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How to Properly Manage Railroad Friction Materials

Posted on March 21, 2017March 10, 2017 by Chris Koralik

Manufacturers and suppliers have been hard at work over the past year making improvements to friction materials, methods, and management for rail parts.

Improvements have been made to greases and lubrication systems for railroads, and a number of solutions and equipment have become available for providing the best management of wear and tear on the rails.

If you’re interested in learning how to manage railroad friction properly, keep reading for all you need to know about the right friction materials to use!

How to Manage Railroad Friction Materials the Right Way: The 5 Products You Should Be Using

1. Elecsys RFM-100

In 2013, one of the leading providers of machine-to-machine technology solutions and electronics for industrial applications, Elecsys, introduced its RFM-100 remote monitoring system. This monitoring system is one of the friction materials used for top-of-rail (TOR) and gauge-face lubrications.

The RFM-100 works by continually monitoring the following:

Tank levels
Pump status
Material disbursement
Wheel/axle count
Power availability

Data from the system is accessed by those who are authorized and allows the operator to respond quickly to equipment failures. This, in turn, should increase maintenance efficiency.

2. Interflon Lubrication

Interflon offers a joint/splice bar lubrication product that contains MicPol.

MicPol is a treated form of Teflon. The durable film of MicPol lowers friction, protects against corrosion, dirt, and dust.

The product cleans, creeps, lubricates, and protects and allows for a reduction of product quantities used by up to 90 percent, according to Interflon.

This impressive product offers cost benefits, environmental benefits, and stops lubricants from deteriorating composite pads under the rail.

3. Loram Systems

Loram notes that the right friction management practices allow railroads to improve the stress state of their infrastructure.

Friction materials reduce stress on the railroad infrastructure by controlling track forces and friction.

Loram’s systems work using customizable controllers and the dual positive displacement pumps. This ensures that the correct amount of friction modifier is applied to each rail.

The system also has flexibility. This allows a customer to adapt the same system to ever-changing friction modification, based on specific site demands.

Railmark Bio-Based Rail Lubricants

Railmark Track Works Inc. offers its own branded line of bio-based rail lubricants.

Not only is this one of proper the friction materials you should be using, but it’s cheaper now too!

These new lubricants have a new manufacturing and distribution arrangement that is now able to offer customers a 25 to 33 percent discount on the company’s previous products.

The bio-based rail lubricant meets the EPA’s Environmental Preferable Purchasing criteria and is a USDA BioPreferred product.

SKF/Lincoln Lubrication Systems Solar Panel Kit

Because the majority of lubricators utilize solar panels for power, SKF Lincoln introduced a new solar panel kit designed for durability and security.

The SKF Lincoln solar panel kit was developed to protect the panels from weather damage and vandalism.

SKF Lincoln makes it easy to use too. The kit includes everything required for quick mounting on either the reservoir or at a remote location.

What do you know about friction materials? Tell us in the comments which awesome products we may have missed!

Why Crane Safety Should Be Your Top Focus

Posted on March 14, 2017March 10, 2017 by Chris Koralik

Technically speaking, the human brain might be the most complex machine to ever grace the earth.

From it have come all other machines that we use in our day-to-day lives, from small laptops to the several-stories-tall cranes that help create our homes, business spaces, and infrastructure.

Companies such as Stromag, Sumitomo, Marland, and SEW Eurodrive provide parts for making cranes and other heavy-duty machinery that we use for building.

But as is the case with most areas of innovation, dealing with heavy-duty machinery comes with particular risks.

Those risks can be life-threatening.

This holds especially true for gigantic cranes.

Why are cranes so dangerous?

For starters, cranes are big and bulky. Plus, they can hold tons suspended in the air.

Most of the time they’re fine. One of the times they’re not fine is when the wind blows hard.

As you can imagine, strong wind gusts can jostle a crane’s load, which, as said before, can weigh tons.

Imagine tons of metal and other material swinging about in the air above your head.

Then there’s the presence of snow to consider–snow that compacts and makes operating any machinery in it hazardous.

Another issue that frequently arises with cranes is tight corners in the city

Tight corners sharpen wind gusts, which can complicate the problem even further.

In fact, recent statistics show that as many as 90 crane-related deaths occur each year.

In addition to their size, their increasing complication has become a problem.

Like every machine, small or heavy, cranes started out relatively simple and with one task to accomplish.

Over time, the demand from the machine has grown. Thus, features were added, and the overall machine became more complicated to use.

