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.

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!

Overhead cranes can move objects weighing dozens of tons. They are indispensable to factories, mills, and refineries. Yet few people know how they work. 

Here is a quick guide to the three main components of industrial overhead cranes. 

1. The Bridge

The bridge is the track for the crane. There are two different types of bridges for industrial overhead cranes. 

A single girder design uses one girder. Single girder designs allow for easier movement, and they are low maintenance and easy to install. But a single girder cannot support large weights. 

A double girder bridge uses two girders. Double girders permit a higher height to hoist objects, and they support very large weights. But double girders are heavy, so they need support within the building foundation. 

2. The Trolley

The trolley is the vehicle that travels on the bridge. There are three types of trolleys. 

A plain trolley is the simplest design. The operator pushes or pulls the trolley into position. The operator grabs the load by hand and positions it along the bridge. 

A geared trolley is more complicated. The hoist operator pulls on a chain hanging from the trolley, which has gears attached to the chain. The trolley then rolls along the bridge. 

A motorized trolley has a motor attached to its wheels. A control pendant hangs from the bridge, and the operator presses buttons to move the trolley along. Motorized trolleys are fast, so you need to take safety precautions. 

3. The Hoist

The hoist lifts the load up and down. You can customize your hoist according to your needs. 

You need to know how much your loads weigh. Pick a hoist that can more than carry your objects. If you work with one-ton loads, purchase a hoist that lifts two tons. 

Determine the amount of lift you need. Subtract the resting location of your load from the hanging location of your hoist. Purchase more than enough chain and rope to lift the load up and down. 

Then determine the speed you need. If your objects are fragile, pick a low-speed hoist. 

You can install your hoist on top of or beneath your bridge. Top running hoists permit greater lifting heights, while under running hoists reach loads in shorter periods of time. Double girder designs usually use top running hoists. 

You can suspend your hoist from a hook or from a lug. Many hoists use lug suspensions, as lugs are smaller than hooks. Pick a lug if you want more flexibility to move and secure loads. 

Go to the Experts on Industrial Overhead Cranes

Parts make up the whole. Industrial overhead cranes work because their parts work together well. 

The bridge is the track or tracks the crane runs on. The trolley is the vehicle that runs on the bridge. The hoist is what lifts objects up and down. 

These three simple components are what make industrial cranes work. But they can only work if you maintain them. Read this checklist on maintaining your crane.

Did you know that the industrial brakes and clutches market is predicted to grow by $158.30 million over the next four years? What’s more, this annual growth is forecast to increase at a compound annual rate (CAGR) of two percent over that period.

And by 2027? Expect to see the global industrial clutches and brakes market reach a stunning $1.5 billion. The US market alone will see approximately $364 million in sales.

Depending on the industry you’re in, the industrial equipment you use will vary greatly. Each industry requires specific technology to meet its needs and play to its advantages. 

Keep reading to learn more about industrial clutches and the best designs for your specific needs. These designs are already available on the market, although bear in mind innovation continues every day.

Industrial Overrunning Clutches

Overrunning are also referred to as freewheel clutches. They permit driving in one direction of rotation while freewheeling in another. When the driven shaft is rotating faster than the driveshaft, it mechanically disconnects the driveshaft.

Used in heavy-duty applications, these clutches are popular in mining, aerospace, agriculture, industrial metal processing, indexing, etc. When multiple-speed, dual- and one-way drives and backstops are required, overrunning clutches are often used. 

They can be categorized into four different types of styles:

• Roller ramp clutch
• Sprag clutch
• Wrap spring clutch
• Wedge ramp clutch

Let’s take a closer look at each of these options and how they facilitate industrial operations.

The Roller Ramp Clutch

The roller ramp is known as one of the longest-lasting designs in the industrial clutch world, and with good reason. It has cylindrical rollers positioned in a wedge-shaped area. This area is formed by an inner flat surface and an outer cylindrical surface.

How does the clutch engage? When these surfaces generate friction with the rollers, the rollers get wedged firmly as the flat inner part rotates in the driving direction.

