More crane for the money
Rather than modifying an old DC overhead crane, LTV saved over $100,000 with a new 20-ton AC crane and bought seven 2-ton jib cranes with the savings.
By Gary Forger -- Modern Materials Handling, 3/1/1999
Sometimes even if something isn't broken, it's time for a change. At least that's what LTV Steel found when planning its new Cleveland fabrication shop. In fact, LTV made two critical changes in its overhead crane, resulting in considerable cost savings and a notable increase in materials handling efficiencies.The primary purpose of the fabrication shop is to build new or repair existing structural steel items for the plant. These range from new stairways to refurbished production equipment. For years, a retrofit, 10-ton, DC-powered crane was the only materials handling equipment used to move jobs in the facility.
During the early planning stages for the new shop, there was clearly a mindset to continue to use tools already in place. That included the old crane which was DC powered as were practically all overhead cranes at LTV.
Change was in the air, however.
To begin with, it became apparent that a new overhead crane (Morris Material Handling 440-439-5100) would be more functional.
"The old crane had a single 10-ton main hoist on it," explains shop supervisor Mark Fultz. "Now we have two hooks, a 20-ton main hoist and a 10-ton auxiliary hoist."
The new crane, which runs on AC power, saved LTV more than $100,000 in equipment costs compared to DC models. Additional savings are due to a significant reduction in energy consumption by the AC crane.
That savings allowed the purchase, also from Morris, of seven, 2-ton jib cranes, further improving the movement of jobs through the facility. Jib cranes were not part of the old shop.
"We now have much greater flexibility than we ever did before," says Fultz. "The overhead crane is constantly in use moving jobs between various jib cranes. Meanwhile, the jibs provide all of the materials handling that people need at their workstations."
In addition, Fultz says there is an added safety factor with the AC crane.
"This crane moves slower than DC ones, and that added a safety factor for the operators. They aren't always hurrying to keep up with it," Fultz adds.
Moving heavy loads
The new shop operates three shifts a day, seven days a week with most work done during the day. Fultz says in a typical week 50 pieces are fabricated. The largest piece to pass through the facility since startup has been a 17-ton steel coil upender.
Overall building size is 76 ft by 313 ft and just over 50 ft high. It is actually a consolidation of two shops that were previously quite distant from each other. In addition, only certain activities could be done at one shop and others at the second, requiring transportation of work pieces between the two. That situation no longer exists, allowing the new shop to run at higher efficiency and much lower costs.
The new overhead crane, which is a top-running, double-girder, class D model, has a 70 ft span and runs from one end of the building to the other. A radio remote control unit directs the crane's movements.
Six jib cranes are placed at regular intervals along the sides of the building, three to each side. Spacing between them allows one crane to pass a load to the next jib, eliminating the need for the overhead to move every load between jibs. Each unit is outfitted with a motorized trolley and a control pendant. The seventh jib is positioned centrally at the shop's heavy-duty saw station.
In addition to moving fabrications between non-adjacent jib cranes (see photo panel), the overhead is used to flip fabrications for welding.
Fultz explains that the dual hoists position the piece for welding on one side. Then, using the radio remote control unit, the piece is turned upside down (flipped) for welding on the other side. "It's much easier to weld when the piece is flat and the two hooks let us do that with added safety," he adds.
In retrospect, Fultz says the decisions to go with the new AC crane and the jibs have proven their worth. "It's a great combination when you can cut costs and improve materials handling efficiency."
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