overhead crane wire rope changing procedure pricelist
Wire ropes are mechanical devices that consist of moving parts working in sync to support a heavy load and move it to its desired direction. The rigging and lifting industry benefits largely from the utilities of the wire rope. Especially when they are used in overhead lifting equipment such as cranes and hoists. The wire rope is attached firmly to a hoist or crane, and the load is fitted using swivels, hooks, or shackles, facilitating controlled movement. It is used in many applications to support suspension towers or bridges and lower or lift elevators.
Wire ropes have become the preferred lifting device in many industrial applications. It has its fair share of reasons as well. Firstly, the unique design allows flexibility, strength, and the ability to handle bending stresses. Depending on the rope"s material, wire, and strand structure, it will provide different sets of benefits for the specific application it is used in.
Selecting the right wire rope for the right application is a process that involves careful thought. Thoughts involving proper analysis of the above aspects of the wire rope and the particular lifting application is required.
The following factors might prove to be impactful in damaging or breaking a wire rope. Wear and tear on areas that are directly in contact with drums and hoist sheaves.
Lack of proper lubrication and heat exposure leading to corrosion. At temp beyond 120 degrees Celsius, a fibre core wire rope will give way and break.
Improper installations are also a common issue that can cause the wire rope to break. Improper installation kinks create a weak section in the rope, which is exploited with prolonged use.
Every day, we get customers who reach out to us to quote a new overhead crane installation. They may be moving into a new building, replacing an old or outdated piece of equipment, or may be buying an overhead crane for the first time and are looking to expand their business’ material handling capabilities. The bottom line is, they’re looking for the cost of an overhead crane.
At Mazzella, we have over 50 years of experience quoting, designing, and installing overhead crane projects for customers in all types of industries. If you’re just starting your research, we understand that the process of buying and installing an overhead crane in your facility can seem somewhat overwhelming.
First, we’ll discuss the factors that affect the cost of any type of overhead crane, and then we’ll dive into the prices of common types, sizes, and configurations of overhead cranes.
To make sure that you get the right type of overhead crane for your business, you should be ready to address the following information when you contact an overhead crane manufacturer to bid on your project:The type of crane you need
An overhead crane is a complex piece of equipment, and there are many different types of overhead cranes to choose from. The complexity of the overhead crane components required to operate the crane, the engineering required to design the crane, and the application (industry or materials being lifted) will determine what type of crane you will need.
The span, or distance between the runway rails, is one of the biggest contributing factors to the cost of an overhead crane. The longer the crane’s span, the more material is required to build the crane girders. This added material increases the crane’s weight, which will also increase the cost of the runway, if required.
An overhead crane’s capacity is the maximum load which may be applied to the crane in a particular working configuration, and under a particular condition of use.
A crane that requires a large capacity, a large span, or severe service classification, may require a double girder design—meaning there are two beams that make up the bridge. These girders can be designed in a rigid welded steel box girder design for added reinforcement. This type of setup will be the most expensive, as there are significant increases in labor and material charges to weld and fabricate the girders.
There are six different classifications of overhead cranes, specified by the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA). An overhead crane manufacturer will determine what type of crane classification they’ll need to build for your specific lifting application, using the following criteria:How frequently will the crane be used?
Class A and Class B cranes will be your least expensive option because they’ll be used mostly for maintenance or the initial installation of equipment. They’re used infrequently, and there are long periods of idle time between lifts.
Class C cranes will be a middle-of-the-road type crane. There may be some additional engineering built-in to the project for a specific need, but they typically utilize a basic hoist, trolley, and bridge design. They’re used moderately to handle loads at or around 50% capacity and are in service for about 5 to 10 lifts per hour.
Class D and Class E cranes, often referred to as process cranes, are built for a specific need and are more heavy-duty. They may be constantly running in excess of 50% of the rated capacity, and they’re making 15 or more lifts per hour. They have more engineering or customized solutions built into the design for the specific lifting application—which increases initial design and engineering costs for the project.
Class F cranes must be capable of handling loads approaching rated capacity continuously, under severe service conditions, throughout their lifetime. They’ll be extremely expensive due to additional costs related to design and engineering, sourcing of heavy-duty components, materials and labor, and installation.
A severe, obstructed, or dangerous operating environment where the crane will be installed and running, will affect the cost of an overhead crane in several different ways.
