Load Testing and the Requirement for Overhead Cranes and Hoists

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Overhead cranes are an impressive piece of industrial machinery. The largest payload ever lifted by an overhead crane was over 20,000 metric tons. While your equipment might not have that lifting power, it still needs to be operated safely.

Load testing is an integral part of keeping your crane well-maintained and in safe working order. But what is load testing, and how is it relevant to your equipment? This informative guide has all the information you need.

Load Testing Defined

Load testing is the process of inspecting a crane’s lifting abilities to ensure all parts are in working order. This is often done by lifting a load or applying pulling pressure to the crane using load testing tools. The performance results are then analyzed.

This simulates actual day to day crane lifting operations. It is essential to get load testing done on all overhead cranes. Chain hoist, electric hoist, and engine hoist cranes should also be load tested before use and at regular intervals.

Each of your crane’s components will be evaluated during the load test. If any of these individual components fail, your crane as a whole will fail as well.

Why Should I Get My Crane Load Tested?

Getting your crane load tested is imperative to protecting the safety of your employees. If your crane isn’t load tested, it is more prone to failure. In the case of industrial machinery, most failures are catastrophic. Loss of life and limb can occur.

Load testing for overhead cranes and hoists are also required by law. If your company is caught operating a crane without first having a load test, you can face a hefty fine or other penalties.

Contacting a professional is usually your best bet if you don’t have the right load testing tools on hand at your facility. You can get your crane load tested as part of your regular crane inspection routine. 

If your crane fails the load test for whatever reason, it is far better than failing in the field during normal operations. Load tests act as a buffer for the safety of your employees and the wellbeing of your equipment.

You should conduct load tests regularly following local, state, and federal laws. You can contact OSHA for more details about load testing standards and any other laws applicable to your industrial equipment.

Can Your Overhead Crane Pass the Test?

If your overhead crane is unable to pass a load test, it should not be used in day-to-day operations. Load testing is an integral part of maintaining safety in the industrial workplace.

Without load tests, there would be many more deaths and injuries attributed to cranes. The lifetime of overhead cranes would also decrease as well due to an increase in mechanical breakdowns. Get your overhead crane load tested today!

For all of your other industrial machinery and heavy equipment information, make sure to check out the rest of our blog.

The Value of a Preventive Maintenance Program for Industrial Equipment

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There are almost 800 deaths per year on average caused by industrial equipment. Your heavy lifting equipment represents a significant investment in life and property. To keep it functioning, you need to conduct regular preventive maintenance.

Having a main preventive program keeps a machine operating at its full capacity for the entire duration of its long lifetime.

What constitutes a successful preventive maintenance program for industrial equipment?

Start With a Preventive Maintenance Checklist

A preventive maintenance checklist allows you to be sure that all your ducks are in a row. There are many templates available online for maintenance logs. Choose one that fits your needs and the needs of your business.

Keeping a log is essential. It allows you to know what maintenance and repairs your machinery has received. It also shows when the next scheduled maintenance interval is to take place.

These are essential documents for your business to have on hand in the event of an accident or lawsuit. If you can’t prove that you serviced your machine at appropriate intervals, you may be liable.

Develop and Use Your Preventive Maintenance Plan

You first need to come up with a plan. You can use the following steps to create a simple one or custom-tailor it to your machinery. 

The first step is for you to assess your machinery’s maintenance needs. This involves looking at the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance. It also involves taking an assessment of the condition of individual machines.

For this first step, you will need an industrial machinery inspection. Only after the review can you decide which machine needs what service.

Focus on which machines are to receive maintenance first. Start with the equipment most in need. Prioritize any mission-critical machinery or machinery that can cause catastrophic losses in the event of a failure.

Record all completed or scheduled maintenance in your logbook. Without a log, your maintenance might as well have never happened in the eyes of the law.

Talk to your technicians or a professional maintenance company to determine what additional preventive maintenance steps can be carried out. Then, once you have established your maintenance routine, stick to it at regular intervals.

The regularity of maintenance intervals is essential to keep your industrial machinery operating consistently. Every service should include an inspection of the machine in its entirety to avoid missing anything important.

