Working with cranes is a high-stakes project. From damaging cargo to putting human lives at stake, there’s a lot that can go wrong. 

That’s why modernization and crane automation are so important. Technology is progressing at warp speed, and keeping up can make all the difference in safety and productivity.

Whether you’re a crane controller or an engineer, we’ve got an inside look at how AI and data analysis will revolutionize boom crane automation in the digital age.

Artificial Intelligence for Crane Controls

For a crane controller, each decision is fraught with importance. Making minute adjustments changes the size of the load, the speed of the swing can cause disaster, and safely depositing the load is a challenge.

This takes a lot of skill, precision, and hand-eye coordination. Even with the most skilled crane controller, human error can still impact safety in the workplace.

That’s why artificial intelligence can skyrocket productivity for construction projects. AI uses camera input, computer vision software, and visual data input to perform each movement.

The AI system can then communicate with crane controllers to inform them of any people, obstacles, or hazards nearby. This alters the crane’s movements. Much like a collision alert system in a car, it alerts human operators of the potential danger they might not be able to see or avert in time.

With artificial intelligence acting on real-time data, crane controls can be automated to improve construction efficiency drastically. This can boost precision in the crane’s movements by up to 30%.

Construction projects are notorious for running over schedule and budget. With increased speed, safety, and precision, smart crane solutions help solve this issue.

Data Analysis for Crane Controls

Is your crane on the verge of breaking down? If time is of the essence, data analysis paired with AI can perform diagnostics. This can help you pinpoint where repairs are necessary and alert you when maintenance you need to handle maintenance.

This can prevent costly downtime where your crane is out of order. It can also prevent disaster, where your crane breaks, collapses, or drops a load due to parts failing.

Data analysis can also inform you about inventory. How many logs, containers, or pieces of machinery is your crane picking up and moving? How many logs have moved to Yard A, and how many did it move to Yard B?

Data analysis can keep you on track regarding crane repairs, maintenance, and inventory tracking.

Equipment Maintenance for a Crane Controller

The construction industry is sometimes behind the curve when it comes to digital solutions. Whether you’re an engineer or a crane controller, it’s essential to keep up to date on the latest options.

However, nothing will completely replace human expertise. Whether you’re looking for heavy industry parts or services, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today to see what we can do for you!

A crane can be strong enough to lift what you need it to, but if it can’t reach the location you need, it’s worthless.

Whether you’re in construction for highways, building new neighborhoods, or working at an industrial plant, you have to understand the different types of terrains and which crane will work best for you.

Keep reading to learn about the different types of workspaces and what you need to know about them before buying a mobile crane.

Rocky Road

If your construction site is in a less developed area or off of a city, you may encounter rocky roads that not every crane is built to drive on.

For these situations, you need an all-terrain crane. You can drive these on highways to get to remote locations and easily drive them on unfinished roads without any issues or breakdowns.

Rough, or Undeveloped Land

Sometimes you’re starting from scratch with a new area, and you need a crane that’s going to be able to drive on undeveloped land. When your site is on grass, dirt, or areas that a typical vehicle can’t drive to, you need a rough terrain crane.

As you may have expected, a rough terrain crane has an engine and strong enough wheels to drive on rough terrains. These cranes use a 4-wheel drive and usually have a single-engine it operates on that powers its boom and undercarriage.

Highway Construction

With highway construction sites, your best option is to use a truck-mounted crane. About 75% of all cranes in service today are truck-mounted cranes.

What’s great about these cranes is they’re able to be adapted to plenty of different types of jobs, outside of just highway construction, which is what makes them so popular. They can lift as much as 1,300 short tons, and most of them can swing a full 360 degrees. 

These cranes can be driven on the highway, making them convenient for highway-type terrains.

Concrete Flooring

If you’re in an industrial manufacturing plant, you may have concrete that’s ideal for most types of vehicles to drive on. In this case, large cranes like we mentioned before might be too large for you. This is when you should consider a telescopic handler. 

Essentially, they’re forklifts that have a telescoping boom attached to their front end. They can be driven in any direction and can be used to move pallets or put large trusses away. If you don’t have a long way to go, and the loads aren’t overly heavy, a telescopic handler is a suitable choice for you.

Remember, though, not every crane can drive on concrete, so be sure it’s under the weight limit so you don’t crack your floor.

Buy Your Mobile Crane Today

Now that you know about the different types of terrains you could come in contact with, and what the best option for each is, it’s time to buy your crane!

If you need more help determining what mobile crane is right for you, speak to an expert today!

When looking to buy tower cranes, there is a lot to consider besides the crane brand. For the most part, the tower crane parts play an essential factor in hooking in buyers.

Here are some of the tower crane parts to factor in when deciding which crane to buy.