Additionally, there’s no evidence that suggests older machines are more likely to malfunction or collapse, so both older and newer cranes need an equal amount of attention and maintenance.

There is also a general reluctance to bring down a crane even when the weather shows signs of erupting into a wind storm.

That’s because bringing down a crane means lost time and resources.

On top of that, the ground needs to be okayed for laying stuff–literal tons of stuff–down on.

What can be done to improve crane safety?

Some areas are already taking measures to better crane safety.

For example, at some state and city levels, it is a requirement to have a license and/or insurance to even operate a crane.

Another source for recognizing crane safety is workshops.

These workshops discuss the need for safety and the measures that can be taken to implement it.

Another measure you can take is inspecting your equipment.

It is best to inspect your crane routinely and/or if you’re experiencing any sort of trouble with it. Small problems more often than not lead to big problems when left unaddressed.

A thorough inspection will cover all components of the machine, including its switches, alarms, brakes, gears, clutches, electrical devices, and other heavy industry parts.

Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be well on your way to ensuring the safety of others, of yourself, and of your equipment.

How to Pick the Right Crane Hoist

Posted on March 10, 2017March 10, 2017 by Chris Koralik

Any job working with heavy equipment demands only the very best in parts and supplies. Sourcing less than quality parts could cost people their lives.

This sentiment applies especially to cranes. Choosing the correct crane hoist can make or break your job site.

Hoists come in many different varieties, and you need to know what will work best for your situation.

To make sure disaster never strikes your job site, we’re bringing you our guide on how to pick the right crane hoist.

What’s a Crane Hoist, Exactly?

Most people get the general concept behind a hoist, but don’t know what they’re actually all about.

Yes, hoists move things up and down. That’s the very basic concept; moving something heavy from one place to the next.

However, hoists vary widely in size and application. What you’d use in your garage isn’t the same as what you’d use on a job site.

Since we’re talking about cranes, our focus is on electronic and air powered chain hoists.

Chain hoists give crane operators the strength they need to move heavy objects, often in high danger situations.

They also specialize in vertical lift, resisting grime, are portable, and modular.

Today, we’ll touch on the two main types of chain hoists and why they’re the perfect choice for your next crane hoist.

Electric Chain Hoist

Electric chain hoists work well for lifting large objects in small spaces. That definition isn’t pretty, but it’s true.

The electric motors provide operators with extreme accuracy without sacrificing lifting power or capacity.

If you choose an electric crane hoist, remember to specify what voltage your crane can handle. Mismatching voltages won’t allow your hoist to work with your crane.

Air Powered Chain Hoist

Air powered hoists are the strongest of the heavy lifting chain hoists. Whatever you throw at them, they’ll lift and move.

These hoists are specifically for faster, longer, and more intensive lifting. Their air powered nature also makes them practical where electricity may pose safety hazards (near water).

However, air hoists do require an air compressor. This means extra equipment brought on site, and extra money.

Choosing Your Crane Hoist

Choosing the correct hoist for your crane depends solely on the work you’ll undertake. Every environment is different, and so the correct hoist varies.

We recommend talking to your hoist supplier to get their opinion on the matter. They’ve heard all manner of situations and likely have insight into your unique circumstances.

Before we end our guide, there is one more crane hoist option we should mention. When chain hoists can’t bear your load, wire rope hoists are the answer.

Large cranes commonly used on construction sites are prime candidates for the wire rope hoist.

Choosing the correct crane hoist is vital to the success and safety of your job site. Don’t bet on a hunch when there are lives on the line.

Use our guide to make the correct decision for your next crane hoist. Don’t forget to contact us if you need any help.

Criteria for Selecting Heavy Industry Brakes and Clutches

Posted on August 17, 2016August 17, 2016 by Chris Koralik

Marland Clutch

Often you find yourself in a challenging MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) quagmire with regard to repairing or replacing your heavy industry (i.e. crane) brakes or clutches.

I am the first to admit there are many, many brake and clutch manufacturers out there. And there are numerous options to choose from within those manufacturers.

You might say to yourself “Where do I start?” when looking for a solution to your brake and clutch challenge.

At face value you might consider a brake is a brake. But please don’t. When considering the best safety factor in selecting the correct brake for your application, you must remember brakes are not an interchangeable commodity.