Environmental factors such as high heat, the presence of chemicals or fumes, steam, dust, or excess moisture can require special metal coatings to protect and enhance the operating life of the crane. The individual components of the crane will also need to be sourced to ensure that they can hold up and withstand the operating environment
Facilities like wastewater treatment plants, fertilizer plants, and oil and gas processing facilities require explosion proof cranes. This means that the equipment cannot generate any type of spark. These types of cranes can utilize a specific pneumatic air-powered system, or a specially-designed electrical system to make them explosion proof—however, these can be expensive to design and install.
Cranes that will be used outdoors will need additional protective coatings to prevent corrosion and will require weatherproofing to seal out moisture and dust or dirt. Stainless steel or galvanized components will also need to be sourced to ensure that they can handle exposure to the elements and don’t rust.
The runway length is the largest contributor to the runway cost itself. This length can also play into the cost of the crane. If you need to make multiple picks per hour and have a long runway, then you may need a faster trolley and hoist to move up and down the runway quickly. The additional speed may require the components of the crane to be sized to a higher capacity.
A faster crane that travels the length of the building may also require the operator to work from within an exposed or enclosed cab—which is more expensive than radio or pendant controls.
If an overhead crane is being installed in a new construction facility, then typically the runway beams will be installed during the construction process, and the crane manufacturer won’t need to include the runway structure in the quotation process. Care must be taken with your construction contractor, as crane runway tolerances are much tighter than standard construction codes. Repairing a runway that is out of tolerance can add significant cost to the installation.
If a crane is being retrofit into an existing building, there will be added costs for the design, fabrication, delivery, and installation of the crane’s runway system.
The quotation process can take anywhere from 3-30 business days depending on the number of cranes being quoted, the complexity of the project, and the sourcing of crane components. Once they’ve completed this process, they’ll get back in touch with you to submit their official bid for the project.
Now that you have an understanding of all of the different considerations and factors involved in determining the cost of an overhead crane, here’s what you can expect to pay, on average, for the most common sizes and configurations of overhead cranes.
Remember, these aren’t necessarily base-level prices, but instead are prices or ranges that we’ve seen for the most common configurations of each type of crane. The type of crane, the span, the capacity, the duty cycle, operating environment, and any additional building or structural considerations can all add to or lessen the cost of an overhead crane.
As you can see, there are so many different factors that can affect the price that you’ll pay for an overhead crane system. The two most important aspects are span and capacity. These will determine how much labor and material will be required for the project, and will also dictate the complexity and design of the hoist, trolley, bridge, controls, and power system—all major players in how much a crane will cost you.
At Mazzella, we design and build world-class overhead crane systems. We have over 50 years of experience in the overhead crane industry and can build custom solutions ranging from light-duty economical cranes to large-capacity, high-duty cycle cranes.
Buying new crane ropes is a detailed and thorough process. While it may be time-consuming, wire rope replacement prioritizes safety for your workers, minimizes downtime on a jobsite, maximizes the lifespan of the crane and avoids the costly and time-consuming process of getting correct rope onsite and respooling your crane.
Sometimes, it can seem like the wire rope buying process is overly complicated. This is done on purpose to avoid as many issues as possible when the new rope is installed. The reason for that is so buyers avoid putting the wrong types of ropes on cranes and unnecessarily increasing the risk of injuries to workers or damage to loads being lifted. The processes are to make sure to prevent that added risk and put the correct rope on the correct machine, per Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) specifications.
Wire rope specialists ask these questions to understand your circumstances and what your needs are. With this information, they are better prepared to get the absolute correct rope.
Most of the time, the customer should have access to their crane’s operations manual that will show what rope diameter and length is specified. The customer may have to measure or come up with his own calculations on length. The crane manufacturer is going to make a specific drum for that specific type of wire rope.
The rope has to be specific to the lagging of the drum for that machine, which is why there are multiple variations for each size of wire rope because each kind is specific to the type of crane, and it shouldn’t be substituted. Mazzella will only install the rope that is the correct brand and tolerance on a particular crane.
Ordering the correct crane rope will prevent crane rope damage. The wrong rope could cause damage to the equipment, and at worst, boom failure. On the less severe side, you will have bad performance or it might not work at all. You could have twist and/or spooling issues. That could lead to the crane failing altogether, which creates downtime as you wait for the correct wire rope to be ordered/delivered and installed.
Many crane owners are working for somebody else when they’re doing jobs, so if the rope doesn’t work, they’re paying for work that is not getting done and falling behind schedule.
On the more severe side, you could total your crane and/or irreparably damage the load being lifted if you use the wrong wire rope. In the worst-case scenario, using the incorrect rope could result in severe injury and/or the loss of life.