The Boom

The boom of a crane is the long arm that moves the load. Booms can either be one solid piece or fold to extend and offer the crane better reach.

The height and radius of the farthest load pick-up will determine how long your tower crane’s jib will be. If the construction is vertical, you will need a lift with a longer jib length. In calculating the required length, consider fixed obstructions on or near the job site, such as high power lines, buildings, and bridges.

Hoist

It’s best to check the hoist power capacity. Be sure the hoist has enough power to pick up the heaviest load at the greatest building height.

The hoist of a crane holds, raises, and lowers the load using wire rope or chains, creating the lifts. Hoists can be hand-powered, electrically powered, or powered with compressed air. Choosing a suitable hoist is essential to have a system that will meet your lifting needs.

Hook

The hook that connects to the hoist supports the crane’s load. It’s worth noting how powerful and fast the hook line of your tower crane is for work efficiency.

In doing so, always consider the hoist speed of a standard lift and the weight of a typical load. High line speeds are significant with tall buildings and useless on buildings with five floors and below.

Hydraulic Pump

Various parts of a crane use hydraulic pressure function and lift weighted loads around. Most cranes use a hydraulic pump system that uses two rotating gears to pressurize oil. In a gear pump, you will have to run the engine at full power to get high pressure.

It’s worth noting that piston pumps are among the most efficient hydraulic pump and is a good basis when choosing your tower crane.

Controls

An important tower crane part is the controls which are either mounted, battery-powered, or a hanging pendant. The controls run the drive and hoist motors to control the hoist and the speed. Remote pendants retrofit most crane systems, and so remote operation is a safer alternative in many situations.

Learn More About Tower Crane Parts Today!

These are only some of the basic things you will have to consider when buying a tower crane. Why stop here when you can keep learning about tower cranes.

Don’t know where to find more information on tower crane parts? Don’t worry; we`re here for you. Contact us and let us know how we can help you!

Your crane is essentially your business’s right hand when it’s time to tackle a construction project. And fortunately, up to now, your crane has been running like a dream. 

The question is, how can you keep it from becoming a nightmare?

Research shows that from 2011 to 2015, more than 200 people died in crane-related accidents. That’s equivalent to more than 40 people per year on average.

Unfortunately, these accidents can quickly happen if they are not maintained properly, which is why hiring a crane service company is a wise idea.

Here’s a rundown on three things your crane service company should cover when maintaining, checking, and servicing your cranes. 

1. Crane Wire Rope Degradation or Damage

A damaged or degraded wire rope is a common issue associated with overhead cranes, so be sure that your chosen crane service company evaluates your rope’s condition.

Several operating conditions may affect your rope, including stresses, bending, and loading conditions. The materials you handle, abrasion, and corrosion can also reduce your wire rope’s life.

Depending on your rope’s condition, it may need lubrication to protect it against friction and corrosion. Alternatively, it may need to be replaced. 

2. Worn Crane Brakes

Your crane brakes should also be regularly inspected by a professional. This is important because your drum brakes play a crucial role in your service performance, for example. In addition, your caliper disc brakes will help to keep loads from falling in emergencies.

Signs that your brakes require repair include a screeching or squeaking sound. In addition, you may notice that your brakes are not moving smoothly. Or you might notice your brakes looking rusty.

An inspector can help you to repair your brakes or to replace them to maximize your equipment’s efficiency and your workers’ safety. 

3. Damaged or Bent Crane Hooks

A crane inspection is also helpful for identifying damaged hooks, which can pose a significant safety risk.

If a crane hook cannot hold loads in precise directions due to bending or cracking, your loads may slip off. In addition, the hook could struggle with loads in the future or eventually break.

A crane service company can let you know if they see any cracks or bends in your hook, in which case a repair or replacement is in order.

How Our Crane Service Company Can Help

As a leading crane service company in Illinois, we take pride in conducting complete inspections of our valued clients’ overhead cranes.

As part of our inspections, we visually check the conditions of all structural components, switches, and electrical devices. In addition, we produce full written reports listing all safety, NEC, and OSHA deficiencies. We also highlight all recommended repairs, as well as quotations for labor and parts.

Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can keep your cranes operating in the top-tier condition in the months and years ahead.

There are over 100,000 cranes in operation today. If your company uses a crane often, maintenance is a crucial aspect of your operation.

This means making sure their brakes and clutches are up-to-date and in working condition. 

You need reliable crane brake brands to make sure you’ve got someone to contact whenever your cranes need new parts. But where should you even look to find reliable crane brake brands?

That’s what we’ll be looking at today. In this crane brake buying guide, we’ll be discussing when you need a new brake and clutch, as well as some of the best industrial brake and clutch brands out there today. 

When You Should Buy a New Brake

When you notice that your brake is taking longer than usual to respond, it might be time to buy a new one. If you hear grinding or squeaking sounds, that’s also another sign that you should purchase a new brake. 

