Tag Archive: Cranes

1. American Crane’s Problem-Solving Culture

   October 28, 2015 12:25 pm Leave a Comment

   How One Team Handles Materials, Problems, and More

   Solving complex problems with real customer impact is what we do at American Crane & Equipment Corporation.

   From concept to physical existence, our team builds solutions for companies of all kinds. Our environment is dedicated to problem-solving from the inside out — by definition, our company fosters the appreciation of all members’ creative diversity through trust, respect, and openness.

   This dedication is a huge part of American Crane’s goal as a company. We seek to increase our competitive advantage through improving overall company efficiency by managing and leveraging this creative diversity. It improves communication and teamwork and has led to reduced friction costs and sustainable organizational success.

   This problem-solving culture is reflected in every machine we make — overhead lifting systems from American Crane are designed to solve problems in workplaces of all kinds.

   Cranes

   Hooks, hoists, magnets, and other devices affixed to overhead cranes can lift, move, and place loads for maximum facility coverage. Their range can span a narrow corridor for a dedicated task, or be designed to span an entire facility, moving any material for any process.

   Hoists

   Simply versatile, this type of machine is similar to a crane, designed to lift and move freely suspended loads. They’re useful in manufacturing facilities as well as in construction and warehousing environments, using wire, rope, or chain to move materials.

   Monorails

   This unique overhead lifting solution runs on tracks in either a single circuit or a route network. Installed directly into the roof of a facility, one or more carriers traverse the tracks to transport materials. They’re ideal for dangerous or hard-to-reach applications, eliminating the opportunity for human error with the fixed track system.

   Each of these systems can be adapted and engineered to solve a company’s specific problems. Additionally, they do so while taking up minimal space, being installed along the edges or — in the case of monorails — on the roof of a facility. As a strong, long-lasting high-load solution, these machines offer durability and versatility in moving a wide variety of materials and containers, making workflow easy and effective.

   Beyond all of these benefits, these overhead lifting systems reduce injuries and physical stress on employees. Workplace safety is the number one priority at American Crane. We are devoted to maintaining a safe, healthy work environment, because we value our employees as individuals and as part of our overall success.

   We’re proud to be able to share tools to help solve problems and enhance wellbeing and safety for our fellow manufacturers. Learn more about our problem-solving solutions by downloading our free eBook, The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Overhead Equipment.

   
   
   

2. Proudly Announcing Increased CMCO Stock!

   December 27, 2013 9:41 am Leave a Comment

   A little holiday present from us to our loyal customers…

   American Crane has increased and added to our Columbus McKinnon stock inventory! It will now be easier than ever to view and purchase the trusted quality of your favorite CMCO brand parts. The newly added parts and equipment are valued over $800,000 and are available for immediate purchase. The reliable products you know and love such as the Coffing’s JLC Electric Chain Hoist and CM’s Man Guard Electric Chain Hoist can now be shipped on the same day that you order them! But state of the art new equipment isn’t all we’ve stocked for you… we’ve also collected more than 200 replacement parts to help you get your equipment up and running quickly, reducing downtime and aiding in repairs.

   RELATED: CMCO Product Catalog

   Adding these exceptional new products to our inventory is just another example of our commitment to quality and to supplying our customers with the best parts and equipment to fit their budgets. As always, our commitment to quality products, excellent customer service, and competitive pricing continues to set us apart as an exceptional supplier of the outstanding crane and hoist equipment.

   Check out a product review of the CM Hurricane 360 here!

   Shop online at Store.pacemideast.com or call us toll free at 1-877-877-6778.