The Sprag Clutch

You’ll find similarities in how the roller ramp clutch and the sprag clutch operate. But the sprag clutch uses bean-shaped or irregular sprags that only allow operation in one direction. The sprag clutch also has an outer and inner cylindrical shape.

These clutches offer greater torque. Yet, due to their radial space restrictions, they are limited by their bore size. 

The Wrap Spring

For low-speed operations that don’t require a heavy-duty design, go with wrap spring clutches. They use a helical spring that transmits torque in one direction. This, in turn, tightens on a cylindrical sleeve.

The Wedge Ramp Clutch

If you’d like a clutch that draws from the best of all three designs mentioned above, then go with a wedge ramp clutch. Easy to repair and low cost, these clutches offer high overrunning torques and speed.

They rely on a flat surface and compact springs rather than a cylinder-shaped outer member. This design provides a larger area to boost torque.

Learn More About Industrial Clutches

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to clutches and brakes for the oil and gas, marine, and mining and metals industries. This equipment gets used in various applications, including cable laying, anchor handling, presses, pumps, draglines, and more.

Are you interested in learning more about industrial hydraulic, electromagnetic, and pneumatic clutches? We’ve got you covered. Contact us today to discuss your industrial clutches needs. 

Overhead cranes are a critical business investment, but you also want a decent ROI on your purchase. The first thing you need to look for is a quality crane you can trust.

Investing in the right overhead crane is one thing, but you need to ensure your investment’s performance and longevity.

Brands like Stromag, Marland Clutch, and Scan-Pac are leaders in overhead cane clutches, limit switches, hoists, wheels, couplings, and brakes. These upgrades are essential for optimal performance and safety.

Let’s take a closer look at the industry’s best overhead cranes and upgrades so that you can make the most of your purchase.

Types of Overhead Cranes

Take your time to find the right overhead crane for your needs. Depending on the project, you may need a bridge crane, single-girder bridge crane, double-girder bridge crane, jib crane, or a gantry crane.

Bridge cranes are the largest overhead cranes you can buy, but you can switch to a single-girder if you want a flexible, lightweight crane. Upgrade to a double-girder if you plan on moving a lot of large, heavy loads.

A major benefit of gantry cranes is that they don’t require elevated runways like bridge cranes. Gantry cranes support themselves with sturdy legs. These cranes do operate on special ground tracks, but many smaller gantry cranes don’t require tracks.

Like the gantry crane, jib overhead cranes also support themselves. Instead, jib cranes support themselves with sturdy mounted columns. Jib cranes also feature a mounted boom that can maneuver 360 degrees.

Some jib cranes are mounted on walls, but they don’t come with a 360-degree rotating boom. However, wall-mounted jib cranes don’t take up as much space as other cranes.

Tips for Buying Overhead Cranes

If you’re buying or renting your first overhead crane, gather referrals to ensure you’re buying a quality crane. Call around and ask for quotes. As an industrial business owner, you want to build long-lasting relationships with trustworthy crane vendors.

New purchasers should also familiarize themselves with crane basics, like crane types, hoists, various bridge parts, runway beams, pendant conductor tracks, hook blocks, and trolley festoons.

You may need to switch cranes or upgrade to another crane as you scale your business. Simple ROI calculations can help you determine the true value of your crane.

You will need to subtract your overhead crane’s initial value from your final investment value; next, divide the crane’s net value by the total investment cost and multiply that number by 100.

How to Improve Your Overhead Crane

You need a high-performing overhead crane to complete jobs on time, improve safety, maintain compliance, and deliver quality results. It’s normal for crane parts to wear down over time due to wear and tear; therefore, you need a reliable crane part supplier, as well.

Fortunately, you can purchase and customize high-quality crane parts to improve your current crane’s performance. Take a look at the latest parts from such top suppliers as Stromag, Optibelt, and more to discover the right upgrades for your crane.

Discover the Right Overhead Cranes and Upgrades

High-quality equipment is essential to your company’s reputation and profits. Remember these tips as you make strategic investments for your business goals.

Buy a quality Demag crane or improve your current crane’s performance with the latest upgrades. Browse our catalog of quality parts and manufacturers, or contact us right now to place an order.

