LeCrane Chronicle

YOUR NEW RUNWAY HAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE?

2019-05-26T12:18:00.002-07:00

On a job walk with an on an off customer of mine was telling me how he purchased an overhead bridge crane from his other crane vendor. He went on to tell me how as this new bridge goes down the runway it makes a lot of banging and popping noises. I asked if I could listen and as I watched this crane go down the runway I noticed that at several points in the runway where the runway beams connected is where the crane was making the popping noises. I asked for a manlift, I harnessed up and checked out the runway connection. I noticed that the runway beams height different from one beam to the next was close to ½ inch. This also caused the runway rail to not touch the runway for over a foot. This is what was causing all that racket. Not only does this cause the crane to make a ton of noise down the runway, even worse it causes premature wear on the rail and crane wheels.

It is important when you are purchasing a bridge crane to ensure that whoever is installing the bridge crane and rail is installing according to ASCE requirements. The requirements are quite simple for a crane installer to follow. Typically, your problem comes in when you are using a different vendor for the runway and the bridge crane. If the runway installer is not an overhead bridge crane company, they may not know the ASCE requirements and the runway will be completely out of tolerance. That extra cost of having the overhead crane vendor to manufacture and install the runway typically will pay for itself over the life of the crane system. An out of aligned runway could cost you thousands not including down time to repair wheel, and rail replacement.

Be sure to talk to your crane vendor runway alignment. If you are having a steel building manufacturer install your rail be sure to discuss the below alignment requirements with them or even better pick a steel building manufacturer that is partnered with a crane company.

If you used a company that is not partnered with a crane company and have doubts about the rail aligment it is highly suggested to get a runway survey conducted prior to the crane installation.

For more information on rail alignment be sure to check out my other blog post that goes much further in depth on rail alignment.

Overhead Cranes and Load Brakes... Why You Don't Need One!

2017-04-21T18:12:00.002-07:00

Since I have been selling and consulting with customers on overhead bridge cranes, I have received several quote request for hoist with load brakes. Mostly these are government or military specifications, but also a few private companies request the same. There are only three reasons why this would be listed in someone’s specifications today. One, it is the same spec they have used for decades so the easiest decision for those that know little about cranes to just continue with this decades old specification. Two, someone actually believes that is a requirement set by CMAA or other governing body. Or three, they honestly believe they are getting a safer more reliable crane with a load brake Well… all three are wrong and I will explain why.

First off you need to understand what the load brake is for. The mechanical load brake controls the speeds when lowering the load, and helps to hold the load when the motor is not running. The holding brake actually works together with the holding brake. The Weston Style brake only holds approximately 25 to 30% of the load while the holding brake does the rest.This is really what the load brake is for but I honestly don't feel that is why you see in many government specifications. You can check out my more popular post Mechanical Load Brake Operation and Inspection. Here you will get a basic introduction to the load brake and learn about a few misconceptions about it.

Most hoist today do not have mechanical load braking technology in them. This is because it is outdated and does not fit the technology of our electric motors today. A load brake does not make your crane safer. Many manufacturers who used to have load brakes in their equipment stopped decades ago. Yet, here we are still with new specifications requesting load brakes. The load brake was designed to control the load in it’s decent. In an emergency it should hold the load as well. This form of technology worked great back when all the hoist motors were wound rotor. A wound rotor motor cannot stop acceleration of the load from gravity. Therefore, load brakes were required for hoist and you certainly wouldn’t want to use a hoist without it. Today’s technology uses Squirrel Cage Motors. See video below for a two minute introduction. Squirrel cage motors are fully capable of regenerative braking. This technology meets all CMAA Spec 70 requirements.

What about Variable Drives? Not only are load brakes not required with today’s technology, today’s technology does not work with load brake hoists. If your hoist has a load brake you can forget about variable drives. You cannot get the speeds accuracy in a load brake hoist. Variable drives do not work with load brake hoist. You will have constant issues with your load brake and will become a safety and efficiency issue. If you need speed control on your hoist, and you have a load brake hoist, you will be out of luck.

So why do we need load brakes in all these government and military specs? If you ask me,.. I think it is a complete waste of money to invest in such outdated technology. It would be like going to Ford and asking them to remove power steering because you feel it would be more reliable without it. Just makes no sense. Don’t forget all the cost that is associated with your load brake hoist. That baby will need to be opened up at least every four years to verify the load brake is functioning properly, and re-adjust the air gap. The load brake is buried in your gear case; it is a very costly inspection. The brake works off of friction so it has pads or liners that wear causing it to need replacement periodically. Typically, it is best just to change them out during the inspection anyways. The labor to change them is more expensive than the liners so it is the perfect time. Your oil in the gear case will also be contaminated with the lining wear and dissipated heat from the load brake which will also affect your entire gearing in your gear box reducing the life of those gears.

Let’s also not forget that when you have high capacity cranes, or in process cranes you do not want a load brake. They create a lot of heat when stopping a load so it is very impractical for a process crane. This would also apply to any crane that would require a permanent below the hook device. If a below the hook device is connected to the load block permanently, the load brake is going to seize up causing costly downtime and repairs.

Today’s motor themselves are the secondary control braking function that is required by OSHA. Because people don’t really understand this process they disregard it altogether. The squirrel-cage motor functions using regenerative braking if the load tries to pull faster than the motors rated speed. Regenerative braking does not generate a lot of heat so it is a safer application for large capacity cranes and process cranes.

Hopefully in the near future we will start to see the industry change to where there will be no more request for outdated technology. It all starts with the best overhead crane companies training their customer's about the latest safety features available for their crane. You will get the safest cranes on the market using today's technology.

Ten Things to Know Before Purchasing an Overhead Crane

2015-07-20T15:45:00.000-07:00

There are many things to know and understand prior to purchasing an overhead crane. Your purchase is typically to improve productivity and safety within your facility. Therefore you really need to take several things into account prior to your purchase. Lowest bid does not work in the crane industry. There are too many crane variations, safety requirements, and technological features available today that you will miss the boat on if you go with lowest bid. Not only that but you may get a crane that is not even suitable for your application. In the end you will spend too much money on a crane with specifications that are not required for your application. I have seen way too many times bids on overhead cranes that have specs way over what the application requires. This causes them to spend sometimes double the amount for a crane and it does not even fit their application. Before you invest your money into a new overhead crane, take into account these ten items that will not only save you money but you will invest in the best crane for your application.

1. Know Your Application

This is the most important thing to know over anything else. Depending on the application could change many of the deciding factors on what kind of crane you will need. For example certain chemicals can make plastic brittle or accelerate metal corrosion. Cutting oils can make neoprene and PVC brittle. Heat and moisture can cause your motors to overheat. You will not pick the right crane without the crane company knowing what the application is. Your crane will need to come with certain components depending on its application. To know your application you will need to know what you’re picking up, and the environment in which the crane will be used. Added components will be required for areas with heavy dust, humid, high or low temperatures, outdoor, indoor, chemical exposure, Light, and even altitude can affect the crane. Outside of the standard range, additional components will be required.

Look out for these items on your application.

· Standard Altitude is Below 3280ft (Altitude can affect cooling of electronic components and not allow heat dissipation)

· Standard Temperature Range is 32˚F to 104˚F

· Standard Humidity is below 90%

· Outdoor Applications will require features to prevent damage during rain, snow, ice, heat, wind, and ultraviolet radiation.

· Corrosive or Explosive Chemicals/ Fumes will require added features

· Heavy dust environments from cutting will require protective added features

· Heat can liquefy lubricants, and affect motors, and electrical components

· Cold can freeze lubricants, crack plastic components, and electrical parts

· Drastic temperature changes can cause condensation and short out electrical components and cause corrosion

2. Duty Cycle

The crane’s duty cycle is going to depend partly on the application. If the crane is a production crane it will probably need a heavy duty cycle. If it is a maintenance crane or a crane used for shipping then the cycle may be shorter. You will need to ask yourself how often will this crane will get used every hour and how often will it be lifting near full capacity? Depending on this, different components will be used to make your crane. Electric motors have duty cycles and you want to make sure that your crane has the right motor for the job. Picking a severe duty motor for a light duty application will just cause you to spend well over what is required for the application.

There are two standards crane manufacturers go by when picking out the right duty cycle. FEM and CMAA. CMAA is the Crane Manufacturers Association of America and FEM is Federal European De La Manutention. This is the standards for design and manufacturing internationally of overhead traveling cranes. Both specifications are written based on the input from the larger crane companies. The difference is that FEM is worldwide while CMAA is the United States only. FEM will also separate each main part of the crane (hoist, trolley, and bridge) while CMAA specs classify the crane as a whole. To understand these classifications you will also need to understand what a lift or work cycle is. A work cycle is lifting the load, having a rest period where the trolley or bridge is moving, lowering the load, having a rest period again where the trolley or bridge may be moving, and then returning the hook to the starting position.

FEM Class Definitions

1Bm

· Light Loads less than two hours per day (Occasional full loads, Usually light load, Small fixed load)

· Medium loads less than one hour per day ( Occasional full loads, usually light load, Average fixed load)

1Am

· Light Loads less than four hours per day (Occasional full loads, Usually light load, Small fixed load)

· Medium loads less than two hours per day (Occasional full loads, usually light load, Average fixed load)

· Heavy loads less than one hour per day (Repetitive full loads, Usually average load, Heavy fixed load)

· Light loads less than eight hours per day (Occasional full loads, Usually light load, Small fixed load)

· Medium Loads less than four hours per day (Occasional full loads, usually light load, Average fixed load)

· Heavy loads less than two hours per day (Repetitive full loads, Usually average load, Heavy fixed load)

· Very heavy loads less than one hour per day (usually almost full loads, Very heavy fixed load)

· Light loads less than sixteen hours per day (Occasional full loads, Usually light load, Small fixed load)

· Medium Loads less than eight hours per day (Occasional full loads, usually light load, Average fixed load)

· Heavy loads less than four hours per day (Repetitive full loads, Usually average load, Heavy fixed load)

· Very heavy loads less than two hours per day (usually almost full loads, Very heavy fixed load)

· Medium Loads less than sixteen hours per day (Occasional full loads, usually light load, Average fixed load)

· Heavy loads less than eight hours per day (Repetitive full loads, Usually average load, Heavy fixed load)

· Very heavy loads less than four hours per day (usually almost full loads, Very heavy fixed load)

· Heavy loads continuous use per day (Repetitive full loads, Usually average load, Heavy fixed load)

· Very heavy loads continuous use per day (usually almost full loads, Very heavy fixed load)

CMAA Class Definitions

CLASS A (STANDBY OR INFREQUENT SERVICE)

This service class covers cranes which may be used in installations such as power houses, public utilities, turbine rooms, motor rooms and transformer stations where precise handling of equipment at slow speeds with long, idle periods between lifts are required. Capacity loads may be handled for initial installation of equipment and for infrequent maintenance.

CLASS B (LIGHT SERVICE)

This service covers cranes which may be used in repair shops, light assembly operations, service buildings, light warehousing, etc. where service requirements are light and the speed is slow. Loads may vary from no load to occasional full rated loads with two to five lifts per hour, averaging ten feet per lift.

CLASS C (MODERATE SERVICE)

This service covers cranes which may be used in machine shops or paper mill machine rooms, etc., where service requirements are moderate. In this type of service the crane will handle loads which average 50 percent of the rated capacity with 5 to 10 lifts per hour, averaging 15 feet, not over 50 percent of the lift at rated capacity.

CLASS D (HEAVY SERVICE)

This service covers cranes which may be used in heavy machine shops, foundries, fabricating plants, steel warehouses, container yards, lumber mills, etc., and standard duty bucket and magnet operations where heavy duty production is required. In this type of service, loads approaching 50 percent of the rated capacity will be handled constantly during the working period. High speeds are desirable for this type of service with 10 to 20 lifts per hour averaging 15 feet, not over 65 percent of the lifts at rated capacity.

CLASS E (SEVERE SERVICE)

This type of service requires a crane capable of handling loads approaching a rated capacity throughout its life. Applications may include magnet, bucket, magnet/bucket combination cranes for scrap yards, cement mills, lumber mills, fertilizer plants, container handling, etc., with twenty or more lifts per hour at or near the rated capacity.

