22 CraneWorks | February/March 2006

G U I D E L I N E S F O R A N E F F E C T I V E

overhead crane maintenance program

Whiting Corp. shares tips on how to keep crane gears rolling

B Y J A M E S B U R F O R D

23February/March 2006 | CraneWorks

Industries such as steel mills, metal fabricating shops, paper mills, and power plants all rely on over-head cranes for various applications. But when a crane malfunctions or breaks down, the conse-quences, both in terms of lost productivity and crane repairs, can prove costly. Everyone knows the

best way to fix a problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place. With that idea in mind,Whiting Corporation has developed an effective overhead crane maintenance program not only for thecranes they produce, but for other overhead cranes as well. Whether your facility has one overhead craneor 40, this program highlights the necessary components that make up an overhead crane inspection.

Greg Ciecierski, branch managerof Whiting Services, Inc., andStuart Lipsteuer, director of mar-keting and customer develop-ment at Whiting Corporation,say the maintenance programoutlined here has evolved withthe Occupational Health andSafety Administration standardsand regulations over the years.“Safety is always key,” Lipsteuersaid. “It’s absolutely paramount.”

Whiting’s overhead crane manufacturing plant.

24 CraneWorks | February/March 2006

before the inspectionTIMEFRAME• Safety and reliability is the objective.

Annual crane inspections must meetOSHA and ANSI B-30 requirements.

PREPARATION• Most of the daily inspection is the

crane operator’s responsibility. Atthe start of inspection, the operatorshould listen for any noises thatcould indicate a condition thatcould limit the crane’s operation.

• Check the limit switches on the hoist,bridge, and trolley as a first step.

DURING THE INSPECTION• Always lock out the crane runway

disconnect before a visual inspection.Even with the main line control anddisconnect in the open position,however, branch circuits might bepresent and hazardous. Be careful.

The inspection process must include thefollowing parts of an overhead crane.• Hoist – In checking the hoist, check

the overall gearing system, bearingcovers, couplings, equalizer and/orrunning sheaves, along with themovement of the equalizer sheave.

• Trolley – The operation of the trol-ley is critical to the proper function-ing of the crane. Check the gearcase oil level, and look for excessiveoil on the bridge, catwalk, girders,trolley, or floor. In addition, inspectthe condition of sheaves in uppersheave nest, load girts, and trucks.Furthermore, check the gear drivewheel flanges, grease fittings, lubecondition and level.

• Drum – When looking at thedrum, measure the rope diameteragainst original equipment records,inspect the sharpness and depth ofgrooves, and verify the tightness ofthe rope anchor.

• Load Block – When inspecting theload block, look for broken wires inaddition to visually checking forcorrosion and any deterioration inthe condition of the rope. A thor-ough inspection includes a check fordamage in sheave nest area, kinks orunusual wear in the rope, and ease

of hook rotation. This inspectioninsures that hooks with latches are inworking order. Check for gouges,cracks, or wear on the hook, alongwith the tightness of nuts, thrustbearing integrity, and throat open-ing of the hook. Remember name-plate benchmarks should be checkedagainst current measurements.

• Bridge – On the bridge the inspec-tion process must include the endtrucks, the condition of the idler,along with the drive wheel flange andtread. During the inspection, make arandom check for any loose end-truck-to-girder bolts to be sure therearen’t any loose bolts on the motorsupports and/or walk platform.Check the gearbox oil levels and seals,grease fittings, lube condition, andlevel. Lastly, check the bridge rail forcracked welds to be sure it is proper-ly secured to the top of the bridge.

• Wheels – On the wheels, when wearis apparent, record benchmark meas-urements to compare against thosemeasurements taken during the nextinspection. Check the idler and drivewheel flanges and operation of wheelbearings. Make sure the wheel greasebearings are kept full. Always checkthe rail sweeps for proper clearance,verify the crane alignment is accept-able, and insure the crane stops equal-ly on both sides at the end stops.

• Festoon System – The proper func-tioning of the festoon systeminsures power is distributed to thetrolley as it moves in a longitudinalmotion. While inspecting the sys-tem, check the power and controlcables for frays and ease of move-ment, and that the strain chain isproperly fastened to each carrierand the tow arm. Make sure it isconnected with the junction box.

• Electrical System – On the electri-cal system, check that enclosuredoors close properly, and that thewiring does not include any faultyconnections or poor insulation.Verify relays and overloads are oper-ating, along with contact tips forpitting, and double check that thependant label is legible. Check thependant station case for any cracks,

the condition of the pendant dropcable, and make sure the straincable is properly attached.

• Bumpers – Check to be sure bumpersare secured by checking attachmentmethod of safety cables. To assure thebumpers are operating properly,check that spring-activated, rubber,and hydraulic bumpers are resilient.

• Runway – Check the rail forstraightness and any indications ofor a lack of excessive wear and endstop integrity. The condition of thecollector shoes should always bemonitored in addition to the run-way conductors for straightness anddamage at the connection point.

• Brakes – The brakes on the hoist, trol-ley, and bridge should be examined forbrake tolerances, pads, and the gener-al condition of the shoes. When discbrakes are used check for activationwhen the motor power is interrupted.

• Cab Operations – Normal cab oper-ations are dependent upon the condi-tion of the cab controllers and thehydraulic foot brake. As in any safeoperation, the accessibility of a fireextinguisher is important. Whilereviewing the cab operations, reviewany warning devices or status light inaddition to inspecting the conditionof any below-the-hook devices. If thecrane is radio controlled, check thegeneral condition of the transmitterand the antenna. Furthermore, exam-ine the panel and transfer switch.

after the inspection• To remain attentive to detail and

accuracy, fill out the inspectionreport sooner rather than later.

• During the inspection process,faulty items or those that need clos-er attention must be promptlyreported to a supervisor.

In today’s business environment, theinspection reports assist maintenancein ordering and maintaining an inven-tory of long lead-time components.Furthermore, the reports serve as thebasis for management reports regard-ing the appropriation of funding forcontinuing plant operations. CW