6 Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Crane and Hoist for Your Application

In a previous post, I discussed some basic details about cranes and hoists, and how they work together. As promised, here are some thoughts about the different factors that should be considered when specifying a crane and hoist combination.

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I&#;ve essentially grown up in the overhead handling industry, so I know how complex and time consuming it can be trying to figure out what equipment will best match an operation&#;s unique overhead handling needs and budget requirements. There are a lot of manufacturers who make a variety of cranes and hoists to handle different kinds of loads, capacities, frequencies of use, and environmental conditions across different industries. Just figuring out where to begin can be daunting. I get it.

That&#;s why I recommend considering the following six factors as you begin your crane and hoist investment journey. Understanding and having insight into each of these areas and how they impact the overall specification and buying process will help you to make a more informed decision.

1. The Load. All crane and hoist manufacturers need to know what you&#;re lifting, as well as its dimensions, total weight, surface characteristics, uniformity (or not) of shape, material, construction, and fragility. Also, if the load will be wet, dry, dusty, oily, or in some other condition as it&#;s handled. Further, it&#;s important to note if more than one type of load needs to be handled by the crane and hoist. Depending on how different each load is from another, more than one combination of overhead lifting and handling solution might be recommended.
2. The Frequency of Use. How often and at what percentage of its maximum load capacity the crane and hoist will be used &#; also known as Duty Cycle Requirements &#; has a significant impact on the service class an application requires. There are six crane and hoist service classes. Specifying equipment engineered to meet the appropriate class for your application will ensure its safety and longevity. Briefly, the six classes are:

• Class A: Standby or Infrequent Service. These are often applications where precise handling of equipment at slow speeds with long idle periods between lifts occur.
• Class B: Light Service. Light use, low speed applications, with loads ranging from none to full rated capacity at a rate of two to five lifts per hour averaging 10 feet per lift.
• Class C: Moderate Service. Loads average 50% of the rated capacity with five to 10 lifts per hour at an average of 15 feet.
• Class D: Heavy Service. Loads approaching 50% to 65% of rated capacity are handled constantly and at high speeds, with 10 to 20 lifts per hour at an average of 15 feet.
• Class E: Severe Service. Near continuous use with 20 or more lifts per hour at or near 100% of the rated capacity, often in harsh environments.
• Class F: Continuous Severe Service. Continuous use in harsh conditions at near 100% of the rated capacity. These cranes may be custom designed for high reliability in critical operations.

3. The Required Speed. How quickly the crane must travel and hoist must lift and lower in order to keep up with production processes is critical to ensuring overall operational efficiency. A system that is too fast or too slow can compromise safety.
4. The Operating Environment. Cranes and hoists are used both indoors and outside; either environment can have its own specific challenges including temperature, hazardous conditions, dust, heat, humidity, liquids, oils, fibers, corrosive chemicals, and more. Depending on the application, a custom crane and hoist combination may be recommended to increase reliability and service life.
5. The Expected Longevity. Routine maintenance is a must for all cranes and hoists to ensure they operate safely and reliably throughout their entire lifespan. How often (or not) an operation wants the equipment to run between servicing, to replace key components, or to replace the entire system is an important consideration when designing and specifying a crane and hoist.
6. The Budget. While it can be tempting to pick the crane and hoist combination priced the lowest of all options, chances are that system will not be engineered to meet the actual requirements of the application. A properly engineered system likely will not be the least expensive, but it has a better chance of operating for a longer period of time with fewer operational issues, less downtime, and a higher degree of safety. Further, there are costs associated with all capital equipment investments beyond the initial purchase price. Be sure to account for installation, spare parts, maintenance agreements, service contracts, and desired level of field service team responsiveness to issues when totaling up the costs of the equipment.

Other Resources to Help You Specify the Right Crane and Hoist

Beyond the considerations outlined above, there are a variety of buyer&#;s guide resources available. These are intended to help novice and experienced buyers of overhead lifting systems better evaluate their options and determine the optimal crane and hoist solution for their application.

The definitive resource is published by the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), an independent trade association affiliated with MHI. CMAA&#;s member companies are the world&#;s top providers of overhead traveling crane equipment and related products. As the leading advocates for the safe application and operation of overhead handling equipment, CMAA develops, publishes, and routinely reviews and updates design safety standards and specifications for a variety of crane systems and components. (Fun fact: I happen to be currently serving as the association&#;s President).

