Last month in Part 1 of our blog series about What to Look for in a Hoist Overhead Crane Inspection, we covered the inspection of the hooks, wire/rope and chain, suspension lug and general part inspection. Why are regular overhead crane inspections important? They keep your employees safe, and delaying routine service and maintenance for your hoist cranes can result in very expensive repairs and possibly downtime that disrupts your business.
Here are some additional common inspection points in a hoist overhead crane inspection:
The disc motor brake needs to be inspected for slippage or excessive wear, glazing, contamination or excessive wear. This is one of the most important components of the hoist crane so it needs to be inspected carefully.
The load brake is the mechanical portion of the overhead crane braking system that works in conjunction with the disc motor brake. The load brake must be able to support the load with the disc brake open. If it cannot, then a repair or part replacement is essential.
The housing load block should be inspected for any cracks, distortions, or excessive wear. Another inspection point on the load block is to look for internal buildup of foreign substances.
Similar to the housing load block above, the sheave (AKA drum) needs to be inspected for distortion, cracks, excessive wear, and buildup of foreign substances.
The wiring and terminals need to inspected carefully for fraying or defective insulation.
Electrical components such as the contact block, the magnetic hoist control switch, and others need to be inspected carefully for loose connections and burned or pitted contacts.
Some hoist cranes also use a support structure and trolley. For these designs, this must be inspected for damage and wear that might restrict the ability for the hoist to support the imposed loads.
Fresh lubricant is very important for the transmission of an overhead hoist crane. It also needs to be replenished if the level of lubricant gets low.
All of the inspection points above are general ones applicable to all hoist overhead cranes. It is also important for you to use the maintenance manual that came with the crane to inspect specific components that might be unique to that crane or require particularly close inspection.
This ends Part 2 of our 2-part series on What to Look for in a Hoist Overhead Cane Inspection.
We provide comprehensive overhead crane inspections for all types of cranes. With over 20 years of experience, we know what to look for and how to fix it. Contact an overhead crane inspection and repair specialist today by completing our online form on our Contact page, or giving us a call at 1-800-829-7454.