There are in fact several variables to consider in the proper selection. These include:

Function: stopping, tensioning, emergency, cyclical, redundancy, wind protection, parking-static…

Requirements: torque and speed, safety factor, actuation, duty cycle, minimum and maximum friction, impact mitigation…

Control: automatic and over speed, open vs. closed look, response time, manual override…

Features: mounting, DIN, AISE, materials…

Environment: ambient conditions, seasonal variations, corrosive, dusty or abrasive, hazardous, etc…

Different Types of Heavy Industry Brakes and Clutches

In addition, there are so many different types of brakes: thruster drum or disc brakes, magnet drum or disc brakes, water-cooled brakes, tensioning brakes, air brakes, storm and parking brakes, hydraulic brakes, etc.

There are also numerous different types of friction materials with different formulations and coefficients: woven friction materials, flexible friction materials, rigid friction materials, phenolic wear materials, etc. Coefficients can range from less than 0.1 upwards of .72 and greater.

Brakes take on various forms in terms of their mechanical functionality. Of course, actuation is a major component of this.

Often times, applications do require fail-safe brakes so the brakes apply in the event of a power loss. These brakes are typically spring-set and released by a magnetic coil, AC or DC 3-phase thruster, hydraulic, air, or manual.

Brakes can also be hydraulic or air applied and thus non fail-safe.

There are several different options to choose from in terms of brake styles, mounting, controls, actuation, and accessories (i.e. discs, drums, power units, etc).

Selecting The Right Brake For Your System

How does one make an educated decision in both a timely and cost-effective manner with all these different features and options to choose from?

As with other significant capital business expenditures, the least expensive option is not necessarily the best one. Taking a few more hours, days or even weeks to make an informed decision about your investment may prove to save a great deal of time and money in the long-run.

The best way to approach this is by working with application engineers who possess brake, clutch and friction expertise. Of course, everyone has their own inherent bias.

However a good application engineer and technical salesperson will put safety and quality first. They do so because helping their client obtain a high-quality and long-lasting product is their ultimate motivation.

Considering competition is not a bad thing. In fact, it is extremely important to obtain a second or third opinion in most cases.

Hearing differing perspectives often times compels one to think about the questions at hand as well as other questions you might not have even considered. Ultimately, doing your homework and analysis will lead you to a better, more informed decision.

At Kor-Pak we try to educate our prospects and customers. Our engineers and consultants are motivated to provide exceptional customer service. You are never merely a sale to us, you are a partner in a hopefully long lasting relationship.

Learn more about our Industrial Brake and Clutch Services as well as our Industrial Brake and Clutch Accessories and Spare Parts.

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Obsolete Parts A Challenge For Passenger Rapid Transit Rail

Posted on August 12, 2016March 4, 2017 by Chris Koralik

I recently read a story about the unusual search for obsolete railroad equipment. It was entitled: “BART Turns To eBay For Parts To Keep System Limping Along”. The story was reported on the CBS SF Bay Area News on April 6, 2016.

BART is the acronym for Bay Area Rapid Transit System. This system of passenger railroad cars dates back to 1972. Many of the railroad parts used on the rapid transit system are now obsolete.

The rail agency found certain types of equipment (namely computer and electrical) available on eBay. These parts were often in better condition than their own failing equipment.

I researched a little a little further. I found another online article from The (San Jose) Mercury News dated March 25, 2016. The second article was entitled: “Has BART’s cutting-edge 1972 technology design come back to haunt it?”

The rapid transit rail system was designed over 45 years ago. Back then the system used principles “…developed for the aerospace industry rather than tried-and-true rail standards”.

Among other things, the system does not use the standard railroad track width. It track width deviates from the standard being nearly a foot wider. It also uses a flat-edge rail that tilts slightly inward.

Decisions such as these required parts to be custom made. Many of these parts are no longer available or supported. Decades later these parts can’t easily be repaired or replaced. This in turn may have led to the current challenges and incredibly expensive maintenance costs.

“Those one-of-a-kind systems lead to a dearth of readily available replacement parts. Maintenance crews often scavenge parts from old, out-of-service cars to avoid lengthy waits for orders to come in; sometimes mechanics are forced to manufacture the equipment themselves.”

The rail system was originally designed to carry 100,000 people per week. Yet according to BART’s own ” Fiscal Year 2016 Preliminary Budget Memo” ridership averages over 75,000 trips on a typical weekday.

Further, “In 2014, weekday ridership averaged over 410,000, with peak months as high as 440,000.” Some “Peak-hour, peak-direction trains now typically range from 120 to 140 passengers per car..” Thi is far above the system’s standard of 115 passengers per car.