Prevent Catastrophic Losses

A preventive maintenance program saves lives and helps your business save money. Operating industrial machinery without one is an unsafe risk. Make sure that all your bases are covered with a proper preventive maintenance plan.

That way, you can keep your business operating for years to come.

If you’re looking for high-quality industrial equipment, then you’re in the right place. Take a look at our site; we have everything from industrial brakes and clutches to cranes and hoists. 

How to Ensure Your Overhead Crane Operator is Up to Spec

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In 2019, the rate of nonfatal occupational injuries among employees was 2.8 cases per 100 full-time workers. Any business should keep their employees safe, but it can be challenging for industries that work with heavy machinery. Luckily, there are things you can do to ensure your operators are working safely.

Read on to learn about how your overhead crane operator can be up to spec.

Require Proper Training

An overhead crane operator should have the proper training and certification to operate the equipment safely. Training includes knowing the right procedures and measures to take at any moment.

For the best overhead crane safety, a company should provide training that includes classroom and hands-on instruction. A variety of topics that should be covered are hazard identifications, safety, safe maneuvering, and safety features.

Overhead crane training should also implement proper start-up and run-down procedures. A crane operator that can understand how to lift loads and know the machine’s capacity will be safer in the business.

Training should not be a one-time thing. When working with dangerous machinery, it is essential to provide operators with refreshers when needed.

Look out for workers who may be operating equipment incorrectly and using it for an unintended purpose. This is a telltale sign that an operator requires retraining. Only those trained to operate equipment should do so.

Inspect Before Use

An overhead crane inspection should be done before using it every single time. This will help ensure that the machine is in the proper operating condition.

Overhead crane service inspections should include checking for wear and damage, checking fluid levels, and other components for cracks. Before starting up the machine, an overhead crane operator needs to check the engine oil and hydraulic fluid levels.

After doing an outside check, start the machine to ensure the gauges and lights are working correctly. The operator should also check the alarms.

Listen for any odd sounds or smells coming from the machine. If there are any signs of damage, do not use the equipment. This could lead to further damage and safety issues for the entire staff.

Teach Proper Entering and Exiting Techniques

With many work injuries suffered each year, it is essential to know how to avoid an injury at all costs. This includes teaching your operators about how to enter and exit heavy machinery the right way.

Similar to climbing a ladder, an operator should get into equipment by maintaining three points of contact. Make sure hands are free as nothing should be carried while entering an overhead crane.

When exiting, an operator should not jump out or off of the machine. This should go without saying, but equipment that is in operation should not be entered or exited.

Before exiting, an overhead crane should be completely shut off, and the brakes should be on. Always put the keys in a safe place to ensure there is no unauthorized use.

Keep an Overhead Crane Operator Safe

Ensuring your overhead crane operator is up to spec begins with you. Before allowing them to use the machine, make them go through the proper training. Keeping your operators and other workers safe can be done by using this guide.

For more information on overhead crane safety tips, inspections, and other services, contact us today.

 

Product Guide: How Often Should I Get My Equipment Inspected?

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Regardless of the type of industrial equipment you have on-site, you can perform some necessary standard tests to ensure that every piece of equipment is safe and working to its maximum capacity. Simply follow this guide next time you’re doing the rounds.

What Should Your Equipment Inspection Cover?

You should concentrate your inspection on all aspects of the machine that can impact the operator’s safety and the individual parts that degrade due to wear and tear. The equipment may need some testing as part of the investigation, and in some cases, you might need to do some dismantling.

For the majority of industrial equipment, there are three standard methods used to conduct an inspection. These include:

  • Functional and visual examinations
  • Measuring wear and tear
  • Non-destructive and load testing

It’s helpful for you to record when each inspection is conducted to know when the next one is due. 

How Frequently Should Your Equipment Get Inspected?

A quick inspection should take place every time you’re about to use the equipment. You should check the electrical cables, the safety buttons or switches are working, and the lighting is operating appropriately.

More extensive investigations should occur at the end of the working week and involve looking at specific areas of the machine. You should check all of the protective guards connected to the equipment that will keep employees safe and that all of the functioning parts that deteriorate are working correctly and don’t need replacing.