You’ve been using the same crane for many years now, and you’re proud to call it your Old Faithful. The question is, how long will it continue to be faithful?

Yes, your aging crane may be handling your material movement jobs fairly effectively today. But the truth is, it could do better. And that’s where crane modernization can help.

With a more modern crane, you can increase production and operate much more quickly. Also, you can experience the benefits of automation and better controls.

Here’s a rundown on why crane modernization and upgrades are worth it.

Let’s get started!

Why Modernize Your Crane? Improve Your Safety

One of the biggest reasons to modernize your crane is to make it safer for your workers.

Safety-boosting technology is developing rapidly these days. Thus, it’s likely that safety regulations have changed since your current crane was built.

With modernization, you can comply with today’s safety standards and thus decrease the risk of injuries at your job site. Likewise, modernization can decrease the risk of damage to your products, facilities, and materials. It can also lower your chances of experiencing downtime.

Productivity

Modernization can also help you to achieve higher throughput and even support a new process. That’s because crane modernization can help you to accomplish the following:

• Eliminate your need for an AC-DC rectifier panel
• Reduce your chances of experiencing leaks due to an older hydraulic braking system
• Help your brake linings to last longer
• Improve your brake’s performance

The right provider of modernization services can tailor your modernization plan to your operation’s unique needs.

Life Extension

The useful life of crane parts, like bearings, wheels, and gears, is generally 20-plus years. However, these parts may begin to cause you problems at year 10 or 15.

If you replace these worn parts with modern ones, you can extend your crane’s life.

Modernizing your gears especially offers benefits. That’s because today’s precision gearing results in less vibration, which means you’ll see less wear on your gears.

As a result, your gears will need less maintenance over time. Plus, you’ll have a crane that operates more quickly.

Also, when you replace certain parts, you can save the older parts and then use them as spare parts if you’re ever in a pinch. 

How We Can Help You to Experience the Improved Performance of a Modern Crane

We offer top-of-the-line services for companies interested in modernizing, upgrading, enhancing their cranes.

We can work with you no matter what type of crane you are trying to upgrade, ranging from rail mounted gantry to ship to shore cranes, for example. With our help, you can elevate your crane’s performance and thus more effectively handle material at your site.

Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can give you a modern crane, and how this can benefit your bottom line in the months and years ahead. 

Are you having trouble inspecting your wheel flanges? Perhaps you know nothing about material hardness and heat treatment. 

Flanges that undergo poor heat treatment can break when undergoing excessive weight. Therefore, inspect them routinely to avoid costly repairs and serious injuries.

This article will provide an in-depth look into wheel flanges and the right inspection methods. Let’s explore. 

Hardness and Treads

Above all, purchase crane wheels from a company that heat treats the treads properly. Improper heat treatment methods can cause deformities and a lack of hardness.

With that, a quality flange must strike a balance between hardness and flexibility. The wheel itself must be flexible.

The flange shouldn’t be too hard, as it needs bendability to prevent breaking. The bending ability allows the flanges to withstand intense pressures. 

On the other hand, the treads must undergo extensive hardening to withstand spalling. Spalling occurs when the surface begins to chip away. 

Overall, inspect the wheeler flange’s thickness level to assess the level of wear. 

The Role of Carbon Steel

Carbon steel is the primary agent that hardens crane wheel treads. Due to heat treatment advances, manufacturers incorporate carbon steel in crane wheels more than ever before. Carbon steel enhances durability and prolongs the wheel’s lifespan. 

Hardness Testing

The best way to test flanges is through non-destructive testing (NDT). NDT will help you assess the following issues in crane wheels:

• Hardness 
• Thickness
• Wear

Measuring the hardness of the wheel tread is a simple task. However, measuring the hardness depth is a difficult task, but some NDT instruments are tailor-made for depth testing.

NDT allows maintenance crews to address deformities early before the wheel breaks down.  

You can even apply NDT measures while the crane is in operation. Destructive testing (DT) requires the breaking down of materials to commence a viable inspection. Conversely, NDT equipment requires minimal contact with the flanges to pinpoint flaws.