Sometimes, customers assume that there’s a one-size-fits-all replacement, that if it’s a non-rotating rope, it should work on every application. There’s a lot of misinformation on what will work and what won’t work. With our experience and access to all brands of wire rope, Mazzella guarantees we can get you the right rope for your cranes. If Mazzella isn’t comfortable with the project, we won’t supply the wire rope.
If the wrong wire rope is ordered and delivered, it could be hours or days before the correct rope is on location. Especially with a lot of the larger cranes, manufacturers are shipping model-specific ropes all over the country, and depending on location and money, that could cause delays on your jobsite.
With our large inventory of rope, Mazzella can have a new spool of wire on a truck and out for delivery in a matter of hours. Avoid the pitfalls of ordering the wrong crane rope and you’ll have a new spool of wire rope on its way. Once the order process is done, what can your company do to prepare for delivery and installation?
It is a good idea to give management the proper notice of when the installer will be on-site, have the necessary technicians on-site to help the installer with the rope replacement and make sure the installer/technicians have a clear working space.
There’s a lot of downtime associated with making a mistake in the preparation process, so the more prepared you can be for the install, the better. You don’t want a situation where your crane is inactive because of an oversight or completely avoidable situation.
Also, Mazzella recommends you measure your sheaves with a sheave gauge. A sheave gauge will help you measure the wear of the root, the amount of wear on the groove wall and the diameter of the wire rope.
After ordering the correct rope and having the requisite space and approval for installation, how long will it take to remove and replace the old rope when the technician, assistants and supplies arrive onsite? For some small cranes, the timeframe could be as little as 45 minutes, but for larger cranes, removing the old rope and installing the new one could be a several-hour process.
There’s a lot of factors that go into a successful crane rope installation. The most important thing is the quicker your supplier responds to your order and gets a rope on location, the quicker that rope gets installed properly, saving time and money. Downtime is the key, and it could cost companies tens of thousands of dollars per day if their crane(s) are inoperable.
Once a new crane rope is installed, a break-in period or tension period is recommended to make sure everything is performing correctly, and help you avoid shock-loading the newly installed wire rope. The break-in period is recommended because installation and spooling equipment are not going to put adequate tension on the rope. A break-in period consists of putting a low percentage of the working load limit weight on the rope for several lift cycles, and running the blocks up to the boom length (working height) and back down. For the most specific guidelines on the breaking-in process for your new wire rope, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations.
If a brand-new wire rope on a crane is not broken in properly before lifting a large load, it potentially could damage the rope and render useless the equipment that was just installed on your machine.
When Mazzella fulfills a crane ropes order, it is not just about the sale and the bottom line. While we’re in the business of selling crane ropes, we’re also in the business of building relationships and trust. We are committed to making sure you get the correct products for the right applications.
Crane rope issues don’t just happen 9-to-5 during the normal work week. They happen Friday nights, holidays, weekends and early mornings. They’re always on the clock, and it is just about being honest with the customer and letting them know, they type of rope that is required. That honesty and trust is of utmost importance for the safety of your workers and the proper maintenance of your cranes.
Mazzella has one of the largest crane ropes inventories in the United States. The company provides wire rope assemblies and manufactures bridge cables, crane cables, steel mill cables and thousands of OEM assemblies in sizes from ¼ to 3-inch diameter and 9 to 52 millimeter diameter, domestic and non-domestic and in stock and ready for same or next-day shipment.
Your crane"s wire rope works hard. (Almost as hard as you do.) It can deteriorate more quickly than you might think, posing a real danger for you and your crew. In this article, we"ll answer the following questions.
Before we get into that, let"s take a brief moment to go over the proper wire terminology. Understanding the make-up of the wire rope allows you to have a clear understanding of when the rope needs to be replaced.
Flexible steel wire rope is made up of individual wires that make up a strand; these strands are then wrapped around a central core to make up a rope.
Understanding the difference between a wire and a strand is critical. If a strand (grouping of wires) in the rope breaks, the crane wire would need to be replaced. However, if a single wire in the strand breaks, the rope itself may still be usable.
Rag & Visual Inspections: In this method, you use a rag in your inspection, pulling it slowly across the strand, stopping for a closer and more detailed inspection wherever the rag gets caught on a wire.
The Diameter Measurement Method: This method involves comparing the diameter of your rope at various intervals with the rope"s official diameter per the manufacturer"s guidelines. A variation in the rope"s diameter can alert you to potential interior damage that a visual inspection would miss.
Localized Flaw Inspections (LF) vs. Loss of Metallic Area Inspections (LMA) - Both methods use electromagnetics to search for a wire rope"s internal damage.