CLASS F (CONTINUOUS SEVERE SERVICE)

This type of service requires a crane capable of handling loads approaching rated capacity continuously under severe service conditions throughout its life. Applications may include custom designed specialty cranes essential to performing the critical work tasks affecting the total production facility. These cranes must provide the highest reliability with special attention to ease of maintenance features.

3. Capacity

Picking the right capacity is very important to not only picking the right duty cycle but also extending the life of your crane. For example you may have a product that weighs 10 tons. However, do you have other product that the crane will be picking up that weighs less than 10 tons? It may be more ideal to increase the capacity of the crane to 15 tons and keeps a Class C rating instead of increasing the rating to Class D. A ten ton crane may be your best option as well if most of what you are picking up on weighs five tons. It all depends on the loads and they need to be taken into consideration not just the largest weight requirements. You should also think about any below the hook requirements that may be needed to pick up your product. Sometimes the below the hook device can weight several tons. This will have a great impact on the crane requirements.

4. Speed

I would say that out of these ten things to consider, speeds is what gets missed the most. Typically the standard speeds will work for most applications, there still are some applications where you will need faster or slower speeds. Depending on the capacity the hoist speed will vary but your bridge and trolley speeds are fairly close regardless of speeds. A typical bridge speed is around 100 fpm, a trolley speed is around 70 fpm, and the hoist is between 30-60 fpm depending on capacity. Depending on the application you may need higher speeds. If you have a crane that is feeding your facility with raw material or loading the finished product such as rebar you may need a high speed crane that would not come with the standard features. The last thing you want is to purchase a crane to increase production and find out that the crane operates too slowly. You may also have an application where you need to utilize the crane for assembling a product. This often requires precise lifting and very slow speeds. If you purchase a standard crane the speeds will be too fast for this application making the load jerky and you will not be able to assemble your product using the crane. Take the time to discuss the required speeds with your crane company.

5. Safety Issues

You will also need to know any safety issues for the application that may exist for the crane operator. Perhaps radio control will be required, or a cab, perhaps even automation. Depending on what the operator is exposed to you may need something other than pendant control. Lighting may also be something you need to think about. If your crane is large it may cover much of the overhead lighting. Often lights will be provided on the crane to help the operator and workers see when it is blocking the overhead lights. You may also need a cab control if you have chosen high speeds for your crane. Can the operator keep up with the trolley and bridge speeds safely by walking? If not then you should add cab control to the crane.

When considering your crane control, think about..

· Chemical Exposure

· High or Cold Temperatures

· Explosive Fumes

· Lighting

· Walking Hazards

· Crane Speeds

6. Area Coverage

Another factor to consider is where in the crane area do you need to reach with the load hook? This is called your hook approach. The hook approach end is the minimum horizontal distance that is parallel to the runway and goes from the centerline of the hook to the centerline of the runway. The hook approach side is the minimum horizontal distance, perpendicular to the runway between the centerline of a hook and the centerline of the runway rail. You will need to know how much coverage your process or application will require prior to getting crane pricing. A crane consultant or crane provider can help with acquiring this information.

a. Building Clearances for hook approach

· Center of runway rail to face of building column or side obstruction

· Approximate length of runway

· Number of Cranes on runway

· Runway conductor location

· Below the hook dimensions

7. Lift Height Requirements

Depending on whether you are installing a new system or a new crane on an existing system you will need different information. Your lifting requirements will be restricted based on the height and design of your existing building. If you have an existing runway you will have even greater restrictions. To get crane pricing you will need some preliminary information.

a. Building Clearances for existing runway

· Floor to Top of Runway Rail

· Top of runway rail to lowest overhead obstruction

· Runway rail size

· Below the hook dimensions

b. Building Clearances for new system

· Available dimension from floor to nearest ceiling obstruction

· Height of product being lifted

· Below the hook equipment dimensions

8. Technology Features

Another item to look at when getting crane pricing is the features that your crane will come with. Many people overlook these and look at price alone. However, these features can greatly increase your production and is well worth the investment. Unlike the automotive industry or any other for that matter, you can still purchase cranes today with decade old technology. This would be the worst investment you could do for your company. With the latest technology available you can increase your production and at the same time make your facility safer for your employees. Certain technology you should never purchase a crane without. Always ensure your crane comes with variable frequency drive for the crane and trolley motions. This will ensure safe operation of your crane and will help in reducing load swings. Radio controls also help keep your operators away from the load. This is typically an option and is never quoted unless requested. However this allows your operators to stand away from the load. The cost to add this on a new crane is minimal and well worth the extra cost. Another important considerations to think about when you are reviewing your crane’s technology is real time analysis of your crane’s operation. This is currently limited in the crane industry but is readily available with certain manufacturers. Find a manufacturer that will provide at least 6 month monitoring service for free so you can see how this will benefit your facility. There are many other features that can be added to your crane today. All are designed to improve your productivity or make your crane safer to operate. Features such as sway control, inching, microspeed, slack rope prevention, load floating, hook centering, follow me, hoist synchronization, extended and adaptive speed ranges, and shock load prevention, are available and may greatly benefit your application. Talk to a consultant or your crane provider for these options.

9. Warranty

When reviewing your quotes you want to take into consideration your warranty. Not all warranties are created equal. Key things to look for with your crane’s warranty is the following..

· How long is your warranty?

· Does it include labor?

· What doesn’t it cover?

· Is there a local service group that can deal with warranty issues?

10. Service

Your crane purchase does not end with the crane installation. During the life of the crane it will require servicing and sometimes warranty issues. There will also be a need for crane inspections to meet local regulations and ensure your crane is operating safely and efficiently. You will also be in the need of training your operators on your new equipment. When reviewing crane proposals ask about their service to ensure they have someone local to meet your needs.

Make you ask yourself these questions

Ensure that whoever you’re purchasing your crane from they are a turn key supplier. They will provide everything needed to get your crane installed and up and running, including crane commissioning by the manufacturer, and even shipping of the crane.
Is your quote all inclusive? With the exception of local taxes and certain instances with local permitting it should cover everything.
Are you purchasing from the manufacturer or a distributer?
Who will be handling any warranty issues? The manufacturer or distributor? Are they local?
Is there a local manufacturer representative that can provide training on my new equipment?
Can the manufacturer of my crane provide periodic inspections on their equipment?

If you review these 10 items prior to purchasing or getting a quote for your next overhead crane you will be one step ahead and on the right track to making the best decision for your company. You can always send me an email or give me a call and I would be happy to consult with you on your next overhead crane project.

Works Cited

http://www.konecranesusa.com/resources/industrial-crane-terminology/girder-bridge-messenger-track

CMAA Specification 70

The Future Of Overhead Crane Maintenance

2014-04-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

Note: This article was originally published a year ago in Industrial Lift & Hoist Magazine. Please check out the original article.

New technology is developed for three simple reasons: to have an easier life, to save a life, or to save us money. With the innovations of overhead crane technology, the same applies. When you think of the future of crane maintenance what do you think about? For all the crane operators out there we know that the way they operate has changed drastically. Variable frequency drives have allowed operators to be more efficient and safer when operating a crane. But what about servicing a crane? Has anything changed there? Is there any difference from the way a crane is serviced yesterday or today and way it will be serviced 10 years from now? With the technology that has been developed in the last 20 years I am in wonder of what the future could hold for crane maintenance. I have been amazed at the advancements in overhead crane maintenance in recent years. A lot has changed but do you know about it?

When an overhead crane technician troubleshoots your crane they are inspecting as they see it. Just like an auto mechanic, if your crane is acting up but works fine during the troubleshooting process it is harder for the technician to find the problem. Several innovations such as condition monitors have been developed over the years from a few crane manufacturers that would allow the technician to see past history of the cranes usage. This helped them see any issue that may have caused a crane malfunction. This could be overloads, usage hours, crane starts, load swings, and overheating. However, this is by far not new crane technology. This was the newest technology over two decades ago. Data collectors have been available since the 80’s.

The future of crane maintenance takes “proactive” to a new level; technology that can predict when there will be a crane failure. Imagine being able to troubleshoot your crane without stopping production and without even dispatching a technician to your site. You could find symptoms of wearing components before they are problematic and get the components replaced reducing costly downtime, or getting a text message telling you that a crane operator just picked a load over capacity. This is an excellent way to monitor your operators habits and will help focus on operator training that may be required. This technology is real time analysis and remote monitoring. Real time analysis is a safety, and production feature that was not available previously. With this newest technology you have the ability to find an issue before it becomes a breakdown. Real time analysis has been available for quite some time. Over the years I have seen real time analysis on my customer’s equipment in their facility. On overhead cranes however this is a new idea; an idea that will revolutionize the crane servicing industry. Just think that before you have to place a trouble call, someone is already monitoring your crane. If an issue develops then a remote team has the ability to troubleshoot your crane without even being on your property. This is a time and money saver especially if your overhead crane maintenance provider is not nearby. If there is a need to send a technician to your site, the remote team representative will call you and inform of what they found. The reports will also inform you if you have a piece of equipment that is not suitable for the application that it is being used for.

This is an evolution of overhead crane maintenance. Maintenance can now be performed based on actual usage instead of a calendar. This future technology is available now on select Konecranes CXT wire rope hoists and Smarton® cranes. The technology is called TRUCONNECT®. You will be able to monitor your crane usage in real time online. Usage data will be reported in graphs to help you analyze the data making it easy to read. This data will allow you to optimize your productivity and your crane maintenance by viewing the life cycle of your hoist. This life cycle analysis will keep you better informed for future decisions. Safety alerts sent straight to your phone notifying you of safety issues that can be addressed immediately instead of after the fact.

With the development of overhead crane service technology you will get a more reliable, safer crane, and lower your investment cost at the same time. This future technology that is available for you today is only a starting point. The future holds so much more. I recently watched a video that shared these same views. Companies that invest in innovation will be the leaders to develop and utilize

technology like hybrid service vehicles, crane scanning visors, carbon nano-fiber hardhats, self-lubricating wire ropes, hydrogen powered cranes, and 3D laser printers that can make crane parts quickly during breakdowns. These are ideas that only Walt Disney himself could have dreamed up. But, like says, “If it can be dreamed, it can be done”.

Do You Have Crane Tracking Problems?

2014-03-03T19:07:00.000-08:00

Is your crane running straight? If it is not what are the consequences? Many people don’t realize the damage abnormal tracking can cause to your crane and your runway. Bad tracking can result in premature wear of your bridge crane wheels, bearings, runway rail, and cause crane binding or racking, bridge drive breakage, or even causing broken couplings, gearing, and axles. I have seen time and time again where people will just fix these broken components instead of trying to find the cause of the breakage or excessive wear. People will change a bridge wheel and bearings just to find in a year or two later they have to invest in yet again another set of wheels and bearings. If you’re having excessive wear on your wheels or rail, or you are finding yourself replacing bridge couplings, and axles then this could be caused by abnormal tracking. There are several causes of abnormal tracking and finding these issues is becoming easier with new technology.

Crane Rail Alignment Requirements

In order to have correct tracking the runway and bridge system has to be within CMAA Spec 70 tolerances which requires the system to be square. The runway rail must be straight and parallel, and they must also be the same elevation the entire length of the runway. Depending on the span of the bridge the allowable tolerances will change.

The distance center to center of rails must be within +- 1/8”
The level of the runway rails should be within +- 1/8” of each other at all opposite points
The elevation of each rail along its length must be level within +- 1/8”

Elevation

During the data collecting many crane companies fail to check the elevation of the runway and concentrate on the rail span. Although the rail span is vital for proper tracking elevation is just as important. Elevation problems can cause your tracking to be off center. One possible identifier in elevation issues is when one endtruck is centered straight on the rail and the opposite end truck is off center and against the wheel flange. If your elevation is off you will see premature wheel flange wear, and rail wear.

Other Crane Tracking Issues

Just because you are having what appears to be tracking issues it is important to rule out certain crane problems prior to analyzing your runway. This could save you a whole lot of time and money if these issues are checked first. There are several crane issues that could cause abnormal tracking that is unrelated to your runway or bridge squareness including the following which should be verified before performing major runway alignment or repair.

