Overhead Gantry Cranes

[joel89]

hi i currently work as an industrial maintenance electrician, and we have 15 overhead gantry cranes which are currently worked on by crane electricians/fitters was wondering where the law stands, on me working on them i.e or what courses are good to attend. im qualified to work on the electrical control panels.. im wanting to multiskill wondered if anyone could shed some light on this or are crane engineers on here??

cheers

 

[Engineer54]

Best person to ask about working on gantry cranes on this forum, is TONY!! He cut his teeth on the big buggers!! lol!!

 

[joel89]

why is he a crane engineer?

 

[Fast&Rough]

All you need to know is never use mains voltage for the pendant no1 wants smashed in the face with a broken pendant with 230v hanging out it
and if its an older crane you cant buy the good old asbestos pads anymore

 

[brookster]

As long as you are deemed competent there really is no issue. Its just three phase motors, brake, limit switches and control gear really unless your are dealing with the programming side of newer cranes.
I used to do annual maint on cranes with a site specific CP card, would depend on your employer I suppose.

 

[joel89]

i was thinking for covering of LOLER. but yes there isnt much too them, electrically.. inverters, contactors, motors, brakes as you say.. i have seen some courses at WWW. LEEA.CO.UK and was also wondering if they were any good?

 

[joel89]

and also inspecting the hoist brake and such as knowing how to change ropes, wheels, gearbox linkages etc

 

[Gage]

why is he a crane engineer?

Has a license up to 200T or something and is a seasoned Maintenance fella I believe, with bits in between.

(Apologies if I'm incorrent Tony [Not really I'm not that bothered]) :cool3:

 

[Knobhead]

i was thinking for covering of LOLER. but yes there isnt much too them, electrically.. inverters, contactors, motors, brakes as you say.. i have seen some courses at WWW. LEEA.CO.UK and was also wondering if they were any good?

So you will learn on a short course how to deal with cranes? I don’t think so!
I hold an OHTC licence for driving 340Te tandem cranes. To work safely fault finding you have to be able to drive them.

Look up:
Demag, Allen West and Ward Leonard crane control.
Brookhurst Igranic, wedged rotor, reversed motor and Perigrip brakes.
Reversed slip, regeneration and reversed pony two motor decent control (one motor driving the load down while the other is trying to lift).
Secondary resistance and variomatic hoist and speed control.

DC control is often used, what you like on that? Live working is the norm. fun when the crane is bouncing about!

5 weeks, get real! I retired after 38 years and the bloody things still kept tripping me up!

Just bear this in mind, you make a mistake, someone is dead!

 

[joel89]

Tony we only have small 15 t cranes I'm
Not wanting to be able work on massive cranes.. Im on maintenance in a factory not to be a full time crane engineer... Just the company is thinking of us doing in house repairs.. Theyre all AC.. So totally different tony

 

[joel89]

And all our cranes have isolators so no working live for us. I know not gonna learn in a week just gives some ideas ive done bits of work on them just need more training!

 

[44ALLAN]

So you will learn on a short course how to deal with cranes? I don’t think so!
I hold an OHTC licence for driving 340Te tandem cranes. To work safely fault finding you have to be able to drive them.

Look up:
Demag, Allen West and Ward Leonard crane control.
Brookhurst Igranic, wedged rotor, reversed motor and Perigrip brakes.
Reversed slip, regeneration and reversed pony two motor decent control (one motor driving the load down while the other is trying to lift).
Secondary resistance and variomatic hoist and speed control.

DC control is often used, what you like on that? Live working is the norm. fun when the crane is bouncing about!

5 weeks, get real! I retired after 38 years and the bloody things still kept tripping me up!

Just bear this in mind, you make a mistake, someone is dead!

Hope that conduit is earthed !
your never sure..................................................

 

[netblindpaul]

I bet they are not "all" a.c.!...

 

[Gage]

I bet they are not "all" a.c.!...

Of course they are what's a rectifier?

 

[Knobhead]

The only earthing on the whole crane was one out of eight wheels had a phosphor bronze bearing.