3. Lifting the Future of Spaceflight

   October 25, 2013 1:12 pm Leave a Comment

   From manufacture to completion, a space transport vehicle is made to launch and orbit, never to fall. One of these would be a billion-dollar space capsule weighing 10 tons.  The Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is the latest hope of the U.S. space program for sending humans beyond Earth orbit and onto destinations far, far away. Since the retirement of its space shuttle fleet, the Orion is NASA’s only crewed space vehicle under a recent revamp of the program’s long-range plans, called the NASA Authorization Act of 2010. The new strategy is to use the Orion Crew Module (or capsule), being built for NASA by Lockheed Martin Corp., and the Service Module, under development by EADS Astrium for the European Space Agency, to send crews of four to six astronauts on missions to orbit the Moon, explore nearby asteroids, and ultimately travel into orbit around Mars. NASA has scheduled the first flight of the Orion, called Exploration Flight Test 1, for sometime in 2014 aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket system. This will be an unmanned shake-out run to test the Crew Module’s avionics, heat shielding, and parachutes over two Earth orbits and a high-energy reentry in the Pacific Ocean. To work on the capsule (and eventually assemble the Orion and the Delta IV for launch), NASA is using a 25-ton ACECO custom crane (which we refer to, naturally, as the “Orion Crane”). Officially, the Operations and Checkout Building’s (O&C) Low Bay Crane is used by Lockheed Martin personnel to move the Orion around the facility at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Lockheed Martin moves the capsule through several workstations along the crane’s runway during final assembly, testing, and preparation for spaceflight. Our crane will also mate the Orion capsule to the Delta IV’s second stage, inside the O&C, and place this assembly on its trailer for transport to the launch pad. In the future, our crane will mate the Crew Module to the Service Module and then lift that assembly onto the transport. ACECO is currently building another critical lift crane for the Orion project. Lockheed Martin will move the existing O&C Low Bay Crane to the O&C’s receiving room to lift the Orion capsule off of the transport from their manufacturing plant. Our new crane will then be installed in the Low Bay of the O&C and become the new O&C Low Bay Crane. It is a 30-ton capacity crane and is scheduled to be completed in February 2014 at Plant 1 and installed in May 2014 at KSC. So one day we’ll be able to really say that we were the first to lift the Orion spacecraft off the ground. Photo (courtesy NASA): The Orion ground-test vehicle on a work stand in the Operations and Checkout Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Resources: www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/mpcv/index.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NASA_Authorization_Act_of_2010 //store.pacemideast.com/category/aerospace

4. Crane Buyer’s Guide Part 2: What is important to look for when buying a crane?

   September 17, 2013 4:03 pm Leave a Comment

   For the past 60 years, the CMAA (Crane Manufacturers Association of America) has published standardized guides for the selection of suitable cranes and crane equipment. These guides and specifications take into account a few key points to help buyers make the right match:

   -The service that the system will be used for

   -The frequency of use

   -The speed required to match process parameters

   -The buyer’s budget

   The CMAA includes a detailed checklist for buyers to complete while they begin the selection process with a crane manufacturer. The checklist asks if key components of the crane are in compliance with the CMAA’s quality, safety, and value specifications. A “Crane Inquiry Data Sheet” will help narrow down the field to facilitate the perfect match of crane and buyer.

   There are also specific service classifications so that the most economical crane can be purchased. They are Class A (Standby or Infrequent Service,) Class B (Light Service,) Class C (Moderate Service,) Class D (Heavy Service,) Class E (Severe Service,) and Class F (Continuous Severe Service.) Single girder cranes meeting Specification 70 can only be classified in categories A through D. Guides are available for Single Girder cranes, Multiple Girder cranes, and Below the Hook Lifting Devices.

5. Crane Buyer’s Guide Part 1: What is the CMAA?

   August 20, 2013 1:34 pm Leave a Comment

   The Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA) has existed since 1955, but can trace its roots all the way back to 1927 when the Electric Overhead Crane Institute was founded to establish standardization and quality control within the crane industry. The voluntary organization is made up of over 30 Member Companies, which represent the industry leaders of overhead crane manufacturing. The CMAA is an affiliate of the Material Handling Industry of America and is committed to helping its members become marketplace leaders that provide high value and versatile solutions. Its mission is to provide the end-users, partners, and members of the crane industry with exceptional quality and value using:

   • Safety Advocacy
   • Engineering Specifications and Standards Development
   • Market Intelligence
   • Educational Materials
   • Member Professional Development
   • Recruiting and Developing a representative, active membership
   • Promotion and Enhancement of the CMAA brand

   The CMAA has two very important specifications that help crane buyers, engineers, and architects select the optimal equipment for their needs. First published in the 1970’s, these are commonly known as Spec 70 and Spec 74 and have been updated as technology advances. Specification 70 outlines information for those interested in Multiple Girder Cranes, while Specification 74 focuses on Single Girder Cranes. Both specifications offer general information that can be checked with individual crane manufacturers to ensure you are purchasing the right product. The information in the CMAA specifications does not have the effect of law, but rather establishes advisory qualifications and technical guidelines. They can be helpful when researching proper clearances, offsets, tilts, runways, and more.

6. Custom Grapples from American Crane

   June 18, 2013 9:15 am Leave a Comment

   In sensitive environments, such as nuclear, aerospace, or gas & oil, there is no option for equipment failure. In applications where safety is imperative, grapples, drum grabs, and lifting beams can be useful for securely holding materials, using precise movements to relocate hazardous or valuable loads.  One slip or one piece of faulty equipment and the consequences can be catastrophic.

   When choosing a critical lift device for hazardous locations make sure it:

   • Is made of the highest quality carbon, and stainless steel
   • Is 100% customizable to your exact needs
   • Meets NUREG 0612 and NUREG 0554 requirements
   • Is NQA-1 Nuclear Quality and seismically qualified
   • Operates remotely

   Reliability and quality cannot be compromised when shopping for high quality lifting solutions. At American Crane & Equipment, we can supply you with a variety of explosion-proof, spark-resistant and single failure-proof equipment to keep you and your load moving safely under dangerous conditions.