Different diameter bridge wheels
Bent end trucks
Bridge brakes not releasing simultaneously
Bad bridge bearings
Bad bridge couplings
Different RPMs on drive wheels
Different torque values on drive motors
Out of square bridge wheels

Crane Damage From Poor Alignment

Once these have been verified to not be the issue then we can focus on the runway. If the runway is the issue it is vital to correct the issue as soon as possible. Delaying repair can result in extensive crane issues that will not go away by just replacing the broken component. Your investment will be wasted in useless repairs that will only keep your crane running for a short period. Without the corrective action you will be causing your crane…

Wheel Flange Wear
Railhead Wear
Bearing Damage
Coupling Damage
Axle Damage
Gearing Damage
Crane Racking and binding

10 Questions to Ask Your Crane Service Provider

There are several ways to fix runways that are out of alignment. However, to do the repair properly you really need to know exactly where the problem is and to what extent of repair is required. The solution of a cost effective repair is only going to be viable if you have an accurate reading of the dimensions of the entire length of runway including the runway area where no repair is required. This enables you to find the best solution for the runway repairs. This typically is a large investment so you want to make sure you have the right vendor finding out exactly where the runway and rail is off and how to correct it. When deciding on a vendor for your crane runway analysis you want to ask the following ten questions…

How will you be data collecting?
How accurate is your data collecting?
How long will my crane be down during the data collection?
What qualifies your team to collect the runway data?
How will I get my results?
Will I get any kind of report?
Who analyzes the data?
How do you decide what needs repair once the analysis is completed?
How long does this process take?
How will you get to all the runway areas to take accurate measurements?

Once you have asked these questions and have asked more than one vendor, compare them and pick the one you are most comfortable with. Be sure one of the vendors you call is Konecranes. Konecranes has a state of the art runway survey called RailQ. This survey is the most accurate I have ever seen on the market. A robot called Roborail travels the length of your runway collecting data of the span and elevation throughout the length of the runway rail. It is a very fast way to collect all the required data reducing your downtime and no personnel has to walk the rail making it very safe to perform. The data is analyzed by engineers and the reports are in 3D giving you an easy understanding of your runway issues. The additional benefit is that this program will find the best solution to fix the runway reducing your overall repair cost. Find a nearest Konecranes and check out the newest technology on the market.

What Do I Need to Know Before I Buy a Chain Hoist?

2013-10-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

There are many advantages to purchasing a chain hoist. They are low maintenance, lower cost than wire rope hoist, and they are lightweight. Having a lightweight hoist enables the owner to easily relocate equipment when needed. Typically, facilities that often move a process frequently or they install a crane system for a process that will be used temporarily, the chain hoist is the best choice because it can easily be moved from one location to another.

Many people think a chain hoist is a commodity item and lowest cost is the best choice. People will purchase a chain hoist based on price not realizing that many things can go wrong with a chain hoist if it is used in the wrong application, or exposed to an environment that it was not designed for. Or perhaps they purchased a chain hoist not realizing the warranty was too limited to even be considered a warranty by anyone's standards. There are several factors to consider prior to your investment. I have come up with several questions to ask yourself prior to purchasing a chain hoist. These questions will help you pick the best hoist for your needs.

There is no such a thing as a hoist that fits every application. Every hoist is designed to fit within the parameters of a certain application. I have seen time and time again where companies will purchase a hoist and use the same hoist for several different applications throughout their facility. The hoist may last for a while but in the wrong application your hoist can wear faster causing production and safety issues. Many people do not know what they should be looking for when they purchase a chain hoist.

When you are in the market for a chain hoist you need to ask yourself these eight questions…

What is the application?

What are you going to be lifting with the hoist? Are you using it to assemble a product and precision is required? Are you using below the hook devices for this application? These questions allows you to decide if a chain hoist is the right tool for the job. Depending on the application, different duty cycles, and capacities may be required.

What is the environment the hoist will be used in? (hot, cold, caustic, outside, inside)

The environment a hoist is being used in is detrimental to the life of the hoist. Hoist have a duty cycle within certain temperature parameters.
High heat areas can cause the hoist to malfunction, and in many cases cause gearbox leakage.
Extreme cold temperature can cause casing cracks, and seized components.
Extreme changing temperatures can cause condensation in the electrical panel if the wrong hoist is used causing components to short out.
Is the hoist going to be inside or outside? If the hoist is exposed to the elements of the weather then this will greatly affect the life of the hoist if you don’t have the right hoist.

What is the duty cycle required?

How often will the hoist be running per day?
How long does one cycle of the hoist last during its use?
Many chain hoists cannot dissipate the heat from the motors so the duty cycle is very important to consider prior to purchase.

What is the weight of what you are lifting?

The weight of what you are lifting is vital to the decision of what type of hoist you invest in.
Don’t forget to include the weight of any below the hook device that you will be using for this application.
Pick a hoist with a greater capacity than what you are picking up. Just because you are lifting 500 lbs does not mean you need a 500 lb capacity hoist. The duty cycle will also play an important part in this decision. If you are picking up 500 lbs every pick the hoist will do during its cycle then you should consider getting a larger capacity hoist to reduce wear and tear on your equipment.

Most chain hoist can only go up to 5 ton capacity.Over five tons you should consider a wire rope hoist. Some manufacturers will design a double hoist unit that combines two hoists together and the capacity can be increased to 10 ton, but should only be used in certain applications.

How high do you need to go?

Remember unlike a wire rope that spools the excess wire rope not being used, the chain hoist has a chain container to catch the excess chain. The greater the height then the bigger the chain container will be. If it is too big it may be an obstruction of what you are lifting if it is required to go close to the hoist.If it is over 30 feet of chain that will be needed then you will also need to think about the duty cycle and speed of the hoist. There are Windmill Hoist on the market that allows for low capacity, high lifting speeds, with high allowable height of lift.
The distance from the top hook to the bottom hook when the bottom hook is at it's up-most point needs to be taken into account as well. You will need to ensure you have enough height for your application using that dimension.

What is the voltage available for the hoist?

Higher duty cycle hoist will not run off of single phase voltage. You will need to purchase a three phase hoist so make sure you have enough power in the building for your hoist.

If you are considering purchasing a single phase hoist, make sure it is for a low duty cycle application.

What safety features do I need to be aware of?

There are many safety features that you should think about having for your hoist. Again the application will be dependent upon what type of safety features you should have for your hoist.

All chain hoist should be purchased with a load limiter or internal clutch that does not allow for severe overloading. This will be safer for your operators that will help prevent overloading causing severe wear, or even worse someone getting hurt. Overloading is easily preventable.
Ensure that you have upper and lower limit switches. This prevents the chain from falling out of the hoist or the hoist two-blocking and getting the load stuck or in the air.
If you have a motorized trolley on the hoist you should think about travel limits. Travel limits will prevent the hoist from slamming into your end stops increasing the life of your hoist.
Self Adjusting brakes is a great safety feature that also lowers your cost of maintenance
Motor Thermal Overload features prevents the hoist from overheating

What is the warranty and what does it cover?

Purchasing a hoist out of a catalog because it is economical is not always your best deal. Warranty needs to be considered because it can help you down the road immensely. Don’t just look for a warranty length either. Read the fine print. There are chain hoist manufacturers that will provide you with a lifetime warranty on their equipment. But if you read that fine print, that lifetime warranty only applies to certain components of the hoist, and typically does not include labor to repair it. Find a dealer who is nearby that can easily service the hoist, and pick a hoist that has a solid warranty with labor included. Labor typically will cost you more than the parts so it is very important you look for this.

Once you have answered all these questions you should be able to pick out the hoist that is right for you and will provide the best return on investment. It is a good idea to include your overhead crane service provider to help you with making the right choice in your investment. Don't go it alone, find a provider who is willing to partner with you and provide free consultations on projects no matter how small.

How Often Must I Inspect My Overhead Crane?

2013-04-29T07:55:00.001-07:00

How often should you inspect your overhead crane? I can tell you that this question gets asked to me quite often. Depending on the use of the crane, the class, or the location of the overhead crane, will change the answer to that question quite a bit. Here, I will give you the guidelines and you can decide which category your crane falls into.

To know the frequency of inspection will require you to understand the usage of your crane. The inspection intervals are broken up in three usage categories. You have Normal Usage, Heavy Usage, and Severe Usage. Most overhead cranes fall under normal usage but let me give you the guidelines for each usage so you can decide for yourself which category your cranes fall under.

Normal Service – Around 5 lifts an hour, Can pick up over 50% capacity but not over 50% of loads at rated capacity

Heavy Service – Pick up over 50% of rated capacity, 5 to 10 lifts an hour and 65% of loads at rated capacity

Severe Service –Pick up near capacity on most loads, 20+ lifts an hour

According to ANSI B30.2-2011 there are five categories for overhead crane inspections; Initial, Functional, Test, Frequent, Periodic, and “Crane not in regular service”. All these inspections require a qualified person to determine which deficiencies are safety issues.

Initial Inspection

The initial inspection is a documented visual inspection that is required after the installation of a new crane or hoist, and equipment that has been reinstalled from alteration, modified or repaired.

Functional Test Inspection

This is your pre-shift inspection. Every shift your overhead crane operates, this test must be performed. You will be testing all the functions of the overhead crane and performing a visual and audible inspection. In addition to the functional test, the upper limit of the hoist is also required to be tested, and the wire rope or load chain requires a visual inspection as well. Documenting this inspection is not required but it is advised. Documentation will show that the overhead crane has been tested so other operators on that shift know it is safe to use. The documentation will also show that you are pro-active when it comes to safety in your facility which will help greatly if an accident ever does occur within your facility.

Frequent Inspection

A frequent inspection is another visual and audible inspection of your overhead crane. The frequent inspection is based upon the usage of your crane. There are three different categories of the frequent inspection. Which one does your crane fall into?

Normal Service – Monthly

Heavy Service – Weekly to Monthly

Severe Service – Daily to Weekly

During this inspection you would do everything on the functional test inspection, and you also check the “operating mechanisms”. The hoist brake is the most important component to inspect next to the wire rope or load chain. This will have to be checked and made sure that it functions properly and any adjustments would need to be made at this time. The inspector should be listening for any abnormal sounds. The hook and latch requires an inspection as well. The frequent inspection does not require a record like the functional test inspection but “should” be made.

Periodic Inspection

The periodic inspection is the inspection that many overhead crane owners call their annual inspection. The usage of the crane again depends on the frequency of inspection.

Normal Service – Yearly

Heavy Service – Yearly

Severe Service – Quarterly

Please note however the periodic inspection is not in the state of California. In California annual inspections are required on all overhead cranes, and also quarterly preventive maintenance is required regardless of the service class or crane capacities.

Now what about that crane you have that you rarely use? If you have a crane that has not been used for more than a month but it is under 1 year, then you will be required to perform an inspection on it prior to use. The same applies if it has been more than one year as well. My suggestion to you is that if you know you’re going to use it, then get it inspected. If you know you are not going to use it, and it will not be used in any emergency then wait to get it inspected when you need it.

In addition to the five categories of inspections, the manufacturer of your overhead crane will sometimes require additional inspections. If this is the case on your overhead crane, then this must be followed as well. These additional inspections could include quadrennial gear case, motor coupling, bottom block, or load brake inspections. Your owner’s manual will list these requirements so make sure you have a copy of one.

There are several overhead crane owners that I know of that simply either cannot afford to do the required frequency of inspection or feel that they can get away with just an annual inspection. However, just doing an annual inspection does not make you compliant and if the reason you’re doing the annual inspection is to stay compliant, then you would need to do all the required inspections. A crane that is used often can be unsafe to use if the frequency of inspection is not followed. If someone was to get hurt in your facility from a faulty overhead crane component and OSHA was to investigate, doing one annual inspection is not going to reduce any penalties. You still missed the daily, monthly, and frequent inspections. You’re also creating a lot of wear and tear on your crane that can easily be preventive with routine maintenance. Your overhead crane operators are required to have operator safety training as well. I am willing to bet if your not doing the inspections then your definetly not doing the training either. This is how accidents happen. Having cranes that are not maintained and operators that are not trained. Not only is it against regulations, you are putting your employees at great risk. Take the time to know what inspections are required of your crane. Talk to a reputable overhead crane company that can consult with you and help ensure that your cranes are inspected at the correct frequency.

Choosing an Overhead Crane Service Company

2013-01-06T20:43:00.001-08:00

When you’re deciding who you want to service your cranes how do you decide? Do you go with just who you know? What about the cheapest price? Perhaps you decide by who manufactured your crane? There are many reasons why companies pick a vendor to service their overhead cranes. Hopefully your reasons are the right ones.