Within the NDT field, the two most vital inspection methods for flanged track wheels include:

• Ultrasonic testing (UT): UT implements sound waves to root out cracks and other forms of wear. 
• Eddy current testing (ECT): ECT uses electromagnetic fields to find flaws and thickness variations. 

ECT is appropriate for the detection of surface and near-surface deviations. UT is more suitable for sub-surface inspections at a deeper level. 

• Example: UT would be more appropriate on double flanged rail wheels, which are thicker than the single variety. 

When dealing with depth hardness, ECT offers the best equipment. Specific forms of ECT instrumentation allow you to inspect the flanges without contacting the surface. Moreover, the ECT field offers automated hardness testing on a mass scale.  

Enhanced Inspection of Wheel Flanges

NDT methods can assess the hardness of wheel flanges. Additionally, NDT can also help you determine if manufacturers heat treated the wheel effectively. 

Flanged wheels contain carbon steel for added durability. However, the wheel’s flexibility is a critical factor in quality weight support. 

Interested in knowing more about the crane market? Click here to learn more. 

Do you have a crane that you’re considering upgrading? Upgrading the crane control and other components offers many benefits to the useability of your crane. 

By upgrading the crane control, you can improve your overall performance of your crane. Other upgrades allow you to lower necessary crane maintenance and create more cost-effective operational costs.

Read on to learn more about component upgrades you can do on your crane.

Crane Controls

A control system upgrade can take your crane to a new level.

 An upgrade can bring outdated and slow-moving controls to ones that have more precision and accuracy. The new system can offer smoother acceleration and deceleration. It will prevent the crane from having abrupt starts and stops. 

Adding radio controls allows for diagnostics and monitoring (off-site or on-site). Crane operators now have a wide plethora of technology at their fingertips to enable them to communicate from the cab and to other members of the team. Operators can use tablets, computers found in the workstation, mobile devices, or an operator’s “belly-box” which offers real-time diagnostic data.

When you modernize the controls, you also gain in diagnostics and monitoring. These can be done both on or off-site, adding to the functionality.

Wheel Upgrades

Consider upgrading the wheels on your crane to something harder. Make sure the tires you select are appropriate for the heavy loads you need to lift. 

Consider upgrading the bearings to an anti-friction design to reduce wear while increasing productivity demands.

Crane Cab Chair

Your crane operator has an important job where both safety and visibility are critical to the success of the job. Consider upgrading your crane’s cab with an ergonomic crane cab chair. Whether you have an enclosed cab or an open-air cab, the new ergonomic crane cab chair offers premium visibility for the driver. They will also appreciate the comfort that comes from it too.

Bridge Drives

Want to help your crane support new wheel loads? Consider adding extra reinforcement to your crane’s bridge. You can add a cap channel for additional reinforcement. Also, consider upgrading with heavy-duty foot mounted gearboxes.

To eliminate cross shaft maintenance and alignment issues, consider adding a shaft-mounted motor reducer.

Bridge Brakes and Bumpers

Adding to the crane’s bridge is another way to improve the workability of your crane’s operation.

Consider adding new brakes to the bridge. Brake options include:

• Electric shoe
• Electric/hydraulic shoe
• DC spring set
• Electric release disc bake (OSHA, ASME or CMAA)

Bridge bumpers help to protect the crane while it works and the building it’s working on. Install spring, hydraulic, or rubber bridge bumper that meets OSHA, ASME, and CMAA requirements on your crane’s bumpers.

Upgrade Your Crane Controls 

There are many ways you can upgrade your crane, including adding crane controls that will add to your crane’s function and useability. Consider adding one or more of these options to your crane. 

Contact us today to discuss options to improve your crane.

In the construction, gas, and oil fields, you wouldn’t be able to complete all of the work you do daily without cranes. These devices provide the necessary stability and support during a wide range of projects. But what happens if they’re not appropriately operated?

The truth is, crane accidents can quickly happen due to negligent or reckless behavior. The good news? Accidents involving these massive machines can easily be prevented as well.

Here’s a rundown on what everyone at the job site could do to improve workplace safety when operating cranes.