Thorough exams require you to perform extensive testing to ensure that your machine can handle the jobs it needs to perform. This should happen every three months at a minimum. However, the older the equipment gets, the more frequently you may need to check it to ensure that it’s still up to the task.

Who Should Carry Out the Inspection?

The responsibility of carrying out equipment investigations requires someone with sufficient knowledge and experience of the machines they’re inspecting and, depending on the equipment, may need to be certified. They’ll need to know what to look for and how to identify a problem with the product. Ideally, they should also know what needs to be done when there is an issue.

When Should You Refer to the Machine’s Product Guide?

Upon one of your inspections, you’re bound to find a problem that requires reviewing the product guide to resolve the issue. It might be to check a warranty, or it could relate to a part that needs replacing.

We provide new and refurbished parts for a range of industrial machinery. Don’t wait until it’s broken; contact us today to find out how we can keep your equipment up and running. 

Industrial Equipment Maintenance 101: Overhead Cranes

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Overhead cranes require constant maintenance to operate safely. They’re always doing our heavy lifting. They need someone to lift them every once and a while as well.

You need to have a preventative maintenance program in place. A maintenance program like the one we’ve linked will help you space out your daily and less frequent inspections into a pattern that’s both manageable and logical.

How to Use This Guide

We’ve broken this guide down into four easily digestible sections:

  1. We define the kinds of inspections and equipment maintenance you should be doing daily.
  2. We define the kinds of maintenance you should be doing monthly and yearly.
  3. We break down the checklist building process for each of those time frames.
  4. We have a guideline you should follow to determine when your equipment is too old to keep functioning safely.

In addition to this guide, we also advise you to look up your specific crane manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines.

Once you follow these steps, you’ll be in a great position to care for your companies’ assets and guarantee your warehouses’ overhead crane safety!

1. Daily Maintenance

Daily maintenance of your overhead crane usually comes down to checking in on your crane’s critical safety features. That means you will be checking travel stops, engine health, and the hook or chain hoist that attaches to the item you’re moving.

When you’re checking the limit switches or stopping blocks on your crane’s track, check the following.

  1. Make sure the switches are secured tightly to the track.
  2. Make sure no ropes, tubing, or wiring is in danger of kinking or is showing signs of wear.
  3. Before using a chain of any kind, check the links for deformation, corrosion, or other damage.
  4. Listen for unusual noises from your crane’s engine and bearings.

If you notice anything abnormal, then contact an OEM service technician immediately.

2. Less Frequent Maintenance

Less frequent types of maintenance that you should be doing are called scheduled maintenance. Care like this applies to monthly or yearly industrial equipment maintenance and inspections by OEM service techs.

Other instances include regular lubrication of the crane’s moving parts, replacing damaged parts, and not preventing your overhead crane operator from regularly lifting overcapacity. You should also check in on your crane’s clutch and brake pads every six months or so.

You can obtain information about scheduling each of these activities by reaching out to your overhead crane manufacturer.

3. How to Develop a Maintenance Checklist

Maintenance checklists are an essential part of any preventative maintenance program. This article is an excellent resource for the preventive maintenance guidelines you should be adhering to daily.

Next, map your checklist out on a calendar so that you can include checkboxes for less regular maintenance activities that you perform on your cranes.

Mapping out your maintenance on a calendar will help you visualize the steps you need to take to keep your equipment operating as it should.

Also, keep an equipment maintenance log for the less frequently occurring check-ins and part replacements to stay timely.

4. How to Know When to Replace Your Overhead Cranes

Overhead cranes often have a lifespan of 10 years as a minimum. If you properly maintain your crane, you can expect up to 50 years of continuous operation.

However, if you don’t maintain your crane, then a 10-year lifespan might be a bit optimistic.

So, how do you know when the lifespan of your overhead crane has come to an end?

You can look at a few factors.

  1. If the crane costs more to maintain, than it generates revenue (by moving material and allowing your employees to do efficient work).
  2. If your crane breaks down more often than it’s functioning, you might also want to consider an upgrade.