When choosing an overhead crane service company you want to look for five major points to ensure a successful partnership.

Personnel

Does the company have enough people to service your facility?

You will need a company that has enough personnel to inspect your equipment, and repair when needed. Most importantly you will have breakdowns throughout the life of your equipment. Does the Service Company have the ability to service your facility during an emergency? What is there response time? Do they have enough people to service all their customers and you in an emergency? If you have a company that cannot get there the same day then you have the wrong company.

Are they properly trained to work on your equipment?

Ask your service company what kind of training they provide for their technicians and inspectors. You will want to make sure that they are fully trained with your equipment that is in your facility. Someone untrained in your equipment will lead to increased troubleshooting cost, and misdiagnosis that could lead to thousands of dollars of unneeded repairs, and further damage to your equipment costing even more in expensive downtime. When asking about training you should also be asking what kind of safety training program they have for the people that go on your site. You will want the service technicians, inspectors, and even sales representatives to work in a culture of safety. This will reduce the chances of an accident occurring in your facility.

Consultation and Solutions

Does your service company provide any other services besides just a crane technician for your repairs, or perhaps they provide a salesman that pushes things down your throat that you have no idea if you really need it? You should be looking for not just a service company but a consultant, a partner. Typical service companies with just quote for you, a true consultant will offer you solutions. Find a company that offers free consultations; a company that will come in a sit with you and be willing to partner with you. Find a company that will take the time to sit down and discuss your needs. One that will go over any issue and provide multiple solutions so you can decide what the best decision overall is for your facility. Consultants will also come in and discuss issues to help provide a successful partnership. They would discuss with you crane regulations, crane operator safety, crane technology, and modernization capabilities of your equipment. A consultant will often check up on you just to see how your operation is running. If you do not have this currently with your service company then you do not have a successful partnership.

Parts and Equipment

How soon can you get parts from your service company? Do they stock parts? Do they have resources to get hard to find parts? Are they the OEM? Do they have the ability to re-engineer hard to find parts? Are they a distributor or a manufacturer? Typically if you have a manufacturer for a service provider, you will save on new equipment, and time resourcing equipment and spare parts. Pick a company that has stocked parts or a parts department. A good service provider understands the importance of getting your parts as soon as possible. Typically when you need parts, delivery time is very important. You do not have the time to wait for a service provider to find the right part for you. Pick a service provider that will take the time to create a recommended parts list for you. Keeping spare parts on hand will help you when spare parts cannot be resourced in a timely manner.

Technology

In today’s world, technology capability is just as important as technology capabilities from your cable provider or mobile phone provider. Without it you are limiting yourself to the resources that are out there to make you and your equipment more efficient and reliable. What if you could get a text message sent to your phone every time your crane picked up over capacity, or if the motors were overheating? Would this be helpful to you? This type of technology is out there and ready for you to use. You just need to partner yourself with a company that has the resources to offer you tomorrow’s technology today.

Insurance

Insurance is something that is often overlooked when companies pick a vendor for their crane servicing. It is still very important to ensure you have an insured company working on your premises. Crane servicing has a huge liability as you can imagine. If you choose the wrong company and an accident happens on site and the company is not insured, it could be very costly. Ask to be listed as additionally insured and get a copy of their Certificate of Liability prior to signing any contract. They should have more than just general liability insurance. Check for Automotive, Umbrella, and Workers Compensation.

When you pick a service company you are also picking a partner in your business whose job is to help you maximize your production, keep your facility safe for your employees, maximize your equipment life, and keep your equipment in compliance of federal and local regulations. Just because you have a crane service company in your facility, it does not mean they are meeting all these needs of yours. Ask the questions to make sure you have made the right decision with the company you have chosen to work on one of the most important pieces of machinery in your facility.

Can You Hoist a Below The Hook Device Over a Person’s Head?

2012-07-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Think about it. If the crane has no load except the below the hook device are you allowed to lift it and transport it with an overhead crane over someone’s head? I am hoping your answer is “no” because that is the correct answer. People will try to argue this on many levels but you are never allowed to lift any load over someone’s head. I will visit customers and I am amazed at what I often see. Loads are continually lifted over personnel’s heads, and because no one has ever gotten hurt they continue to do so. Is that what it takes to get people to not do something they really shouldn’t be doing? I truly think OSHA needs to spend more time visiting facilities in the general industry and monitor their operation.

In 2007 OSHA wrote an interpretation letter specifically regarding this issue. Never is there a time when it is ok to lift something over someone’s head. This letter refers back to OSHA’s regulation 1910.179 (n)(3)(vi) which states, The employer shall require that the operator avoid carrying loads over people. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that loads are not carried over someone’s head.

However, because of how this regulation is written, many people will argue that it is ok to carry an empty below the hook device over someone’s head because it is part of the crane. Again this is incorrect. OSHA defines a load as, the total superimposed weight on the load block or hook. Therefore anything below the hook is considered part of the load. This would include slings, spreader beams, scales, magnets, e.t.c.

Talk to your overhead crane service provider about your production process to ensure you are staying within the regulations that have been set in place to keep crane operators safe. Your service provider should be a team member of your production and maintenance staff. Get them involved and see how they can help you today.

What Three Questions Should You Be Asking Yourself Regarding The Oil In Your Overhead Crane?

2012-06-11T09:09:00.002-07:00

After writing my last post regarding items overlooked on inspections, it occurred to me that there was an item that no one ever mentioned. Oil. I am not referring to the oil level. This is something that is rarely overlooked. I am talking about two factors: The type of oil that gets put into the gearboxes on overhead cranes, and the length of time that oil has been in the gear-case.

To keep your crane running efficiently you should be asking yourself these three questions regarding your crane’s oil….

How do I know I have the right oil in my crane’s gear-case?
What can happen to my crane if I have the wrong oil in my crane’s gear-case?
Is the oil in my crane’s gear-case still good?

Time and time again I have seen 80/90 weight oil put into gear-cases regardless of what the manufacturer is recommending. 80/90 weight is not a “general lub all” lubricant. There is no such a thing. The confusion of what type of oil to put in a gear-case is caused by the misunderstanding of the oil weight and what it really means. Viscosity is the thickness of oil. The smaller the number the thinner the oil is. So the thicker it is the less resistant it is to flow. This is why it is so important to have the correct gear oil in your gear-box. Gear-case oil is thicker than your auto transmission oil to give it more protection and the resistant flow is not required to be as low as your car’s transmission. Gear-case oil typically will have additives as well. This will allow for extreme pressure, anti-wear, anti-rusting, demulsibility, or foam resistance. It is also important to know that gear oil is rated by the API (American Petroleum Institute), and motor oil is not, therefore are not comparable.

How do I know I have the right oil in my gear-case?

Depending on the gearing of your crane it is going to require a specific type of oil. Your crane has a recommended viscosity level of your oil to keep the gearing protected and cool. The type of oil is going to be dependent upon the operating temperature of the gears, the gear speeds, the gear-box pressure, loads, containability , and the type of gearing. Your crane’s owner’s manual should tell you what the required oil is for the gear-boxes. Do not assume that every gear-box on your crane takes the same oil either. This is typically not the case. The hoist gear-box will more than likely take different oil than the bridge gear-case. If you are unsure of the oil type than contact your overhead crane service company and they should be able to provide you with the appropriate type. If the crane’s manufacturer cannot be found and not enough information can be provided to the service company to get the recommended oil then you will need to read the AGMA (American GearManufacturers Association) standard specifications and get an appropriate viscosity level for your gear-box. It is important to note as well that the manufacturers requirement for gear-case oil is specified based on a normal ambient temperature, and operating conditions. If the crane is being used outside these parameters it is possible that you do not have the correct oil even though you are using what is specified for your crane. If this is the case, you will then have to refer back to AGMA standards and pick the most suitable oil grade for your crane.

What happens if you have the wrong oil in your gear-case?

Depending on the oil viscosity is too high or too low you could have several different problems. Both can cause overheating which is the number one sign of the wrong oil. You can also get foaming of the oil that can also cause major oil leaks and severe damage to various components. Excessive noise from the gear-case could also be from the wrong lubrication. During a routine inspection, the overhead crane inspector will check for adequate oil level, and will inspect the gear-case breather. The breather is important because the oil will expand and constrict with the operating temperature. If the breather is clogged, it can blow out the seals on the gear-case. A preventive maintenance program on your overhead cranes can help prevent contamination accumulating in your gear-case. Oil samples on an annual basis is also help see the quality of your oil without the high cost of a gear-case inspection.

Is the oil in my gear-case still good?

The average shelf life of oil is about 5 years, some oil manufacturers state that their oil is only good for as little as two years. Just because you have oil right out of the barrel, it does not mean that it is good oil. Ask your overhead crane service provider how they store their oil. If they have no method of rotating its stock, or knowing what the shelf life is then you may want to consider who you have servicing your crane. The average recommended gear-case inspection is recommended every four years. If you haven’t had your gear-case inspected then now is a good time to get it scheduled. The gear-case inspection is very important because not only does it get fresh oil in the gear-case, your internal components will be inspected. It is the only way of knowing if you have any wear. This is where your load brake is on most hoists so it is a vital inspection. If you are changing the oil yourself you should do it when the oil is warm. The gear-case should also be flushed out with flushing oil. When you add the recommended oil you should keep the drain plug off. If the gear-case is running loud, you may have the wrong type of oil or contaminated lubricant. Contaminated lubricant is typically caused by water or dirt getting into the gear-case causing corrosion, and foaming which will deteriorate the oil. This will restrict the amount of oil to the gears and cause gar and bearing wear. Water can get into a gear-case simply through condensation, or moisture. Other issues could be gear and bearing wear or failure. This is where an annual oil sample will be able to tell if any contaminates are present in the gear-case. These tests also check for metal fragments so you can tell if you are getting wear on your gearing.

Conclusion

No two oils are the same and just because you have the correct oil in your gear-case it does not mean it is still good if it has been in that gear-case for years. The correct fresh oil is vital to preventing wear on your crane’s gearing, clutches, and load brakes. Take annual samples of the gear-case to inspect for wear, and contamination. Conduct periodic gear-case inspections (typically every 4 years) according to the manufacturer’s recommendation. A preventive maintenance program on your overhead cranes will add a longer life to your equipment and keep them running safe.

What is the number one component on an overhead crane inspection that gets missed the most?

2012-05-04T21:52:00.002-07:00

This is a question that had crossed my mind while trying to come up with an idea to write a presentation for the CCAA Spring Conference in San Diego. I had an idea in my mind of the answer to this question. I decided to ask as many people that I could on this subject. I started with inspectors and then moved on to managers. This is what I found in my small assesment.

What is the number one component on an overhead crane that gets missed the most during an inspection?

1.Wire Rope

2. Pattern Sheave Wear

3. Coupling Lubrication

4. Brake Adjustments

5. Load Hook Wear

6. Load Block Cracks and Wear

7. Wire Rope Terminology

8. Sheave Wear Under and on Sides of Wire Rope

9. Wire Rope Wraps on the Drum

10. Load Chain Wear

11. Regulations

In the crane industry, how do we limit the amount of missed discrepancies during an inspection? I believe it can be done in three ways.

1. Continual Training

To keep inspectors up with the latest regulations that tend to change every year, inspectors need refresher training on the codes at least once a year. They should also be getting training on various equipment direct from the manufacturer. There are many hoist manufacturers that provide technical training on their equipment and components on your site or at the factory. Contact your hoist manufacturer or a crane training company to help you with this.

2. Culture

Culture is something that takes a long time to develop. So if you don't have it in your company now then NOW is a good time to make that change. To create a culture of safety awareness, and inspection mindedness it needs to start at the top. Like everything, it will trickle down to affect everyone. Don't just relay information and tell people to take inspections seriously. You take it seriously. Talk about inspections at every safety meeting. Discuss why it is important to you and them. Explain the consequences of missing components on inspections. Pick a component during the safety meeting to discuss the proper inspection procedure. Don't just relay the information but get everyone involved and ask their opinion on it. Make it an ongoing discussion.

3. Senior Field Personnel

Another key to producing good inspection results is having the right inspectors out there. Only use inspectors who have demonstrated a excellent knowledge in the field. They should have a high amount of field hours. I would say 4,000 hours is a good amount of time to have under your belt before you become an inspector. Those hours should consist mostly of troubleshooting and installing crane components. This will help them greatly when it comes to narrowing something down on a crane inspection.