The CMAA Buyer&#;s Guide &#; available as a free download in American Crane&#;s online Resource Center in the eBooks section &#; is actually a collection of four documents:

• Below-the-Hook Lifting Device contains a series of questions to be answered about the loads the device will handle (weight, dimensions, symmetry, fragility, material, surface conditions, and more); operating conditions; description of current handling process; and more.
• Top Running & Under Running Single Girder Electric Traveling Cranes Utilizing Under Running Trolley Hoists includes key design and engineering questions to ask when vetting potential suppliers about their manufacturing processes specific to CMAA Specification 74; an inquiry data sheet which includes a series of questions about the space in which the crane and hoist will operate; operating conditions; desired speeds; load(s) to be handled; and more. It also includes an overview of crane service classifications to help buyers identify the actual conditions in which the crane and hoist will operate, and a series of recommended bridge, trolley, and hoist speeds based on the system&#;s total load capacity.
• Top Running & Gantry Type Multiple Girder Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes features the same inquiry points in the Single Girder version, only specific to CMAA Specification 70.
• The Buyer&#;s Guide Companion pertains to both the Single and Multiple Girder Buyer&#;s Guides. It offers detailed explanations of why it is important to ask potential suppliers each question about adherence to CMAA Specifications 74 and 70, and how those answers may impact the safety, function, operation, and lifespan of the selected crane and hoist combination.

Additionally, at American Crane, we&#;ve developed two separate publications that supplement CMAA&#;s guides: How to Choose the Right Crane: A Crane Buyer&#;s Guide and How to Choose the Right Hoist: A Hoist Buyer&#;s Guide. Both of these documents are also free downloads located in the eBooks section of our online Resource Center. Whereas the CMAA documents are more engineering focused, our publications offer a broader, less technical perspective on key crane and hoist selection considerations, as well as an overview of the types of solutions available.

Finally, I urge you to leverage the knowledge of an experienced crane and hoist equipment professional, including suppliers, manufacturers, and vendors. While publications are a great resource, nothing compares to partnering with a company that has the breadth of expertise in designing and engineering a broad range of crane and hoist solutions. American Crane&#;s experts are always available to help you better evaluate your overhead handling options, as well as determine the optimal solution for your needs. Connect with a project specialist today.

Cranes are the most effective solution that helps industries to lift and move heavy materials. If you need a crane for your business purpose, you may find some standard systems in the market. Indubitably, those systems are quite useful in lifting your loads. Though the present solutions are helpful, still, sometimes you need bespoke or customized solutions that will address all your issues. That&#;s why many pre-eminent manufacturers are offering customized cranes to clients. Many reputed EOT cranes manufacturers in India are offering custom cranes to clients so that they can run their business operations in a hassle-free way. In some industries, like automotive, aerospace, etc., some special load management processes demand additional equipment and controls. Thus, you can place your order for custom crane systems and get the maximum benefits by using them. These days many manufacturing industries and other organizations are investing a humongous amount in custom-designed cranes. They prefer these cranes over the standard ones. The best crane manufacturers in Ahmedabad are identifying the needs of their customers and thereby offering the custom-crane design to customers. Now, suppose you have placed an order for a freestanding jib crane. But the barriers in the path create a hindrance from installing columns. As a result, you can&#;t fit the header beam, but the experienced crane manufacturers may add inverted-L columns without any header.

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How do we start the customization process?

At first, crane engineers will make an on-site consultation with the clients to understand their needs and requirements. Then, they will inform the clients about the desired lifting capacity and other features that they are looking for on their cranes. In most of the scenarios, a few modifications, alterations, and configurations are done to boost up the crane system&#;s performance. But you may ask for some major changes and adjustments to revamp the design of your load lifting system.

Custom cranes cater to the needs of every industry

To design a custom crane, professionals used to work with their clients closely to understand their exact needs. They know for every industry; the load lifting needs are different. For example, steel manufacturers prefer a design that gives them better protection from grime and heat. But on the other hand, automotive manufacturers depend on special cranes that will help them with stamping, assembly, and coil handling. Since mining professionals need to work in a special environment, hence they need unique crane systems. The standard cranes are not equipped with all your desired features. That&#;s why these days clients are preferring custom cranes. The professional and deft engineers use custom software that helps them in adjusting or changing every part. Even you can demand to customize the crane kit and build a new structure. When you are having difficulties with lifting loads using a standard crane, the custom-crane models are the utmost choice for you. With investing a minimal amount, you will get a plethora of benefits from a custom crane.

Some innovative and advanced options that you can get from custom cranes are, he improved speed with heavy-duty parts

For the better safety of your workers, advanced and highly integrated control systems are incorporated

· Added heights to lift loads easily

· A secondary break is included on the hoist drum and motor

· Remote and on-board condition for design working period

· Hoists fitted with lifting systems and grabs

Though it may take a little bit of time to customize the crane, still, this is a healthy investment with customized features. You can ask the best EOT crane manufacturers in India to exchange one feature with another. Overall customization process will give you a high-quality specialized system that will serve all your purposes. Krishna Crane Engineers is an established EOT crane manufacturer in Ahmedabad that offers custom cranes to clients. By understanding the need and demand of the customers, the company offers tailor-made crane designs that will meet their requirements. The company has a wide range of customers from various industries including manufacturing industries, shipping yards, ports, construction companies, transport and logistics companies. To know more about it, don&#;t forget to visit the official website of the company

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