According to OSHA"s safety regulations, you"re required to inspect your crane"s wire ropes at least every 12 months by qualified professionals. However, OSHA and other experts also recommend inspecting your wire ropes more frequently, such as after every initial installation or repair, or daily before each shift to ensure a safe work environment.
As discussed at the very beginning of this article, we can break down wire rope into three parts. First, wires, which make up strands, and then the strands wrapped around the central core make the rope. Of your total number of wires, you never want more than 10% to be damaged before you need to look into crane wire rope replacement.
According to OSHA, only "trained personnel should carry out inspections," and according to the Crane Manufacturers Association of America, a certified crane inspector should get 2,000+ hours of field experience and training.
We at Americrane & Hoist Corporation are just the experts you need, qualified to offer OSHA inspections and provide operator safety training classes to your employees. Contact us today!
In addition to the nameplate, ACCO/Wright wire rope hoists are "stamped" with the serial. Look on the gear housing of the hoist for this stamp number.
If I give you the part description and approximate size, can you provide me with a part number? (examples: wheels, load chain, wire rope, brake shoes, etc.)
Prices shown are list prices and include all electrical controls per applicable N.E.C. Specifications, NEMA enclosure with quick disconnect plugs, host completely wired an reeved. All prices are for 460/3/60 power. Adders for 208/3/60 or 230/3/60 are shown on options page. Push button station and 110V control transformer are optional. Monorail hoists furnished with flat tread wheels standard.
High performance steel wire ropes used as main hoist ropes may be either rotation resistant ropes (e.g. EVOLUTION TK16, EVOLUTION TK18, EVOLUTION TK17, EVOLUTION TK 27) or non-rotation resistant ropes, which are mainly used in the field of harbor and industry applications (e.g. EVOLUTION Q8, EVOLUTION QS816V, EVOLUTION Q810V and EVOLUTION Q9XT PLUS), whereas only rotation resistant steel wire ropes are used as auxiliary hoist ropes.
The main criterion for choosing a certain hoist rope is an increase in efficiency and a maximum of safety. Each crane operator can be sure that operations will run economically and smoothly when he chooses main and auxiliary hoist ropes manufactured by Teufelberger-Redaelli using the technologies PLASTFILL® (plastic-infused ropes) and SUPERFILL® (compacted ropes).
To be able to meet our customers’ needs, Teufelberger-Redaelli produces hoist ropes in various diameters up to 105 millimeters. Depending on the application and the requirement, the ropes are either galvanized or non-galvanized. Hoist ropes of Teufelberger-Redaelli feature extreme diameter tolerances and flexibility.
For applications in a highly corrosive atmosphere we also offer specifically alloyed wires of zinc/aluminum. Renowned crane manufacturers equip their cranes with main and auxiliary hoist ropes produced by Teufelberger-Redaelli.
In the building industry on tower cranes, all terrain cranes, crawler cranes, rotary drilling rigs, pile drivers and duty cycle crawler cranes, as well as scraper installations: https://www.teufelberger.com/en/products-services/construction.html
In the port industry on mobile harbor cranes, ship to shore cranes, van carriers, shiplifters, and ship unloaders: https://www.teufelberger.com/en/products-services/harbor.html
In the steel industry on indoor cranes, ladle and foundry cranes, as well as on slab cranes: https://www.teufelberger.com/en/products-services/steel-industry.html
Single girder overhead travelling crane on the rope guide, also known as rope row device, is a relatively simple damage to the attachment. However, many customers do not know how to replace the rope guide. This article briefly introduced the replacement guide rope device approach and process, for your reference.
Single girder overhead travelling crane replacement guide rope device is necessary with matching. Some manufacturers produce can not use the traditional rope guide. Please pay attention to communicate with us when you buy. When replacing the rope guide, should first cut off the power, remove the wire rope. After removing the hexagonal screw of the rope guide, you can take down the rope guide along the wire rope. During this period, it is necessary to pay attention to the wire rope into the rope groove before installing the rope guide, so that the wire rope does not enter the groove, there may again crush the rope guide.
First remove the fixed screws fixed in the rope guide; open the rope guide, the block in the rope guide on the side facing outward, the rope guide into the; wire rope head into the rope guide, adjust the rope guide, straighten out the winding order of the wire rope; wire rope head into the fixed pile, wedge it with iron wedge; fixed rope guide, install all the fixed screws of the rope guide; start, adjust the rope guide. This is to ensure that the upper and lower rope guide can accurately cut off the fire source, do not let the wire rope relax the good position; single girder overhead crane guide rope device device is simple, the device is strong.