When training your personnel you should refresh them on certain component requirements. Especially on the components listed above. It is key to keep inspectors up to date on the updated regulation requirements

Load Hook

Discard Load Hook if...
Throat Opening is stretched 5% or not over 1/4 inch.
No Degree of twist.
Saddle Wear of 10% or more`

Wire Rope

A minimum of two wraps must be on the drum at its lowest point.
The three parts of the wire rope from largest to smallest is the Core (D), Strand (F), and Wire (E). Always remember that a wire rope with one bad wire is acceptable but a wire rope with one bad strand is not. The wire is the smallest component of the wire rope and it is what makes up the strand.
Depending on what state you live in you are only allowed a certain number of failed wire rope parts. By OSHA standards you are required to change the wire rope once you have 12 randomly distributed broken wires in one lay or 6 broken wires in one strand of one lay.

· What is a wire rope lay? A lay is the distance it takes for the wire rope to make a complete revolution around the core of the wire rope. In California by CALOSHA standards you are only allowed 6 randomly distributed broken wires in one pay or 3 broken wires in one strand of one lay.

There is no point doing an overhead crane inspection if it is not going to be accurate. To ensure you’re getting an accurate inspection you need to ensure that you are creating a culture that takes inspections to a higher level, you need to continually provide training for

all personnel who will be inspecting the overhead cranes. Start with something during all your safety meetings about one overhead crane component. This will help create a culture of mindful inspectors. At the same time if your information is new and pertinent then it will also keep your inspectors up to date on all the new codes and regulations.

What do you feel gets missed the most on overhead crane inspections?

What is a good way to keep your inspector from preventing these mistakes?

As a crane owner what do you expect from your inspection company and how do you know your getting a good inspection?

Konecranes AIRGO Lunch & Learn Thursday April 26th

2012-04-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

You're invited to this one time only event!

Come and see one of the newest Konecranes products!

The Konecranes AIRGO

If you missed the WESTEC trade show then now is your chance to see it again!

Move any load up to 350 kilos feels almost weightless as you move it to where you need it. Air balancing equipment is excellent for assembly processes, repair, and industrial production tasks in many industries,including manufacturing, solar energy, automotive, railroad, aviation, healthcare, and food.

When: Thursday, April 26^th 2012 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Where: Konecranes Shop 10310-2 PioneerBlvd, Santa Fe Springs CA

What: See the new Airgo fully assembled with moveable base, and get some hands on use of the air balancer, when you are done grab a free lunch!

R.S.V.P by Wednesday April 25^th Noon

Just send email to Matt Tallman with the company name and number of people attending!

Matthew.Tallman@Konecranes.com

Konecranes airbalancers and manipulators offer a wide range of standard and optional features for lifting control. With the high-precision BaseLoad feature, attached grabs of any weight are always kept floating and balanced. This visualization shows the functional difference of a pick and place application, first without and then with BaseLoad feature.

Konecranes recommends using the BaseLoad feature when a grab has to be attached sideways to a load or if a sensitive load cannot suspend the dead weight of the grab

Bridge Cranes and Hoist Duty Cycles by Guest Blogger Richard Wehrmeister

2012-04-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

This week is The LeCrane Chronicles first Bi-Monthly! I want to start the first one with a highly reputable guest blogger. This month I am pleased to have a post from Richard Wehrmeister. Mr. Wehrmeister is the General Manager of AdvancedOverhead Crane out of Houston Texas. Advanced Overhead Crane has been in busy for many years and is highly respected in the Texas area.

I was scrolling through my LinkedIn groups the other day and I came across this post regarding the duty cycles of electric motors. I had thought this gentleman had brought up a good point. Why won’t bridge crane manufacturers label their cranes with the designed duty cycle? Just because you have a H4 duty bridge motors does not mean your trolley is H4 or the duty cycle of the crane itself an H4 rated crane system. It would be beneficial to know what the crane was designed for regardless of the duty cycle of each individual motor on the crane. The hoisting mechanism is an integral part of the crane. Therefore the duty cycle of the hoist should be the same for the crane correct? You would think so, however this is not always the case. So if the manufacture labeled the crane with an overall duty rating, it would help in the future of the crane with decisions for certain retro-fits, and also an increase of crane usage. Lets hear what Richard had to say about this topic…..

Bridge Crane and Hoist Duty Cycles by author: Richard Wehrmeister

For quite some time I have been an advocate of having all manufacturer’s adding the duty cycle designation to both the hoist and the bridge crane nameplate. My reasoning for this is it allows the bridge crane inspector to analyze the actual duty cycle as operated to the manufacturer’s designed duty cycle. It is not unusual to find equipment that is being used beyond the manufacturers designed duty cycle.

Situations that have come up:
• Equipment was sold for one application and over time the application changed to a more strenuous duty cycle.
• Equipment sold did not meet the application requirements from the start.

To give a couple of examples:
• A number of years back we sold a class C crane with a class H3 hoist. The crane was going to be used in a testing lab. The crane/hoist was only being used 3-4 times a day under capacity load. We were trying to save the customers a few dollars with the H3 hoist. Big mistake, after a couple of years the lab was gone and the crane/hoist became a production crane/hoist. While the crane is working trouble free for the operation the H3 hoist would not hold up. In other words the hoist had on going problems with both the mechanical load brake and the hoist motor brake up until we change out the hoist to a H4 classification.
• Not long ago we were asked for a second opinion involving a hoist. When looking at the hoist from the floor, I remarked that it looked like a brand new hoist with the gear cover off. The customer said that the hoist was a few weeks old. I started to question the customer about the application and I noticed a very large lifting magnet sitting at the other end of the shop and looking back up at the hoist I saw a cord reel. Of course my question to the owner was how often did they use the magnet and did they leave the magnet hanging on the hook during a normal shift. This magnet was about the size of a scrap yard magnet and for those of you familiar, they are very heavy. Once I received my answer I told him that the hoist would not work in this application unless he wanted to rebuild the mechanical load brake every few weeks. He was upset and of course I asked him if he addressed the hoist application with the supplier before ordering the hoist. Note: The lifting magnet far exceeded the maximum weight requirements allowed by the manufacturer for a below the hook device on this particular hoist.

The duty service classifications for hoists are listed In ASME HST Performance Standards. ASME lists five duty classifications H1, H2, H3, H4 and H5.

The duty classifications for bridge cranes are listed In CMAA 70 and 74. CMAA lists six duty classifications A, B, C, D, E and F.

Both ASME and CMAA define each classification according to loading groups and the service conditions as close as possible, taking into account the speed, load and quantity of lifts in a time frame.
Getting back to my first paragraph I believe this is a topic that both ASME and CMAA should address when Regulations and Specifications become due for rewrite. A simple change to a name plate is a very small cost when we’re only talking about adding a couple digits to a name plate however the only way these changes can get done is to get more crane inspectors, manufacturers and associations involved in advocating change. You comments would be appreciated.

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What do you think about this?
Do you feel that adding the duty rating to the crane will be a benefit for the manufacturer or owner?
Please share your thoughts on this subject.

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Calvin LeClair is a representative of Koneranes, A global overhead crane and hoist service company and manufacturer.

Your Overhead Crane Inspection Report

2012-04-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Often when I go and visit prospects, or new customers I find one thing in common that they are all lacking. Paperwork. It typically doesn’t matter what competitor they are using, they rarely have sufficient paperwork that provides proof of inspections, and or proof of an inspection program that has been performed on a continuing basis. Typically they have several manila folders in a couple different places in their office that has a few service reports and other folders that have crane manuals at best. Then the actual report for the inspection sometimes cannot even be found. If it can, many times it is incomplete, or it is not comprehensive enough to even tell you what the inspector inspected on the crane. A pass or fail for an inspection is just not enough to inform you of your crane issues nor will it keep you compliant. An established paper trail will prevent huge OSHA fines if any accidents were to happen. Companies are fined after major accidents and if they had a paper trail showing they were taking the necessary steps to stay in compliance and keep their facility safe for their workers then the fines would have been nothing near what they received. Let me give you a couple examples of OSHA fines and then I will talk about what is out there on the market for your inspection paperwork.

The first two examples are from an OSHA inspection sweep that was conducted on several companies that had a track record for injured employees. The last one was from a company that had a bad track record of accidents as well but the inspection was conducted because of a related accident.

1. Last year a steel fab shop in Alabama was targeted for an OSHA inspection, not because they had an accident, but because they were targeted for having a higher than average injury and illness rate. They found several serious violations during this walkthrough. Fines totaled $48,510.00. Two of the fines were crane related. They had no inspection records, and someone had welded the hook and no load test was ever conducted.

2. In September of last year Stowe Woodward was fined for similar violations with the same consequences. $49,000 in fines. No frequent crane inspections were ever performed. This is a place that had machinery related fatalities in 1999 and in 2005. I can’t believe after a history like that, a company would not take safety as their number one priority.

3.One of the biggest fines I have ever seen was in Michigan at V&S Detroit Galvanizing in 2009. They were fined a total of $245,000. What struck me was that many were crane related. A $70,000 penalty was charged for moving a rack with a crane over the head of a maintenance employee. Another 70k penalty was charged when the inspector saw the same thing again, only this time they were moving the rack over the employees who were loading the racks below. They were penalized for two additional crane violations, a $7,000 fine for not having an audible warning device on overhead cranes and a $7,000 fine for not performing daily and periodic inspection of overhead cranes.These were all numerous violations that can be found in the state of Michigan’s General Industry Safety Standard, Part 18, Overhead and Gantry Cranes. You can read on more OSHA fines and enforcement information at http://www.osha.gov/dep/index.html.

Go back and look at your inspection paperwork and ask yourself these ten questions..

1. Was it easy to find?
2. Is it up to date?
3. Does it include all your hoisting equipment in your facility?
4. Do you understand the discrepancies?
5. Do you know what your safety items are?
6. Do you know what crane components were inspected?
7. Do you know what crane components were not inspected?
8. Do you know what the priorities are of the discrepancies found?
9. Do you know if any of those items were repaired?
10. Do you know the investment involved to repair those items?

So, how did you do? Are you comfortable with the reports you currently have? If you answered yes to all ten questions then you have an inspection report that far surpasses most in the industry. You are one step ahead and are taking the necessary steps to keep your employees safe and your company in compliance. Great Job!

If you answered “no” to several of these questions then please take a look at what is available to you from Konecranes. The Konecranes MAINMAN inspection report is comprehensive and not only will you be able to answer yes to all these questions, you will have much more. With the MAINMAN maintenance report, you will have….

1. A complete equipment list of all your overhead cranes.

2. A condition summary where Konecranes will rate your overhead cranes on a scale from zero to a hundred so you know which cranes should be focused on during the repair process.

3. The MAINMAN will take that one step further and will create a Planning Overview. This will list how many components were inspected on each overhead crane or hoist. The report will then list out of those components, how many had safety related issues, and how many had production issues. This is a great report that will help you organize your repairs once the inspection has been completed.

4. A Work Order follows that list all discrepancies by priority and the condition of each component. This is also the sheet that the crane technician will sign off once the repair of the component has been completed. This will be an important tool for you to tell which component has been repaired and which one still needs to be scheduled.

5. In the Quote section you will get an itemized quote that list the cost for labor and parts for each component requiring repair or replacement.

6. Business Review is provided annually or upon request to show you to total annual investment. This is like a report card. This will help gauge our partnership ensuring that your overhead crane investment is being invested in the right way. Expenses are broken down by inspections, repairs, breakdowns, modernizations, new equipment, training, safety deficiencies, and an equipment score for each piece of equipment. This helps optimize the maintenance schedule reducing your overall investment.

7. Last will be the Condition Detail. This section list every component inspected on your crane regardless of the condition. It is color coded for easy glance so you can just go to the components that have an issue. This section also satisfies your requirements from OSHA keeping you in compliance.

All of these pages come bound together so the pages do not get lost and there is no need for various folders. You will get one book for every annual and quarterly inspection. The quarterly inspection booklet is not as in depth as the annual but still will list the vital information. This information will also all be provided on the Konecranes website MyCrane.com.

When choosing your overhead crane inspection company ask about their inspection paperwork. Make sure you know what you are getting for proof of inspection. These reports are vital to keeping you compliant and your employees safe.

