A metal finishing plant in central Indiana was the scene of a catastrophic runway failure. When our emergency service technicians arrived, the bridge and spreader bar was hanging precariously over caustic dipping vats. One of the runways had broken loose and fallen. Caustic environments tend to increase the chances of equipment failure. A Runway survey, as part of a regular preventive inspection, could have possibly prevented this failure.
CraneWerks collaborated with Harriman Material Handling to provide Hendrickson, a global leader in commercial transportation solutions, to implement an advanced material handling system that would optimize their production capacity.
A national commercial truck dealer within the transportation industry sought CraneWerks’ expertise to design, build, and install an outdoor, manual freestanding monorail complete with a hoist, shelter for the hoist, and epoxy paint which could stand up to the harsh Detroit, Michigan winters. This crane was intended to facilitate the undecking of tractors from semi-trucks at their newly established facility.
A customer in the construction industry required a custom mono-box girder solution to accommodate the required span to meet their specific lifting needs.
When a semi-trailer manufacturer decided to expand their operations and improve their manufacturing process…
Overhead cranes are the workhorse of any manufacturing or distribution facility. They are there to do the heavy lifting and keep the production floors safe and uncluttered. Often taken for granted, they aren’t appreciated till they start having issues. Heavy lifting and repetition create wear and tear on joints and other mechanical parts. Throw in multiple shifts, grime, and caustic operating conditions and they begin to show their age.
The Application:
The customer is a company specializing in hot-dip galvanizing. Their decade-old 10-ton single-girder bridge crane was in need of some serious TLC after daily inundation by some of the most caustic substances in the industrial world.
The Challenge:
To breathe new life into a crane that looked to be on its last legs. The 10-ton single-girder top running overhead bridge crane – that CraneWerks had designed, built and installed for them 10 years earlier – was a pitted-out mess, with a deteriorating flange, end trucks in danger of falling off the girder, and a pair of hoists that seemed ready to give up the ghost.
The Solution:
CraneWerks replaced the crane’s old end trucks with entirely new ones. We refurbished the entire crane: girder, all parts (including hoists) and particularly the flange, which was especially deteriorated. We also replaced the old controller with a new VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) unit, which offers improved load control, greater efficiency and increased hoist life.
The Results:
Customer received a completely rejuvenated 10-ton, single-girder crane for a fraction of the price of total replacement; a crane ready to face the rigors of day-to-day duty in this particularly challenging and caustic work environment.
The client, a major national manufacturer of diesel engines, needed a below-hook lifting device to safely pick up a fully assembled engine and generator. Oh, and it needed to be battery-powered, too, for mobile operation. That’s no mean feat, but Harriman Material Handling and CraneWerks were more than up to the task.
A 20 ton capacity overhead crane and hoist from R&M Materials Handling Inc., sold by Harriman Material Handling (HMH), has been built and installed by CraneWerks 400 ft beneath the surface at the U.S. Gypsum Company Shoals Mine in Indiana.