Wikipedia reports on its rapid transit ridership systems list. The report indicates BART’s 140 mile system transported an average daily ridership of 452,600 for the fourth quarter of 2015.

At Kor-Pak we often run into similar requests to source hard to locate replacement parts. One of our specialty areas is the fabrication and replacement of obsolete parts in the freight and passenger rail industry. For more information, please visit our Railroad Industry page where you can also download our Rail Parts Catalog.

Primer On Wind Turbine Energy From US Department of Energy

Posted on August 9, 2016March 4, 2017 by Chris Koralik

This video is entitled “Energy 101: Wind Turbines – 2014 Update” and is really informative. It comes to us via the U. S. Department of Energy.

The video starts out by explaining how creaky, old windmills on farms (used to mill grain or pump water or both) were the predecessors for new, modern wind turbines that generate electricity.

The same wind that used to pump water for cattle is now turning giant wind turbines to power cities and homes.

Wind Power Creates Electricity

The principle of today’s enormous wind turbines remains the same – that is to capture wind’s energy which is free and convert it to electricity. This electrical energy is used to power cities and homes.

A video animation shows how the wind turbine works in simple terms.

The blades of the wind turbine work similar to those of an airplane wing. Air waves pass along either side of the blade. It is the blade’s shape that causes the air pressure to be uneven. That pressure is higher on one side of the blade while lower on the other. This uneven pressure causes the blade to spin around the center of the turbine.

The wind turbine’s blades attach to a shaft which connects to a series of gears which increase the rotation. At a high enough speed this starts to produce energy.

A weather vane sits on the top of the wind turbine. The weather vane is connected to a computer which turns the turbine into the wind so it can capture the maximum amount of energy.

Why wind turbines are so tall.

That’s simple. The higher up the windier it gets. And more wind naturally means more electricity.

Larger turbines also can capture wind energy more efficiently. The long blades can sweep a circle in the sky.

Even small wind farms are capable of generating enough electricity to power thousands of homes. Larger farms provide much more clean energy for our businesses and homes.

Another source of wind power lies in our oceans and the Great Lakes. The U.S. Energy Department supports innovative offshore wind projects. This will help build offshore wind turbines in U.S. waters.

Over 50% of the U.S. population lives within 50 miles of a coastline. Thus capturing wind power off of America’s shores can provide energy to countless homes and businesses.

Learn more about Wind Power at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Kor-Pak Corp. helps the renewable energy industry by providing wind turbine brakes, pads and accessories. Learn more by visiting on Wind Power page.

Brake Clutch and Friction Systems Needed In Heavy Industry

Posted on August 4, 2016March 22, 2018 by Chris Koralik

Crane Brake

A typical braking system applies a (i.e. electromagnetic) force to apply friction, or mechanical resistance. This friction causes heat in its attempt to slow down and even stop a device in motion or to simply maintain it’s position without any motion.

Think of pressing your brake while driving your car. Your foot sends hydraulic brake fluid to a piston which in turn causes each brake pad to apply friction on your tires’ brake discs. The friction slows down each wheel and eventually stops your car.

Heavy Industry Brake, Clutch and Friction Systems

In heavy industry the brake, clutch and friction system is also used to slow and stop passenger or freight trains, wind turbines, cranes or hoists, etc. Even though there many types of brake system designs, their operation remains basically the same – to stop the movement.

When it comes to the selection of a heavy industrial brake, clutch and friction system it is imperative that one understands some key variables. These requisite and relevant variables are most critical to selecting the optimal product for your application.

I suggest there are three primary steps one should take in properly assessing an application.

Recognizing and realizing the application and its fundamentals is the first step in the brake, clutch and friction selection process. To do so, you should identify the industry, application and specific parameters involved for the particular application. Is it a static or dynamic application? What is the operating environment like? (I.E. Is it hazardous?) What is the brake function and requirements? What is the system being used for?
Now you must understand how to use this information and apply it to your specific application. In order to do this, one must fully understand exactly what these variables mean. You must comprehend such concepts as: static vs. dynamic; full motor and mechanical braking torque; friction coefficient as well as several others. These will be paramount when it comes to properly selecting a brake, clutch and friction material.
Once you understand the variables and industry application specific aspects to your application it is time to apply these fundamentals and select your brake, clutch and friction material. You might consider collaborating with application engineers to perform a careful due diligence. This will ultimately lead to a better decision making process.