If there’s any sign of rust or wear-and-tear, it might also be time for a new crane brake. Additionally, if you feel like your crane isn’t moving as smoothly, it could be the brakes. 

When You Should Buy a New Clutch

If you notice a jerking or shuddering sensation when you engage the clutch, that’s one of the first signs that you need a replacement. Furthermore, if the clutch is becoming harder to depress, it could be time for a new one. 

Once your clutch begins to wear out, switching gears will become harder. This can cause a whole host of problems and should be addressed immediately.

Best Crane Clutch and Brake Resources

So, you need good crane clutch and brake brands — here should you turn?

Here are some top companies producing crane clutch and brakes today:

Antec

Antec is a reliable company whose roots began in designing and manufacturing industrial brakes. Their vast knowledge and experience make them one of the world’s leaders in hydraulic and electromagnetic technology. 

Some of their products include electromagnetic drum brakes and disc brakes. But their bread and butter remain crane brakes, which they’ve been producing for over 50 years. 

Hindon

Hindon specializes in producing high-quality industrial products, including fail-safe industrial crane brakes. They’ve been at it since 1983, making them seasoned professionals in crane brake and clutch manufacturing. 

They also provide excellent industrial brake repairs and other reliable products as well. 

Eaton

Eaton produces their very own Airflex series, which uses air-actuated disc clutches and spring-applied disc brakes for their clutches and brakes.

The Airflex crane brakes and clutches are extremely reliable. Eaton provides excellent customer support to help companies across multiple industries succeed with their clutch and brake products. 

Kor-Pak

Kor-Pak is an industrial crane and brake specialist, offering a wide range of products in all kinds of sizes, torque, styles, and applications. They also produce custom brakes and clutches.

With a customer-centric approach, Kor-Pak helps your company run at optimal efficiency with its excellent clutches and brakes. 

Leverage High-Quality Crane Brakes and Clutches Today

Finding high-quality brake brands can be tough, much less choosing from them. Use this guide to narrow down your search and find your optimal crane brake and clutch resource!

Looking for more informative articles on the crane industry? Check out the rest of our blog!

Cranes are a tool that you rely on when out on the job site. If they aren’t performing their best, it can be a liability and downright dangerous.

Regular maintenance and crane repair services are needed to keep your job site as safe as possible; This will help ensure that your employees are safe and that your cranes are in top working conditions.

Have you been wondering what might indicate that you need crane repair? We’ll cover five different signs to be on the lookout for in this article.

1. Crane Rope Issues

What’s a crane without its much-needed rope? To work safely and efficiently, this rope needs lots of maintenance to keep it working its best.

There are many types of issues that can take place with ropes, so it’s essential to monitor them. This will ensure that they’re strong and in good condition.

Like many other parts, ropes can start to age and fail. This can lead to them breaking or snapping when trying to pick uploads. If you start to notice fraying or any kinks, be sure to take action right away. This is a significant indicator that you need crane repairs soon.

2. Broken Hoses

As you know, there are many types of hoses, such as hydraulic hoses, that are needed to make a crane operate normally. Issues can start to arise when those hoses become damaged or bloated.

Before starting up the crane, it’s good practice to check up on the hoses. If you notice any abnormalities with them, it’s a good time to get them checked to be sure they are repaired.

Hoses that need repairs can appear deformed, or at worst, they can be broken. It’s an issue that will need attention from the best crane repair service as soon as possible.

3. Damaged Parts

Even the most minor parts of a crane can affect performance if they aren’t up to par.

Something as simple as a loose bolt can cause issues if it’s not caught in time. Broken pins are another big issue that can start to take a toll on the machine.

Keeping an eye out for these broken parts can help you get the necessary repairs before something else has the chance to fail too.

4. Pad Issues

Cranes have many pads that need attention and care throughout their lifespan. As time goes on, they’ll start to wear down and cause problems with the machine.

Worn pads can cause unnecessary noise and difficult operations. If you or your staff start to notice that your crane isn’t performing as it used to or you hear odd sounds, you’ll need to call in a crane repair service.

5. Corrosion

As your crane starts to age, corrosion is likely to happen. It can affect many parts, including the boom.

Corrosion can make the crane itself weak and dangerous to operate. This is why regular maintenance and crane repairs are essential to ensure that the crane is safe to operate. If it isn’t, then repairs will be needed.

Do I Need Crane Repair Service? Look For These Signs

If you notice any of these telling signs, be sure to call in a crane repair service. It will help give you peace of mind that the crane is working its best once again.

At Kor-Pak, we offer crane repair service and maintenance. We can also provide many new parts to keep your crane in working order.

Are you interested in having a crane repaired? If so, please contact us today!