Both of these symptoms can signal an unsafe work environment. Schedule yearly checks for these signs in your company meetings.

Get Lifting!

For more useful tips on maintaining your companies assets, head over to our blog!

3 Helpful Tips on Streamlining Manufacturing Costs

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Throughout the United States, there are more than 30 million small businesses. If you’re a part of one of them, you may be familiar with a common issue: high manufacturing costs.

No matter the product your company makes, you have to deal with the costs of creating your product. And many times these costs are higher than you’d like them to be.

That’s why we’ve created this article outlining three helpful tips to streamline your manufacturing costs, so they’re less of a burden on your bottom line. Keep reading for more information.

1. Utilize Build-to-Order and Mass-Customized Inventory

One fundamental way to reduce your manufacturing costs is to produce two types of products. The first is built-to-order. The second is a mass-customized inventory.

This way, you can fulfill the demand for both regular and custom orders while still reducing manufacturing costs. In both approaches, once you get an order, you’ll be able to fulfill it right away.

Using this approach can help you eliminate carrying costs, ranging from up to 25 percent of your inventory value on hand. You can also reduce your procurement costs using these methods, which can significantly help your profit margin.

2. Focus on the Most Profitable Products

Next, let’s talk about another one of the most helpful tips for streamlining manufacturing your costs: focusing on your most profitable products. This is a great way to reduce manufacturing costs, but also can help with:

  • simplifying operations
  • improving productivity
  • increasing profit
  • expanding cash flow

And what business owner wouldn’t like those benefits?

Here’s how it works. Look at your product lineup, and eliminate your lowest-profit products. Also, look for products for which you could outsource production. And then look at your highest-profit products, and make a plan to focus on these.

Commonly, 60 percent of a product line contributes less than 10 percent of the total margin. That’s why going through the product line rationalization efforts can have a significant effect on your bottom line.

3. Evaluate the Cost vs. Benefit of Quality

As any manufacturer knows, quality cost reduction is a crucial part of managing costs. This is the process of assessing and adjusting the manufacturing process. 

The idea here is that you can use cheaper materials to create the same product quality, instantly improving your bottom line. But the risk is that more inexpensive materials have the potential to decrease the quality of your finished product.

It’s important to consider past quality issues as you’re going through this process. This will help you avoid problems that you’ve encountered before.

Helpful Tips for Streamlining Manufacturing Costs

There you have it: three of our top helpful tips for reducing manufacturing costs for your business. Now that you’ve read through these ideas, it’s time to make a specific plan for your company based on your unique situation.

Have additional questions or want to learn more? Contact our team today with any other inquiries.

How to Accurately Complete Daily Overhead Crane Inspections

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Daily safety checks are vital for safety in an industrial environment. Safety checks are necessary to help prevent crane-related deaths, which average around 42 per year, besides injuries. 

Completing daily visual overhead crane inspections is an essential aspect of maintaining a safe overhead crane. Learn how to do this here correctly.

What’s Included in Overhead Crane Inspections?

To do a thorough inspection of your overhead crane, you’ll want to check for signs of heat damage and wear and tear on your equipment. Also, check the surrounding floor area to be sure it is clear of obstacles and debris.

Test the controls and make sure they don’t get stuck or set off warning alarms. Be sure that nothing is in the way of moving parts or close enough to become entangled. There should be no loose wires or broken parts, and all labels must be firmly affixed.

Hooks should not be bent, misshapen, cracked, or show other structural damage. It’s also essential that all safety guards are correctly installed. Parts should not scrape or grind against each other and should be able to rotate a full 360 degrees.

You should not see any leaking oil or hydraulic fluid, hook drift, or jams that happen on the overhead track. Make sure hydraulic, and air brakes work as intended.

Ropes and chains should be free of breaks, tears, kinks, or signs of noticeable heat and stress damage. Check each link and inspect all the way around, not just from one direction.

Tools for Completing the Inspection

During your inspection, you can use several tools to help it go smoothly and save time. Here are three tools: 

Daily Inspection Form

The daily inspection form will help you remember each overhead crane part you need to check. During the inspection process, you can refer back to it as many times are you need to ensure you don’t miss something. 