There are many brake and clutch manufacturers and many options to choose from. Our fast paced and price sensitive society has propelled business culture into often times rushing to decisions. This definitely has not necessarily helped industry as a whole.

At times the least expensive option is not the best alternative nor does the good old boy network work to your advantage. Take your time to investigate your alternatives.

This may help you make the best decision about a capital business expenditure. Ultimately in the long run it may prove to save your company a great deal of time and money.

Kor-Pak Corp. is an industrial brake and clutch specialist. Learn more about how Kor-Pak can help you resource your industrial brake, clutch and friction parts.

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GKN Stromag Named A Key Player In Brakes Clutch Market

Posted on August 2, 2016February 23, 2017 by Chris Koralik

GKN Stromag Logo A February, 2016 report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (GIA) named GKN Stromag a key player in the industrial brakes and clutches market place. Amongst other highlights, the report forecasts a 40% growth in the global market for industrial automation equipment from 2013 to 2018. This in turn will likely set a very strong demand for industrial brakes and clutches.

Kor-Pak Corporation is a proud distributor of GKN Stromag brakes and clutches. GKN Stromag produces hydraulically, pneumatically, and electrical spring applied brakes. These are amongst the most highly developed and reliable components for modern and energy efficient drives and insure hoisting and driving safety.

GKN Stromag Brakes offer high degrees of protection, low maintenance as well as fast and simple high wear resistant brake lining replacements.

Learn more about GKN Stromag brakes, brake systems,brake calipers and more at GKN Stromag Brakes product page, or the Stromag Clutches page for clutchesm or contact us for a quote. And always, please remember: Your ‘Special Orders’ don’t upset us! We’re experts at finding solutions to your emergencies, unusual challenges and even odd-ball requests.

Other key takeways from the GIA report include a rising trend in industrial activity and the adoption of automation solutions. They also report an increasing popularity of electromagnetic caliper brakes and rugged brakes in hazardous environments.

The United States portion of the global market should approach one billion dollars by 2020. Future growth will be centered in Asia-Pacific, Latin America as well the Middle East and Africa

GIA publishes and sells market research materials on off the shelf market industries ranging from baby toiletries to nuclear power. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, the company was founded in 1987. Learn more details about and how to purchase a copy of the entire report on the GIA Website.

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Finding The Missing Link In The Heavy Industry OEM Process

Posted on June 14, 2016July 1, 2016 by Chris Koralik

Heavy Industry Construction Crane

An OEM (original equipment manufacturer) manufactures a large piece of equipment for you, the end user. This may be an overhead crane or a gantry crane, a conveyor, stacker/reclaimer or “any equipment used for (non-automotive) heavy industry.

The OEM sells this piece of equipment to an end user. These could be a steel mill, mine, food processing plant, airport, container port, or literally any type of manufacturing entity within an industrial application.

This piece of equipment must do its job regularly and reliably for the end to profit. For example, a steel mill needs an overhead crane to help move material and process in the manufacturing of steel. Without this crane, the process comes to a halt and the job can not be done due to downtime.

An efficiently operating crane is part of the life blood surging through the veins of a successful steel making plant. So it’s only natural for end user companies to want to ensure their equipment runs at optimal capacity ensuring maximum uptime. They also want to keep costs minimal to reduce operating expense and add to their profit margin.

Therefore you might ask: “Does the OEM provide parts and service for this equipment in the long run?”

Not the Core Competency of an OEM

The answer is simply yes. The OEM does provide parts and service. However, it is NOT their core competency.

There are several variables that come into play in this scenario which create the opportunity for a MRO distributor to enter into the scene.

OEMs primarily specialize in making the equipment. They are typically very expensive products that include multiple components such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, etc. Some of these OEM’s do not provide the individual components. They neither service nor repair them.

Retrofit and Modernize Good Heavy Industry Equipment

Furthermore, as the heavy industry’s capital equipment ages and depreciates, there comes a definite need to retrofit and/or modernize it. For instance, a crane might be 30-40 years old.

Although it is still fundamentally a good piece of equipment, technology has improved dramatically since it was first put into production throttling efficiency.

Their also might be issues trying to keep the crane in service. The original parts may be obsolete or the OEM no longer provides maintenance manuals or instructions.

At the other extreme replacing the crane is costly and time consuming. The capital investment for a new crane might be close to $2 million alone. Plus there’s the downtime of replacement.

