Overhead Bridge Crane for Machining Center

Ergonomic Partners recently provided this single girder top running bridge crane with freestanding structural steel for a Missouri manufacturing facility. This system was provided complete with turnkey installation. Note the columns are freestanding with no A-frames or bracing. The customer had very tight clearances due to existing machining centers but we squeezed it in!

We sell and service all major brands including CM, R&M, Yale, Harrington, JD Neuhaus, Gorbel, and Cleveland Tramrail. Whether it is a new building or an existing building we can help to come up with a solution for your lifting needs. All of our structural steel is designed and sealed by a Professional Engineer.

You can call us at 314-766-4578 or drop us a note at sales@ergonomicpartners.com. To see more applications visit us at www.ergonomicpartners.com

Overhead Crane Handling Granite, Gorbel Style!

Granite Handling Application

With the increase of granite countertops, the need for handling them has been on the increase for several years. With the recession it has been even more important to do this economically. This is a perfect application for a Gorbel workstation crane.

The Problem these customers face is the slabs of granite are very large. Each can weigh up to 850#. Many of these facilities do this job with a forklift with attachments, but in this case it was even worse! The customer was moving from a storage rack onto a cart, rolling the cart into the facility and then 3 people were needed to lift the slab into the machine where it is cut and then moved to another station to be edged and finished. Wow! This is an accident waiting to happen.

The customer fabricates countertops using granite, marble as well as other natural stones. In this application, workers at a new facility need to move huge slabs of granite from station to station through the various stages of the fabrication process. In the past many of these fabrication facilities have gone to large overhead cranes with a runway structure and footing. Well, Gorbel is an option that should be looked at if you are watching your dollars.

The solution for the customer was a 43' Gorbel Freestanding Work Station Crane System with 2 bridges and a custom end effector.

Why is this a great solution?

1. Reduction in manpower-only one worker is now needed, not 3.

2. Less Damage to product. The vacuum lift assist disperses the load to the whole slab and does not point load the part.

3. Less worker fatigue-the workers go home without having lifted thousands of pounds.

4. Productivity increase-25% more productivity

5. The operators love it!

If you need to handle stone or any other material, let us give your workers a hand. Drop us a line at sales@ergonomicpartners.com, or call 314-766-4578.

Arch Beams: Potential Danger

We have seen numerous installations still in use and these need to be reviewed as soon as possible.

Potential Dangers of Arch Beam...

Arch beam is a type of crane that looks like the ones in these images. Though it hasn’t been manufactured since 1962, it is still in use in plants throughout North America.

Companies need to be aware of the possible dangers posed by age and fatigue in the welds of these Arch Beams.

Cracks in welds and lower T Sections
Tracks with raised tread worn away
Most cranes have exceeded their useful life expectancy, but some users see cranes as “timeless”
Current inadequate crane maintenance regulations may lull owners into a false sense of security about crane safety and/or conditions
Due to the age of equipment, the exact understanding of a crane’s design duty cycle may be difficult to determine without engineering analysis. (i.e. documentation may be missing)

Got Arch Beam? Here is what we recommend:

Our primary recommendation is to Replace All Arch Beams with Tarca® Beams - contact Ergonomic Partners at 314-766-4578 or email info@ergonomicpartners.com

If this is economically unfeasible, conduct regular safety audits
Safety Audits: Steps to a safer and more reliable crane - Use only skilled personnel for the audit
Identify the highest risk cranes in your inventory by age and cycles
Study and compare the original design versus the current usage
Fully inspect every weld in the beam. Through inspections, find discontinuity and then use non destructive testing
Benchmark critical components using reliability based maintenance practices and software.

sales@ergonomicpartners.com

see the attached pdf with more information

/archbeamflyer.pdf

Overhead Bridge Cranes vs. Forklifts

Benefits of Underhung Crane Systems vs. Forklifts
Underhung Crane Systems are more space efficient in many aspects than fork lift trucks because they operate overhead. While fork lifts require aisles to move products from point to point, overhead cranes can move directly from the pick point to the drop station. Since it is overhead, the crane does not interfere with the floor activities.
Other benefits of an underhung crane system compared to a fork truck are:
Lower building maintenance costs (Floor resurfacing)
Far lower equipment maintenance costs
Lower emissions than gas powered trucks
Less product damage
Less facility damage
Lower operating costs
Ability to handle a larger variety of loads
Greater cube density in storage area
Greatly increased operating life of equipment
Increased visual control by operator resulting in safer operation
No area required for batteries or fuel tank storage

Need more information or a quote? Please contact us at sales@ergonomicpartners.com

The above courtesy of Cleveland Tramrail/Gorbel.