If you’re not sure what to include on the inspection form, ask if there’s one already available. You could also have an experienced coworker help you create the list or download a pre-made list from a reputable site.

Specialty Software

There’s a special software for crane inspections, so check with your company to see if they use it. If not, it might be something to suggest.

Good crane inspection software will help you know what you need to check for your specific equipment. It can help you generate checklists and track inspections that you have already completed.

Mobile Apps

Mobile apps that run specialized crane inspection software add an extra layer of convenience. You can carry a cell phone with you and run through your inspections without bringing a bulky laptop.

Mobile apps remove the need for having to transfer data recorded on paper into your computer database.

Best Practices and More

If you’ve found this article about overhead crane inspections helpful, feel free to check out our other blog articles.

We provide news and industry information about industrial equipment, maintenance, parts, and service. You can find our blog and contact information here.

Environmentally Sustainable Hardware: What We Offer

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Sustainable and eco-friendly ideals have now reached every industry around for multiple good reasons. For one, “green” practices protect the planet we all share. They also boost your reputation among your clientele who are passionate about conservation.

Of course, it’s easier to make sustainable choices in some industries and situations than others. Still, you can take steps to make your industrial equipment more environmentally-friendly. Namely, you can choose more sustainable hardware. Luckily, Kor-Pak offers several eco-friendly products for various applications.

Gatke Phenolics and Laminates

Phenolics and laminates are useful for a wide range of friction applications. Did you know they make your processes more sustainable too? These products are self-lubricating, giving them a longer life with slower wear compared to competitors. That means you’ll need fewer replacements, saving the environment from excess manufacturing.

Gatke is specifically known for its long-lasting products. Now that Gatke is a Scan-Pac brand, Kor-Pak is proud to provide Gatke products as a Scan-Pac distributor. 

Energy-Efficient AC/DC Drives

Energy efficiency is a critical part of your sustainability. This is especially true when it comes to something with heavy power usage like a crane. Cut down on that power usage with high-quality AC or DC drives depending on your crane’s needs.

While we offer a variety of both AC and DC drives, we only distribute high-quality products which, among other advantages, are designed for energy efficiency.  

Brakes for Wind Energy Resources

One of the most extensive ways to protect the planet is by using cleaner energy sources like wind, water, and solar power. The wind energy industry is expected to grow from 113 gigawatts (GW) in 2020 to 404 GW by 2050. Kor-Pak is proud to contribute to these efforts by serving the wind energy industry.

We offer a wide range of yaw brakes and calipers for wind turbines and other types of wind energy equipment. You can take advantage of this for your business by installing your own wind energy equipment to generate clean energy. If you do, we’re your source for any yaw brakes you need.

Full Selection of Energy-Efficient Products

Some certain products and brands place a special emphasis on energy efficiency for environmental protection. However, overall, part of your energy efficiency depends on using high-quality industrial hardware items that work well together. The smoother your operation is, the less energy it will require.

That’s our specialty at Kor-Pak. We provide the highest quality of industrial brakes and other industrial hardware. It’s all designed to give you an optimal performance so you can make the most of every joule. Not only will this give you the benefit of a more sustainable operation, but it lowers your energy costs too. 

How to Find Sustainable Hardware for Your Industrial Equipment

Every industrial setup is unique. To truly make your operation as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible, you need the help of a dedicated professional. Contact our industrial brake and hardware specialists today to find out the best ways to optimize and upgrade your equipment.

 

How Does It Work: Demag Cranes

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Cranes were originally discovered back in 515 B.C. in Greece to help build the Greek temple. Today they are still used in industrial and construction applications to erect huge buildings that wouldn’t be possible without their help.

Keep reading to learn what Demag cranes are and how they work.

What Is a Demag Crane and Why Choose Them?

Demag is a company that builds industrial cranes. Typically used in manufacturing, Demag cranes have a reputation for being well-built, reliable, and promote safe work environments.

This company has a passion for building long-last and well-performing cranes. They are uncompromising in their quality and performance since 1819—those 200 years of experience show when you choose Demag cranes & components.

