulled. It is important to check the specifications of various components, such as the output (kW) of the motor, the material and thickness of the rope and wire used, and the load capacity of the hook, before selecting the winch.
In the event of a sudden accident, the winch may be useful because it can be used in a confined space. If equipped on the back of a truck, it can be useful in an emergency.