So, what kind of inspection paperwork do you have for your overhead cranes? Are you comfortable with what you have? What would you like to see in your inspection paperwork?

2011 Changes in ASME B.30.2

2012-03-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Last year ASME changed several parts of the B.30.2. Listening to potential clients has led me to believe that many crane companies are either unaware of the changes or are not making their personnel aware of these changes. I would like to think that the crane industry has a high level of integrity, and holds safety of crane operators as a number one priority. When I am out visiting potential customers and introducing Konecranes to them, I am astonished many times by what the competitor considers passing by their crane service provider. Because of this I wanted to make as many people as I could aware of the changes that went into effect in 2011 for the ASME B.30.2. The last time it was revised was in 2005.

Major changes have been added to the Chapter two sections for Inspections, and Testing. This section was revised for easier understanding and interpretation. Let’s just go over these changes. We will review them in order of the sections to keep this as simple as possible. This will also be a refresher for me since it has been awhile since I reviewed these changes.

1.13.3 Basic Controls (Figs 2-1.13.3-1 through 2-1.13.3-4) used during crane operating cycle shall be located within reach of the operator while at the operating station and labeled as to designated function and direction of movement. (The 2005 version simply stated that they had to be labeled.)

2-1.14-3 This section they changed the terminology. It previously used the term minimum breaking strength. The new terminology is minimum breaking force. (a) The hoisting ropes shall be of a recommended construction for crane service. The total load (rated load plus weight of load block) divided by the number of parts of line shall not exceed 20% of the minimum breaking force of the rope. They also added this to the list of definitions. ASME defines minimum breaking force as the minimum load at which a new and unused wire rope will break when loaded to destruction in direct tension.

Chapter 2-2 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance has been revised greatly. They re-titled the chapter Inspection and Testing. Under the inspection section they have added a section titled Initial Inspection. Inspection classification and Inspection records was removed and they have now made a section in the beginning of the chapter for General topics of Inspections and Testing. The Maintenance section has been completely removed. They are focusing only on inspections. The same goes for the Rope Inspection section. This section was revised by removing the sections for Rope Maintenance, and Rope Replacement.

I think this is a good idea because it was too much information in once section and there really needs to be separate sections for inspections and maintenance since they are completely different. This allows for easier understanding and also easier to navigate the regulations. As far as I could tell I did not see any major changes, but just how they worded the same information. I completely agree with what ASME has done. Finding regulations on cranes is hard enough, and then when you have to interpret them as well it can be confusing with all the different information. It always seems that the information is scattered about and it is up to you to figure out what is important. Now it is a little easier because it is more organized in a way that keeps the reader focused on the issue instead of having to continually re-read and search for the right info. There still needs to be some form of training on these changes at least on an annual basis. Ask your crane service company about the overhead crane training that they provide to the technicians and inspectors that come to work on your equipment. You always want to make sure you have a company that invests in their own people. When you get that, you will always get a reliable person working on your equipment.

What Do I Need to Know About Crane Operator Training?

2012-02-01T05:51:00.000-08:00

There are two key factors you will find when accidents occur in a facility. Either it is caused by complacency or ignorance. There is only one way to reduce this thinking of employees. That is to make safety a value shared by all in the company. Safety must be a culture created by the management of the company. It needs to be believed in by all. If everyone does not buy into then it will not become a culture. When you have a culture of safety committed personnel, ignorance and complacency are no longer factors. The only way to create this culture is to make safety your number one priority above all else including productivity and profitability. If employees believe that the company they work for cares more about their well being than the profit of the company then they will take pride in that and not only will they work safer, they will also watch out for others to ensure the safety for those that work around them .

One key ingredient in creating a safety oriented culture is by providing ongoing safety training. Refreshing employees on safety steps they can take in the facility to make their work day safer will help keep safety in the forefront if their minds daily. Ongoing safety training would include daily and weekly safety talks, monthly safety meetings, and annual training on major safety issues. One major safety issue in your facility is your cranes. Out of all the regulations required by OSHA and ANSI the one that get missed the most would have to be qualifying crane operators. Many companies know to inspect their cranes but they fail to think about the people who are actually operating them. Many will even put an operator on a crane that doesn’t even have any experience operating one. A company will invest in inspections and repairs but will then fail to take that next step to ensure their employees are fully trained in operating the equipment. Not only is this against various codes, and regulations set forth by governing bodies, it is also a great liability.

Barclays California Code of Regulations Section 5006 qualifies an operator by stating, “Only employees authorized by the employer and trained, or known to be qualified, in the safe operation of cranes or hoisting apparatus shall be permitted to operate such equipment.” It is also written in the regulations, “Trainees may be authorized to operate cranes or hoisting apparatus provided they are under the supervision of a qualified operator.”

ASME B.30.2 regulations are what OSHA will reference for crane operator training requirements. ASME requires that cranes be operated by ONLY designated persons, trainees under the direct supervision of a designated person, maintenance and test personnel, when it is necessary in the performance of their duties, and inspectors. Now to be considered qualified by ASME, they required that the crane operator SHALL be required by the employer to pass a practical operating examination. Qualifications shall be limited to the specific type of equipment for which the operator is being examined.

There are many things to consider when providing crane operator training for your employees. For one you need to ensure that it is adequate for the type of equipment you have in your facility. You don’t want to provide a basic 15 minute video on crane safety and a test for a facility that has several bridge cranes. The higher the capacity and more complex the operation the longer you should expect the class to be. Minimally, there are FIVE items you want to discuss and test on in the training class that you’re going to be providing for your employees.

1. Daily Crane and Hoist Inspections

This is the most important part of the class. This rarely gets done in most facilities and typically is because the operators not knowing it is their responsibility. There is actually a lot that goes into a daily check and the larger the crane the more intense the daily check will be. A daily check is vital for safe operations in your facility. This also helps the operator have a better understanding of the equipment they are operating. If it is checked on a daily basis than something that is not ordinarily there will be more easily noticed by the operator and will be picked up potentially preventing an accident.

2. Components of a Crane

An operator will be unable to do an appropriate daily inspection if they do not even know the correct terminology of the crane components. The daily inspection checklist has several crane components listed. Without knowing the correct terminology it could lead to an incorrect inspection results and a crane that could be potentially unsafe. If your operators do know the correct terminology they will be able to not only write it up properly but they will be able to inform the crane vendor of any issues that they are having with the crane that won’t be misinterpreted by the vendor. This will allow a more precise diagnosis and lowering your investment by spending less on time spent troubleshooting.

3. Safe Operation of a Crane

Do your operators know how to stop a load swing if it was to occur in your facility? Do they know what to do if they have a runaway crane? Do all your employees know where the main crane disconnect is located in your facility? These are all important questions and if your training does not incorporate any of these items in your training then you do not have the appropriate training program.

4. Hands On crane operation of a crane in the facility

This part is where they take what they learnt in the class and incorporate into some hands on that the crane operators can try out and get confident while you have a professional crane operator instructor in your facility. If you go back to the OSHA and ASME regulations you will see that the regulations require you to pass a “practical operating exam”. This test will suffice for this part of the regulation.

5. Basic Rigging

The number one reason for a crane accident that is caused by operator error is poor rigging. Anything you do with a crane will require some form of rigging. Your operators MUST know the proper way to rig the load. Regardless if you’re using slings, shackles, spreader bars, or other rigging attachments there is still a proper way to use them. A basic rigging instruction will help them be more efficient and safe operators.

In 2011 the Konecranes Training Institute conducted a study that analyzed crane accidents and the fatalities from those accidents. The information from this study was taken from 10 years of public OSHA Inspection Reports. The findings were very alarming if you are a crane operator. This study found that 58% of people injured or killed were crane operators. 37% of crane incidents a person were crushed by a load. This was the result of load drops, or load swings. You can see how serious these findings are. If there is a crane accident, there is a great chance the crane operator will be hurt or killed. This study analyzed that 70% of these accidents were preventable with proper operator safety training.

In closing, it is the crane operators’ responsibility to ensure that they are operating the crane safely; however it is the employer’s responsibility to train their employees with the knowledge to operate the cranes in a safe and efficient manner. When you’re incorporating crane operator training into your safety program, ensure that you have the appropriate material for your employees. Look into a training program that will discuss your equipment, and all five important items to discuss during training.

Mechanical Load Brake Operation and Inspection

2012-01-07T13:55:00.000-08:00

There are many misconceptions of mechanical load brakes on lifting equipment. I have heard from many customers that they think the load brake is designed to hold the load during normal hoisting operation. This is not completely correct. I have also been told from customers that load brakes are required to be inspected on an annual inspection. This too is incorrect. There are two basic reasons hoist have load brakes. The mechanical load brake has to control the speeds when lowering the load, and has to be able to hold the load when the motor is not running. The load brake operates very similar to a nut and bolt. Let me introduce you to load brakes and give you a brief description of how the load brake works and see if I can help you understand the load brake functionality and inspection frequency for them.

During the hoisting mode the load brake is unlocked and freewheeling. The purpose of a “load brake in a hoist application is to keep the suspended load from falling without power to the hoist and independent of the motor brake.” When the load is being lowered the clutch locks stopping the load brake system from rotating. As soon as the motor stops driving the load, or the load travels faster than the motor then pressure will be applied to the friction disc. If the electric motor brake fails the load brake will completely lock to hold the load. You will also be able to lower the load to the ground. This is done by the self-adjusting clutch. The brake will tighten slowing the load, and the load brake loosens if it is going too slow. This is a rapid succession that keeps the load controlled. If you hear a clicking sound when the load is being raised, this is the pawl hitting the ratchet teeth. You should not be hearing this noise if the load brake is adjusted properly.

Let me explain my statement when I said that it is not completely true that the load brake is designed to hold the load during normal hoisting operation. The load brake actually works together with the hoisting brake. The Weston style load brake (pawl & ratchet) holds approximately 25 to 30% of the load being picked up. The holding brake does the bulk of the work. This is why it is vital to have your holding brake inspected frequently so the load brake does not end up doing all the work causing it to wear faster.

The other misconception is that the load brake requires an annual inspection. This is incorrect. All load brakes are self-adjusting and minimum maintenance is required. There is however cases the load brake require an inspection. If you hear clicking sounds coming from your load brake then an adjustment is required and can be done externally with the adjustment nut. However if it has been several years since the gear case has been opened and inspected than it is a good idea to open the gear case to inspect the brake linings and other components. Lubrication to the load brake is also highly important. Every time pressure is applied to the load brake the heat is dissipated by the lubricant. If not enough lubrication is in the gear case than the brake will over heat destroying the brake liners. In some cases forced cooling is required for heavy loads. The lubrication should either be changed out annually or lab tested. The viscosity of the lubricant is vital to control the operating temperature of the gear case. Old or dirty oil will change the original viscosity of the oil. Like anything oil too has a shelf life even if it is clean. If the viscosity or oil level is too high or too low it can cause overheating, excessive power consumption, and foaming. It is recommended to inspect the gear case and load brake every 4 years or per your OEM. Each OEM will have a different recommendation so check with your owner’s manual for inspection frequency. It is recommended as well to test the load brake annually at 25% of the load capacity. Not following your OEM recommendations could result to premature wear of your load brake.

I hope this small amount of information has been helpful to you. The inspection process although not annually is very important in safety of your crane and in extending the life of it. It may be a costly investment but it is vital in preserving the life of your crane and the safety of those that work under it.

How Much Can I Pick Up With My Crane?

2011-12-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

As a certified crane operator instructor I have given many classes and I am always asked questions that become repetitive. I think those are the questions that need to be shared the most. Like, What is wrong with side pulling?, or Why do I have to inspect my crane so often? These are important questions and definitely should not go unanswered. There is one question that I get more than any other. I get this question in my training classes, I got it when I was a crane technician, and I get it as a consultant to my customers. How much can I pick up with my crane? Every time I am asked this I answer it the same way, You can lift whatever the lowest capacity rating you have on your crane system. Once I state this, I always get the counter question of, I thought there is a safety factor built into my crane? Well, yes there is but that don’t mean your crane was designed for lifting your rated capacity plus the safety factor percentage. In this post I will try to explain what the correct answer is, and then I will do my best to explain to you this safety factor.