How Demag Cranes Work

Demag cranes work much like any other crane works. They are there to hoist large, heavy equipment into the correct spot for your project. In a balance-styled crane, its beam is balanced at a point that allows it to lift weighty pieces with a small amount of force.

Think of it like a lever or a teeter-totter. When one side goes down, the other goes up.

When you see these cranes in action, it almost seems impossible. They’re able to lift any number of things in your job site, such as:

  • Steel
  • Concrete
  • Large tools
  • Generators
  • Drywall slabs
  • Lights

Anything you need at the top of your job site, you can rely on your Demag crane to get the job done.

Types of Demag Cranes

Many types of cranes are used for a variety of industries.

Process cranes are built to meet your specific job requirements. These process cranes use automated technology and overhead cranes to handle large loads and streamline your procedures.

Next is overhead cranes, also commonly referred to as bridge cranes. Overhead cranes use parallel runways with a bridge that runs across the gap. Then the lifting component of the crane, commonly called a hoist, travels across that bridge.

Overhead cranes are great for manufacturing applications where they don’t move around (like they would at construction sites).

What Is a Demag Crane Kit?

Depending on what you’re using your crane for, you may want to get other Demag crane parts, such as a Demag crane kit.

Inside the crane, kits are customized with additional pieces to make your Demag crane even more efficient.

Some of the crane kits include:

  • Single overhead traveling crane kit
  • Single overhead suspension crane kit
  • Double overhead traveling crane kit

The crane kits are user friendly and can help your business meet its exact needs. 

Get Your Demag Crane Today

Request a quote from us today to start being more efficient in your work.

Know someone who could benefit from this? Then be sure to share this article with them!

 

SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes: A Step-by-Step Guide

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You’re on the job site, and your crane operator just blew a gearbox. You have a deadline you have to meet, but you can’t fly three truckloads of material 100 feet up. You need a part, fast. What do you do?

Fortunately, your mechanic tells you it’s a SEW Eurodrive Gearbox, and there’s hope. Here’s why.

What Makes SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes So Appealing?

SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes use a modular system. This modular system allows them to combine as few components to produce the widest range of capabilities. Because the gearboxes’ applications are so extensive, this modular system lets you select the part you need based on your application.

Categories of SEW Eurodrive Gearboxes

There are five overarching categories for these gearboxes. Standard gearboxes feature a wide range of design, ideal graduation of sizes, and heavy-duty construction to achieve up to 50,000 Nm torque.

Servo gearboxes deliver precision, power, and speed. You can combine these gearboxes with a variety of motors. The result is always an exact drive response for your application.

Variable speed gearboxes are designed to accept varying drive speeds seamlessly. These are perfect solutions for adapting speeds to different processing sequences.

Chemical applications and clean environments make use of the stainless-steel gearbox by SEW Eurodrive. Built from acid-resistant material and designed without a fan make cleaning easy, and the fan-less design prevents dirt and debris from clogging up the gears.

Many of the above gearboxes can be constructed to be explosion-proof and comply with all local, state, and federal regulations. You get all the power for safe operation in explosive environments.

What Information Do I Need to Order a New Gearbox?

If you are building a unique machine in the development process, you can contact us for help in identifying what gearbox is right for your application. We’ll review with you your needs and help you select the proper unit.

If you’re reordering a specific gearbox, you’ll need the serial number on the nameplate. This is usually everything you need to reorder because that serial number will have all the other details stamped onto the nameplate.

Details like the voltage, frequency, designation type, power factor, maximum torque, number of phases, and unit speed are stamped on the nameplate to help engineers in the field understand what they are working with so that any changes elsewhere in the system can be calibrated.

Other details like oil type, fill volume, service factor, mounting position, and thermal class help field mechanics maintain the gearbox. Choosing the wrong specifications will fail, and failure can result in serious injury to people and property. Make sure a qualified mechanic does your repairs and replacements.

Ordering Your New Gearbox

Contact us today for all your SEW Eurodrive gearbox needs. At Kor-Pak, we specialize in delivering the highest quality parts with excellent customer service. Our associates will answer any questions you have and get the right parts out to you ASAP. We also provide installation and repair services.