Page 55 - Wire Rope News & Sling Technology - February 2020

NEWS IN OUR INDUSTRY

recently a custom engineered 20-ton was able to rise to those challenges customized crane for the previously ex-
double girder bridge crane as part of the with the previously installed custom- panded runway. They turned to R&M to
overall solution to increase productivity made 15-ton cranes and the 200 ft run- assist in a custom solution to add the ad-
and output by maximizing the exist- way expansion project. ditional crane while avoiding any major
ing manufacturing space vertically and However, as TH Plastics’ business con- adjustments to the existing runways.
horizontally. Each crane also needed to tinued to grow through the years, the Dave Haase, an Account Manager at
be rated to Crane Manufacturers Asso- manufacturing requirements grew as Bohl Crane explained that like the 15-
ciation of America (CMAA) Class C duty well. The most recent lifting challenge to ton cranes, the 20-ton crane would need
which was required to meet the specific resolve with an increased capacity up to to be “stooled up” meaning that there
challenges of the TH Plastics working 20-tons that would require an additional would need to be a spacer added between
environment. crane to be installed on the existing run- the end truck and bridge girder to gain
The Challenge way while maximizing the use of the al- additional height of lift due to the low
TH Plastics provided more than one ready limited manufacturing space. elevation of the existing runways in the
challenge for Bohl Crane to contend Not only was the additional weight building. He also stated, “We do not do
with over the past six years. Not only from the 20-ton crane a challenge, but many stooled bridge girder cranes, but
were existing runways in the manu- also limiting the allowable load of the when we do, we note that the costs as-
facturing area not utilizing the build- new crane to sections of runway that sociated with raising the entire runway
ings full lifting capabilities, but some were reinforced for a 20-ton load. system are much higher than stooling
of their custom machinery was taller The Solution the crane itself.” However, this combi-
than the runways themselves which In 2019, Bohl Crane provided the plas- nation of stooling the crane with the in-
posed major lifting issues. Bohl Crane tics company with an additional 20-ton creased capacity to 20-tons created addi-
tional obstacles especially with the need
to add the crane to the existing runway.
Haase stated that, “the 20-ton crane
project required an engineering analy-
sis of the existing building and runway
systems.” He also added that due to
the analysis results “in the manufac-
turing area, we completed reinforce-
ment of the existing runways and
minimal modifications to the building
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