Overhead cranes and other stuff

Knobhead · Sep 10, 2011

Only one thing I’d slightly disagree on is open book exams. In your work if you can’t remember something on site you go to a bookshelf to find the answer. I know I have had to do so many times. Ok it’s probably a computer now, but if you need a formulae, why not? There is still the requirement to know how to put it in to practical terms.

Our 5DW’s are great on quoting regulations and can probably browbeat the average domestic customer in to submission. BUT I wonder how they put the regulations to practical use!

Just giving the cranes in the first set of pictures as an example, I found the earth leakage relays didn’t work. So after a lot of paper chasing I found out who had disabled them, he’d been pushing up daisies for 15 years. OK so get the E/L units working again. NOT a good idea, I set fire to one 800A ACB and wasn’t allowed near the other! Next idea, a 400A down shop earth conductor, it would only cost £50K. I think the words F**K OFF were used in the office.

You can spout regulations until they come out of your ears, you’ll get nowhere when you run in to production management and accountants!

I did sort it in the end but it took me three months!

Engineer54 · Sep 10, 2011

Tony said:
Only one thing I’d slightly disagree on is open book exams. In your work if you can’t remember something on site you go to a bookshelf to find the answer. I know I have had to do so many times. Ok it’s probably a computer now, but if you need a formulae, why not? There is still the requirement to know how to put it in to practical terms.

Not at all, not in an examination to assess your competency in a given subject. You have to remember that these days Tony, the students/trainee's have it much easier than we did. They don't have to remember what they had been taught over the last 12 month period like we had too, they only need to remember what they have been taught, over at most 9 or 10 weeks. Sometimes a lot less, ...if the course is based on ''credits'' gained, which in effect means, they are taught in modules!! At the end of each short module they sit a mini exam, pass and gain a credit. Some of these modules are a couple of weeks long ...lol!! Why the hell would they need an open book!!!

I can't remember sitting a single exam during my training times, of having the luxury of an open book on my table. That went for the companies non-electrical exams too.. It was in my time, and i'm sure in yours also, down to dammed hard study time and revision time before sitting those all important exams...

Knobhead · Sep 16, 2011

This picture shows a crane on which I’ve had one of the most bizarre faults ever. It was forever tripping on long travel overload. So I’m in the cross boom taking current readings while the driver tried to carry on as normal. Every so often the current went mad.
Now I couldn’t see where we were on the length of the track so I called for the fitters to come and help. They were running alongside the crane as it travelled and I was shouting out the current readings as we travelled. Every time I called out the currents going up they were shouting back the wheels are binding. Next trick was to get a laser measure between the tracks. It was 1½“ wider in the middle of the building!
If you look at the picture you can see the cross bracing we had to install to pull the building back together.
It all came down to saving on overtime, the production lads would come in on overtime to clean the roof, but to save money the “management” had stopped that.

It took near 4 months to get the building tied back in to the right shape. It had sagged in the middle with all the $hit on the roof. And cost a bloody fortune in O/T, non of which I got to see!
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Engineer54 · Sep 16, 2011

Geezus!! ...Look at the amount of build-up on the steel work in that photo!! What the hell are your lungs like Tony, working in those sort of conditions??