Overhead Crane Refurbishment – From old to new

Linian Crane and Hoist Company were approached by Tratos UK Ltd who had taken over a derelict building in which there was an old and defunct 10 Ton Wharton Double Girder Electric Overhead Travelling Crane probably dating from the 1950Â’s. Linian were asked to assess whether or not the crane could be recommissioned and made fit for use for lifting and handling large reels of heavy cable. The building itself had been vandalised over the years having had all the wiring and electrical supply, etc., stripped out.


Whilst carrying out a thorough survey of the crane Linian hired in a large generator, installed some temporary controls and powered up the crane so that they could determine what parts did and didnÂ’t work satisfactorily. As expected there had been such deteriation of all of the component parts over the years of lying idle that it was ultimately found necessary to completely refurbish the crane. However, the bridge beam and supporting gantry rails were still in good order.

TAILORED SOLUTIONS

Linian is completely independent and can always offer solutions to fit with customer’s own individual and specific requirements. In this case Tratos had a preference for ‘Street’ hoists and so they purchased and supplied to Linian free issue a completely new hoist unit after Linian provided a specification for Street to work to.

HOIST DESIGN & MANUFACTURE

Linian designed and manufactured a completely new hoist crab unit to fit the existing non-standard rail guage and to accommodate the new hoist unit within the tight headroom restrictions.

Linian also manufactured replacement end carriages to a specific size and specification that would ideally suit the refurbished crane and its loadings and duty.

The old hoist crab unit was taken down using a large hired-in fork-lift truck and then the crane bridge itself was taken down and placed on suitable bearers at floor level making it easier to work on. The old end carriages were removed from the bridge beams, LinianÂ’s new carriages were fitted and then the crane bridge was lifted back up and set down on the crane rails. The new Linian hoist crab unit complete with the new hoist was then lifted up and placed on to the crane bridge beam rails.

Linian manufactured and fitted a complete new control panel using Telemechanique component parts and replaced all old cables with new. Linian also fitted a new cross crane cable festoon power feed system and a new downshop protected conductor bar power feed system. Both of these power feed systems and control pendant were supplied by Hamilton Powersafe Ltd.

Meanwhile, a new electrical power supply was installed into the building and up to the crane.

When LinianÂ’s engineers were totally satisfied that all of the crane refurbishment work had been completed properly and to the required industry and safety standards the crane was fully tested and certified safe to use in full accordance with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998.