The regulations set forth by OSHA clearly says that you are not to pick up more than the rated capacity of the crane. OSHA 1910.179 N states that The crane shall not be loaded beyond its rated load except for test purposes as provided in paragraph (k) of this section. Not only can you not exceed the rated capacity of the crane, but you also have to factor in the lowest rated capacity of the device your using to lift with. If you have a below the hook device you have to subtract the weight of the device from the rated capacity of the crane. Then if the rated capacity of the device is smaller than the rated capacity of the bridge or hoist then you cannot exceed the capacity of the device.

You should never pick more than the rated capacity unless it is for a load test which will be conducted at or near 125% of the rated load. So many factors go into the design of a crane that you would have to look at the safety factor of all your components. You would have to look at the wire rope, the motors, bearings, sheaves, drums, wheels, rails, hoisting speeds, and beam and steel sizes.

Now when you try to figure out what is your cranes safety factor, you have to be careful as to whether your crane manufacturer built the crane based on CMAA standards or FEM standards. So it is important to know what the difference is between the two standards. CMAA is the Crane Manufacturers Association of America and FEM is Federal European De La Manutention. This is the standards for design and manufacturing internationally of overhead traveling cranes. FEM specifications are written based on the input from the World’s largest crane companies. Then of the CMAA specifications are written based on the input from the largest American crane companies. FEM will separate each main part of the crane (hoist, trolley, and bridge). However CMAA groups them together as one structure and machinery. I think the problem you can have with this is that with FEM you can get an under and over designing of certain components because it does not always take into account the entire crane system as CMAA does. CMAA safety factor for the wire rope is 5:1 for standard cranes, and 8:1 for molted metal cranes. However, FEM safety factor for the wire rope of 3.6:1 and up to 9:1 depending on the crane group the crane is classified in. There are 6 classes of cranes for FEM and for CMAA. These different classifications were designed to allow for the most economical crane to be specified.

FEM         1Bm   1Am    2m   3m    4m    5m
CMAA      A       B         C      D      E      F
These classifications are based on the usage of the crane. They are similar to each other but different enough that it can put your cranes in different classifications.

FEM    Life in Hours
1Bm     0-1,600hrs
1Am    1,600-3,200hrs
2m       3,200-6,300hrs
3m       6,300-12,500hrs
4m       12,500-25,000hrs
5m       25,000-50,000hrs

CMAA   Life in Hours
A             0-1,250hrs
B             1,250-2,500hrs
C             2,500-5,000hrs
D             5,000-10,000hrs
E             10,000-20,000hrs
F             20,000-40,000hrs

Typically with the FEM standards you are getting a heavier duty hoist than with the CMAA standards. FEM also factors their calculations using the long ton while CMAA goes by the short ton. The difference is 220lbs per ton. This does not seem like a lot but when you are comparing a heavier capacity hoist it is a drastic difference. For example if your crane is a 30 ton hoist, CMAA standards will build the crane for 30 tons. Likewise that same hoist by FEM standards will be built for an additional 6,138lbs.

You also have to consider the deflection of your bridge beam when factoring in what your crane can pick up. When a load test is conducted on your crane deflections are measured. CMAA has an allowable deflection of live load tolerance. However FEM has no such rule. If we go by CMAA standards the standard allowable deflection is .1125% of the span of the bridge. A good rule to go by that I always used as a technician to find an acceptable tolerance is, Jib cranes tolerance is the span/150 or 450 depending upon the span. A single girder crane has an allowable tolerance of the span/603 and double girder cranes have a tolerance of the span/888. These tolerances are based on 100% of the rated capacity.

In the end the crane operator is the one who is responsible for the lift. It is the operator’s responsibility to know what the capacity of the crane and any lifting devices. If the operator has any doubts to the safety of the lift then they should not lift the load. Anytime that the lift is going to be at near capacity it is a good practice to test the brakes. The operator tests the brakes by raising the load only a few inches off of the ground and applying the brakes. There should be no drift in the hoist motion when the operator is not raising or lowering the load. This is an excellent safety measurement and should be used.

Many factors are taken into account when considering the safety factor for your crane. There are so many different parameters that get you to your true safety factor that you would have to re-engineer the entire crane to figure out what it truly is. Once true stress is calculated at its maximum on all load bearing components and the usage of the crane is calculated then the true safety factor can be calculated. The standards are guidelines to help with the design of the crane. However, they also give limits and requirements for most vital crane components. Although cranes may be built according to CMAA standards, all electric hoists are designed and rated according to FEM standards. These standards are in place to make the operator and those working around the crane safe. Be safe and never exceed the capacity of the crane. Ensure your crane operator has been properly trained and your equipment is being inspected as well as maintained with a through preventive maintenance program.

New OSHA Standards on Slings

2011-11-01T21:22:00.000-07:00

New OSHA standards have improved the regulations for slings. This new revision to the regulations requires that all slings regardless of the material require permanently affixed identification tags. This revision is part of the Standards Improvement Project Phase III. This project is to improve and streamline OSHA Standards. There are so many standards out there that the rules are so confusing, or duplicate what has already been said somewhere else and even written a different way causing much inconsistency. Many regulations are even outdated and should not apply in today’s world. This improvement project will help employers to understand the regulations better. Through better understanding employers will work safer, and be in compliance. After reading the revised regulations I think they did an excellent job at rewording much of the regulations but they did a poor job at duplicating the same message in every section. Every sections still tells you that you have to have a capacity label on anything. I would think it would be easier to read if they had a section for all lifting equipment that stated what is required for all devices regardless of what they are made of. This would save a lot of time reading the same thing over and over again every time you come to a different section.

There are several new changes to sling capacity labels and shackle markings that took effect on July 8th 2011. Previously many slings had a load capacity chart if it was a synthetic sling, or if it was a wire rope sling it had no rated capacity at all.

The new major changes are as follows….

• Remove load capacity tables for slings that were in the previous OSHA standards

• Sling Markings- Employers now must use only slings with permanently affixed identification markings that show the maximum load capacity for each sling

• Shackle Markings- Required to have rated capacity label on shackle

Much of the original regulations have stayed the same but they have also been reworded so it is easier to understand. I have the entire set of regulations that have been revised. I separated them based on what the regulations were about and compiled them together for easier reading.

• Employers must not load a sling in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed by the sling manufacturer on the identification markings permanently affixed to the sling.

• Employers must not use slings without affixed and legible identification markings.

Alloy chain slings also have their own specific regulations…

• Employers must permanently remove an alloy steel-chain slings from service if it is heated above 1000 degrees F. When exposed to service temperatures in excess of 600 degrees F, employers must reduce the maximum working-load limits permitted by the chain manufacturer in accordance with the chain or sling manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Effect of wear. If the chain size at any point of the link is less than that stated in Table N–184–1, the employer must remove the chain from service.

• Employers must ensure that chain and chain slings:

• Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one;

• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and

• Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings.

• Employers must note interlink wear, not accompanied by stretch in excess of 5 percent, and remove the chain from service when maximum allowable wear at any point of link, as indicated in Table G–2 in § 1915.118, has been reached.

Wire rope slings have the most significant change in the entire revisal. Prior to this wire rope slings did not require a capacity label. Here are the revised regulations for wire rope slings.

• Wire-rope slings—(1) Sling use. Employers must use only wire-rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer, and that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one.

• Employers must ensure that wire rope and wire-rope slings:

• Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one;

• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and

• Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings.

• When U-bolt wire rope clips are used to form eyes, employers must use Table G–1 in § 1915.118 to determine the number and spacing of clips.

• Employers must apply the U-bolt so that the ‘‘U’’ section is in contact with the dead end of the rope.

You never see natural or synthetic fiber-rope slings used today in the crane industry. There still are regulations for them since you may see them used in manual lift with shackle blocks.

• Natural and synthetic fiber-rope slings— Sling use. Employers must use natural and synthetic fiber-rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings stating the rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, type of fiber material, and the number of legs if more than one.

§ 1915.112 Ropes, chains, and slings.

• Manila rope and manila-rope slings. Employers must ensure that manila rope and manila-rope slings: Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as

prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working

load for the type(s) of hitch(es) used, the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one; Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings as required by paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

Shackles and hooks get overlooked more than any other lifting device or rigging attachment. Shackles and hooks still have strict regulations in place to keep workers safe and prevent any accidents. Below is the rewording of the up to date regulations 1915.13 Shackles and Hooks.

• Shackles. Employers must ensure that shackles:

• Have permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load;

• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and

• Not be used without affixed and legible identification markings.

The last updates the regulations received were for the general rigging equipment for material handling. This is for any piece of rigging to ensure that all below the hook devices and any material handling equipment not covered in the previous regulations will be covered here in this last set of regulations. The regulation below is the 1926.251 rigging equipment for material handling.

• Employers must ensure that rigging equipment:

• Has permanently affixed and legible identification markings as prescribed by the manufacturer that indicate the recommended safe working load;

• Not be loaded in excess of its recommended safe working load as prescribed on the identification markings by the manufacturer; and

• Not be used without affixed, legible identification markings.

• Employers must not use alloy steel-chain slings with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the sling by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.

• Employers must not use improved plow-steel wire rope and wire-rope slings with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the sling by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.

• Wire rope slings shall have permanently affixed, legible identification markings stating size, rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one.

• Employers must not use natural and synthetic-fiber rope slings with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the sling by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.

• Employers must use natural- and synthetic-fiber rope slings that have permanently affixed and legible identification markings that state the rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, type of fiber material, and the number of legs if more than one.

• Employers must not use shackle with loads in excess of the rated capacities (i.e., working load limits) indicated on the shackle by permanently affixed and legible identification markings prescribed by the manufacturer.

Below the hook devices are the most overlooked part of any inspection on a crane, especially when they are not stored on the crane itself. What you have read are all of the new regulations and the revised wording of the OSHA regulations on slings. It is very important to understand what codes your equipment fall under. If you are unsure contact your service provider and they will go over with you any regulations that you would like clarification on.

It is vital to stay up to date with the changes that occur every year. Keeping up to date is very hard and can be time consuming especially when you have other task that are not crane related. This is why it is beneficial for any company to have a inspection outsourced to professionals who inspect cranes and below the hook devices on a daily basis. When looking for a crane company to service your cranes, pick one that has an extensive training program for their technicians and inspectors so that you can be assured that your getting an accurate inspection that will include covering any new codes that have come out for the new year.

Harculo Crane Accident

2011-09-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to post a blog about this accident for some time now. However, I don't like to just post a video without some type of information to set up what you are about to watch. I have spent numerous hours online trying to find information regarding this accident. Perhaps because it was in the Netherlands, it has made it so hard to find information on this. This is the perfect accident to perform a case study on so I wish more information was readily available. I have seen this video in training within my company on several occasions for all the right reasons. It was a catastrophic failure that could have been avoided.

This accident happened on October 17th of 2003 at the Harculo Power Plant Netherlands. The Harculo Power Plant is a natural gas plant in Zwolle, Netherlands. It has an output of 349MW. It is important to know that the plant was mothballed in 2001 and then brought back into production in 2002. This is a good indicator as to the condition of the cranes during this overhaul that was taking place at the time of the failure.

I have read several different blogs on this accident. Many say that it was a wire rope failure. Some say operator error, or even the crane manufacturer. The more I look at this though the less I think it was a wire rope failure. It looks more like a load brake failure to me. If it was a wire rope I think it would have dropped quicker than it did, and you would have seen the frayed ends on top of the rotor when it fell to the ground. This crane was hoisting and moving a 70 ton gas turbine rotor that was worth 8.5 million dollars. The failure almost killed two workers. They were so close to the drop that it must have been pretty traumatic for them. This is a great video for training purposes to show why you should not be standing under a load during operation.

It you get anything out of this video, I hope you get how important load brake inspections are. Load brakes cannot be inspected during a routine quarterly or annual inspection. This is an inspection in and of itself. Especially on larger cranes like this one it will take a couple guys and will take the entire day to go through the dis assembly and inspection process. Check with your hoist manual to see when the frequency of gear box inspections should take place on your equipment. Now.. check out this video and tell me what you think....

An Interview With A Crane Inspector

2011-05-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

When I go to a customer’s site I never look at myself as a salesman. I look at it more that I am a consultant to my customer. I try to show them the appropriate steps that they need to take to be compliant, safe, and proactive in with their crane maintenance. I try to see what their needs are and try to find the perfect fit for them. I never try to sell them something that they don’t need, nor do I push anything unless I have established a relationship with that customer, and it is a safety issue.