Crane Accidents Can Result from the Tipping of Cranes

Crane incidents involving tipping can be hazardous for both crane operators and nearby workers. 

Tipping accidents can happen if outriggers are misused due to poor ground conditions. For instance, the ground that you’re operating a crane on may feature uneven grading, excavations, voids, and depressions.

In light of the above, make sure that your outrigger pad is on a surface that is stable, level, and dry. Otherwise, you may not be able to control the position of your crane.

You can easily make sure that your ground conditions are suitable by performing an inspection of the area before beginning work there. 

Collapsing Boom

This is yet another possible crane accident that can happen if you don’t follow a crane’s weight limits. Even a little extra weight can lead to critical failure.

So, when you prepare a load, be sure that what you plan to lift will be within the weight limits. Also, make sure that you incorporate the rigging’s weight as well. This includes the weight of the hooks and chains used to secure your load.

Furthermore, be sure to have your boom regularly inspected. Ensuring crane safety in this way is essential because a warped or damaged boom may decrease your crane’s weight limits. 

The Dropping of a Load

Finally, you may drop a load when operating a crane if your rigging is subpar.

To avoid this potentially dangerous disaster, be sure to always rig your loads according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure that you use the appropriate equipment; don’t cut corners.

Also, scrutinize your hooks and chain links. Practicing crane operational safety can help to protect both human lives and property at the job site. 

How We Can Help

In addition to providing tips for preventing crane accidents, we offer top-of-the-line crane upgrade and repair services.

For instance, we can modernize your crane to make it more capable of meeting your material handling demands. Also, we can repair and reline your crane brakes as needed.

We can also complete overhead crane inspections to make sure that all of a crane’s components are functioning at their optimal levels.

Get in touch with us to learn more about how we can keep your cranes running in tip-top condition from one job to the next.

It’s no secret that cranes are an indispensable part of the construction business. But they are also massive, heavy pieces of equipment that aren’t easy to move from one place to another.

The more you understand about cranes, the more your appreciation for them will grow. That’s why it’s helpful to discuss each type to provide a clear picture of how they arrive at a construction site.

This article takes a look at crane transport. Keep reading to get the inside scoop on how crane transportation services get the job done.

Understanding Crane Systems

The first thing that’s important to understand is, most construction sites receive cranes broken down into small components. In other words, they don’t arrive as one unit.

Cranes have to be broken down and stored as separate pieces between jobs. Otherwise, the sheer size would be unmanageable.

Once a crane has arrived on-site, it can then be assembled to whatever height is required for the job.

Installation of Cranes

Installing a crane at the construction site is a complicated process. After all, cranes are huge pieces of equipment that must be carefully assembled and balanced in other to avoid accidents.

The installation process involves hydraulic and pneumatic systems that use pressure to assemble the pieces. And as each piece is locked into the next, crane operators must prepare to reach the next level. This is dangerous work.

Tower Cranes

Now let’s talk about how various types of cranes are transported to the construction site.

First is the tower crane. These are massive cranes that are standard features of cityscapes where high-rise buildings are frequently under construction.

These cranes are delivered to the site as a series of parts on large trucks, then assembled once they arrive.

Jumping Cranes

Jumping or Kangaroo cranes sit atop buildings during the construction process. They are designed to continually “jump” to the next floor as the lower floor is completed.

Crawler Cranes

This type of crane is driven to the worksite on the back of a large truck. It can then be moved over rough terrain and positioned wherever needed.

A crawler crane is capable of self-transport, yet are incredibly slow.

Roadworthy Cranes

Several cranes are considered roadworthy, and thus can be driven to the site with the help of an escort vehicle. These cranes can be transported through cities via public roads, though this process requires a bit of serious organization and takes time.

An example of this type of crane is the Hiab truck. This is essentially an on-board crane system mounted behind the cab of a truck.

Franna cranes is another example of a roadworthy crane, which can actually carry a load during transit. Believe it or not, this type of crane is also licensed for on-road travel.

A Guide to How Crane Transport works

It’s hard to imagine the construction process without cranes. Fortunately, this article removes some of the mystery around how crane transport from location to location works.

Please contact us today to request a quote.