MRO Companies Fill the OEM Void by:

repairing or providing service to an existing piece of equipment at a more affordable price versus replacing it with new equipment.
troubleshooting, providing replacement parts or even reverse engineering a new part (both the latter combined with educating the customer).
analyzing the situation and modernizing the operation. Finding suitable replacements for existing parts and thus making the process more efficient while saving the end user time and money versus buying new.

That is precisely where Kor-Pak Corporation excels if and when you find yourself in one of these situations. Kor-Pak is a service company that fills the void. We can furnish parts no longer available in standard catalogs or provide assistance with technical solutions and problem solving.

If you are looking for solutions, not merely line-card parts (what we call commodities), Kor-Pak is available. We:

bring product expertise, project management and problem solving capabilities to the table.
will spend the time and invest the resources to solve your problem.
simply get the job done for you.

Call us today at (847) 680-0999 or toll-free (888) 2KORPAK (888-256-7725) and find out how easy it is to partner with Kor-Pak.

Hoist Crane Brakes, Hoist Disc Brakes, Crane Hoist Braking Systems

Posted on May 16, 2016July 1, 2016 by Chris Koralik

Hoist Crane Brakes, Hoist Disc Brakes, Crane Hoist Braking Systems

Hoist Crane Brakes, Hoist Disc Brakes, Crane Hoist Braking Systems for cranes are imperative for the safety and performance of your crane application. Whether it be a Ship-To-Shore Crane, Gantry Crane, Overhead Crane, or another crane type, Hoist

Hoist Brake Setup

Brakes are vital components of the industrial ecosystem that should be taken seriously and be properly specified and maintain.

To insure best practices for Hoist Brakes for Crane Application, it’s good to get back to the basics.

Hoist Brakes consist of shoe or disc brakes on the high speed side of the motor which are typically Thruster Disc Brakes, Thruster Drum Brakes, or Magnetic Drum Brakes. On the low speed side, it is important to have a Emergency Disc Brake system to prevent a load from falling in the event of a low-speed failure, such as gearbox or coupling failure or shaft breaking.

Specifying Hoist Crane Brakes, Hoist Disc Brakes, Crane Hoist Braking Systems

Low-speed brakes for hoist crane brakes applications are specified according to full motor torque plus a service factor. In the USA this is called out in AISE standards. The low-speed brakes are either used as dynamic stopping or static holding brakes, depending on whether there is a VFD controlling the motor as a primary brake. There are several variables that are involved when specifying these brakes such as:

Environmental Factors (i.e. ambient temperature, dust/grime, saltwater exposure, etc.)
Required torque
Friction coefficient
Duty Cycle
Thruster Disc Brake

Thruster Drum Brake

Magnetic Drum Brakes
Controls Integration/PLC
Several more

Emergency Disc Brakes

For the low-speed brakes, the brake(s) typically interface with a disc that is mounted on a flange on the drum. If this is not possible then the shaft can be extended or other alternatives are available. The emergency brake system is typically a caliper brake that is magnetic, hydraulic, or pneumatically released. An encoder can be mounted on the shaft that counts the pulses of the drum to measure the RPM and when a predetermined speed is reached, and “Overspeed Condition” is detected which triggers the E-Brakes to apply via a proportional controlled power unit so the brakes will not come to an “immediate stop” and the brakes will stop the load from falling without creating a “shock load.”

Magnetic Emergency Brakes

Hoist Crane Brakes, Hoist Disc Brakes, Crane Hoist Braking Systems

More detailed information regarding Crane Brakes, and specifically hoist brakes for cranes and emergency crane brake can be found in this Technical Paper. In this paper you will see that Europe has implemented strict standards on the requirement for emergency brakes for hot metal cranes and certain hoist applications, but this is still not a requirement in the USA. There have been numerous reported incidents of low-speed failures which have resulted in catastrophic failures that are extremely costly and some have caused fatalities. It is imperative that the USA adopts the same standards as Europe to create safer operating environments. While there is a cost to Emergency Crane Brake Systems, the benefits unequivocally exceed the costs when it comes to equipment protection, downtime, and most importantly, human lives.

Hoist Crane Brake Experts

Kor-Pak Corporation provides complete turkey systems for crane hoist brake systems including brakes, controls, installation, engineering, commissioning, and after-sales support. As subject matter experts, Kor-Pak will provide you with the quality, service, and engineering support you need to insure that your crane is operating as safely and efficiently as possible. For more information please contact a Kor-Pak representative today.