One issue I have faced as a salesman a few times is the fact that I am not always taken as serious as if I was an inspector or technician. Coming in as a salesman especially with someone that I have not developed a relationship with and try to convince them of what they need is not always the easiest thing to do. You get those looks like you’re just a sales guy trying to sell them something. Sometimes I feel like I could get more across to a customer when I was a technician.

At my work I am fortunate to have a lot of talent out in the field that I can rely on when I have questions regarding cranes, and various regulations on them. We have a very knowledgeable work force that is out their working on our customers cranes every single day. The training program we have in place is unsurpassed by any competitor. We have our own crane institute that is designed for all careers at our company from technician, to inspector, or manager to salesman. Barry Conway is one of those guys that I rely a lot. I know if a customer asks me something that I am not sure of, Barry is the first person that I call. I know he will either know the answer or at least know where to find the answer. He is a valuable asset to our organization and that is why I wanted to do my first interview with him. I know what my answers are to the following questions but I thought the answers were so much more valuable coming from someone who is on the cranes everyday and sees the programs that customers have implemented daily. So lets see what he has to say….

How Long have you been a crane inspector?
I have been an approved and licensed Cal OSHA crane inspector for 21 years and have worked in the crane industry for 26 years.

What do you like about your job?:

I enjoy the places I go, most are very interesting and I have met some very knowledgeable and interesting people along the way.

What is the biggest issue that you find that your customers are unaware of?:

A lot of my customers are unaware of the regulation from Cal OSHA regarding their equipment, the record keeping, the training of the operators, having a maintenance program in place. A lot of the break downs are due to improper operation by the employees. Proper training can reduce or even eliminate them.

What crane discrepancy do you find the most and why do you think that is?:

With new customers I find a lack of record keeping and a lack of proper maintenance of their equipment.. These are both OSHA requirements.

Is there any suggestions that you make to your customers on a regular basis?:

Yes, to start a maintenance program on their small units. There seems to be a misconception that maintenance and record keeping does not need to be performed on units of 6,000 lbs or less. That is not true.

Are there any regulation that you would like to implement or suggest to CAL-OSHA?:

I would like to see more stringent requirements for certifiers implemented. There are a lot of safety devices on cranes. An inspector needs to have a through understanding of how a crane operates and all of the safety devices that are incorporated in them. Some seem to not understand fully about them.

Any additional comments that you would like to make?

A good maintenance program, proper operator training can go a long way in reducing overall expenses and down time. Keeping spare parts on their shelf can reduce down time and reduce other cost by eliminating additional travel time. Brakes, wire ropes, even spare motors and VFD Drives, especially if the unit is a critical crane.

In closing I want to thank Barry for taking the time to answer my questions. It still amazes me that there is such a lack of record keeping with crane equipment. Close to 90% of all crane accidents are fatal. With statistics like that you don’t want to become part of those statistics. The only way to improve your chances is to take care of your equipment, record keeping, and training. It is our job to help companies’ fine tune their record keeping and keep on a strict maintenance schedule. Contact me today and I can help you with your crane needs.

Load Testing Reinstalled Equipment in the State of California.

2011-03-11T13:39:00.000-08:00

Recently I had a customer who wanted to have load testing done on his monorails. His monorails were three ton capacity. Now, Load testing in the State of California is required on initial installations and every four years for equipment over three tons. However they often move the hoist to different locations and on different monorails throughout the facility. The question that arose was if we had to load test them every time a hoist gets re-installed on a different monorail.

In a letter from 1994 written by CAL-OSHA they state that if the hoist is not an integral part of the machine, then the monorail does not have to be load tested or certified. Then they go ahead and define a monorail as “a crane whose hoisting mechanism is suspended from, and is an integral part of, one or more trolleys mounted on a single track.” So what the heck does integral mean anyway? OSHA commented to us that this is a confusing part for people trying to interpret what the regulations mean, and I can definitely see why. CAL-OSHA does not explain what they are referring to with the word, “integral”. Even under the definitions it is not listed. What he told us was that if it is not defined in Title 8 then it should be referenced from a dictionary. He went on and referenced Webster’s Dictionary and stated that the term integral as, essential to completeness, 2. Composed of integral parts, 3. Lacking nothing essential. So what I gather from this is that all hoists are integral to any monorail.

The following is an excerpt from the email sent to us from CALOSHA. , A hoisting unit is integral to all monorail cranes. Without a hoisting unit, a monorail crane is not complete and cannot perform its intended function. Section 5022 requires that a proof load test be performed on a monorail crane every four years. It is silent when it comes to reinstalling the hoisting equipment on the monorail crane. ASME B30.11 requires an operational test on reinstalled equipment. It also says that a load test should be performed on reinstalled equipment as determined by a qualified person. The problem is that our code in 4884 requires that such cranes be designed, installed, and constructed to the ASME requirements. Cranes need to be inspected, tested and maintained per Title 8. Since Title 8 is silent on the issue of reinstalled equipment, my opinion is that a load test should be performed based on your recommendation. What does the manufacturer recommend?

So, in the end it is up to the manufacturer’s or crane servicing company’s recommendation. Now he did state that he suggest a load test be performed every four years per Title 8 5022, and a load test on reinstalled equipment be performed as determined by a qualified person as per ASME B30.11. However I don’t really get it. They put all these regs in place and state all these regulations that are required to be followed on all equipment over three tons. Then when asked about it they pretty much say below three tons it should be done as well but it is up to the discretion of a qualified person. I thought that these regulations were in place to keep people from using their own discretion? If my customer comes to me with these questions, I would recommend quarterly inspections on all their equipment but only load testing above 3 ton capacities unless it is a class C or D crane then I would recommend every four years as well. Anything below three ton it really depends on the severity of use of the crane or hoist. If it is used a lot then it really needs to be treated as a piece of equipment that has a capacity over three tons. I’ll leave you with this, do you really think 6,000 lbs is going to hurt any worse than 8,000 lbs?

Crane Inspector Qualifications

2010-11-24T21:37:00.000-08:00

So your company wants to cut cost and it has decided to perform their own inspections and preventive maintenance on their overhead cranes and hoist. Why not right? I mean, your company has a maintenance department. They fix everything else in the plant. They fix the cranes when they are broken. That must mean they are fully able to inspect them as well. Well…. Not if you’re going to go by the rule book, the latest and greatest CMAA standard (Spec 78) which is one of the many specs that is followed by OSHA. OSHA does not know all and they need other committees to help them put together these regulations. CMAA is an association developed by the Crane Manufacturers Service Committee. They are highly knowledgeable committee that is led by the leaders in the industry. According to CMAA there are many qualifications that are required for crane inspectors including physical requirements, work experience, required training, and even local licensing. Let’s take a deeper look at the various requirements so you can understand the burden you will be carrying performing your own inspections.

There are several physical requirements that are set by CMAA for crane inspectors. Some of the more understood qualifications is proficiency in reading and writing English, proficient oral and written communication skills, and be able to distinguish between colors, and have adequate hearing for the job, and physical dexterity, endurance, and strength. There are other qualifications that may not be known like the specifics of the vision qualifications. You are required to have 20/30 minimum in one eye and 20/50 in the other. This is with our without corrective lenses. Your depth perception has to be within normal range, including your field of vision, hand-eye coordination, with no existing conditions of dizziness. You also have to be subject to a safety and drug program. Therefore if your company does not have one in place or it is not that assiduous, then they will need to step up their program even if you only have one employee inspecting your crane. Heights are an additional requirement that gets overlooked probably because it seems so obvious. Your inspector must be comfortable working at heights to access the crane. He has to understand the safety requirements for this, and be able to work safely under adverse physical conditions. It can get extremely hot at the height of the cranes in the plant. So it is immensely important that the inspector understands this and can physically handle the conditions that he or she will be working in. The last physical requirement is fairly understood and most companies adhere to this when hiring maintenance personnel. You can have no physical restrictions of any kind. Meaning… you have to have control of all your body functions at all times, and total emotional stability. I would like to think that companies do not hire people for maintenance personnel outside of such a requirement, but I know that all companies work differently. It is very important for the company to follow these qualifications for the safety of their employees.

Work experience of the inspector is not only something that many companies don’t follow for their maintenance crew but many crane servicing companies do not follow this as well. CMAA requires your inspector to have a minimum of “2,000 field hours of experience related to the maintaining, servicing, repairing, modifying, and functional testing of cranes and associated hoisting equipment”. If you do outsource your crane inspections you should ask your vendor how many hours their inspectors have. They should have well over 2,000 hours if they are inspecting your equipment. On top of these qualifications they should have a good understanding of the various codes and regulations on the overhead cranes set by OSHA, CMAA, and ANSI.

Lastly, we get into the required training that CMAA has set as minimum qualifications to be an inspector. This training however means nothing if any of the prior mentioned are not met. Your employee may have extensive training but if the work experience is not there or the physical requirements cannot be met, then the training of the employee means nothing. You need to have all three in order to be qualified to inspect overhead crane equipment. The training of the inspector is no less arduous than the physical or experience qualifications. It is required for the inspector to have formal training in codes and regulation at Federal, State, and local level. The inspector has to be very discerning with the various codes and regulations set forth by OSHA, CMAA, ANSI, and local committees. They are required to take refresher courses every two years to get acquainted with revisions that change annually. They need to know the difference between “Shall” and “Should”, which can complicate issues greatly if they misinterpret the two. It is essential for the inspector to have trade skills as well which comes from their work experience. The inspector has to have a working knowledge of the products and equipment that they are inspecting. This will help them identify wear patterns, and hear things that may be out of the ordinary. Safety is another important training subject that needs to be familiarized by the inspector as well. This is for their own good to make sure that they work safe, and understand if certain operations of the equipment is unsafe. This would include the astuteness of job-site conduct. Testing of all these training topics is required so the inspector can demonstrate his proficiency of these topics. Certain local governments will require the inspector to be licensed as well, so make sure you check with your local government agencies to ensure if they will need a certification or license to inspect your equipment.

I have discussed several points that CMAA requires inspectors to be qualified in. With all these issues mentioned, please re-think your option to inspect your equipment yourself. Yes, you may save money short term by performing your own inspections. However to do it properly the money spent on your inspector is great, and the responsibility that you are giving yourself far exceeds the few dollars that your saving doing so. If you’re going to go and follow the regulations by doing periodic inspections on your overhead cranes, then seriously think about the burden of doing this on your own. Us crane guys are here to help you, and we want you to make the right choices for your company. In the very least contact your crane vendor and discuss with them the option to perform the periodic inspections on your own.

Requirements For Inspecting Cranes Three Ton and Below In California

2010-10-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Since I have been working out of California, I have had a lot of questions regarding the inspections and maintenance on equipment that is below three ton capacity. Because the CALOSHA Title 8 Article 100 specifies hoisting equipment over three tons. This article states that all equipment over three ton shall be quarterly inspected and have a load test performed every four years. Because of this many people do not inspect or have any maintenance plan of any kind on their equipment that is below three tons. I was very surprised by this since in reality it made no sense at all. Typically most manufacturing plants main lifting equipment is below three tons. Also this equipment is generally what is most widely used in the plant. So why not have a maintenance and inspection schedule on them?

Recently I was introduced to a letter from CALOSHA that written back in 1993. This letter was regarding proof load testing on cranes less than three tons capacity. It does state that equipment over three tons only requires quadrennial load testing. However is required that all equipment below three tons still be on a maintenance schedule regardless of the rated capacity. Many contractors in the state of California will tell you that you do not need to worry about inspecting your equipment that fall at three tons or less rated capacity. These inspectors and contractors are ill informed.

When you are putting together your inspection program on your overhead lifting equipment in the state of California, make sure that you include all lifting equipment regardless of the rated capacity. Doing your equipment over three tons is not satisfying CALOSHA requirements. Even worse, it is extremely dangerous to not have a maintenance schedule for your lifting equipment. Please let me know if you need help putting together a maintenance schedule. I will gladly help you put together a program that is economic, efficient, safety conscious, and CALOSHA satisfied, all while keeping your production needs in the forefront!

Huge Crane Fall In Portugal

2010-09-09T12:10:00.000-07:00

This is what not to do when rigging a load. Especially a big one like this. You can tell it was extremely top heavy. Never rig from the bottom of the load!!!