How Many Spare Crane Parts Do You Need?

A stockpile of spare parts for the overhead crane is essential to ensure the safety of your production. The simple fact is that having the correct spares on hand prevents the failure of a single part from halting production–potentially for months if the wrong part fails.

How do you determine if you have enough spare overhead crane parts? Of course, the exact quantity will vary from crane to mill, and from crane to mill however, in general, you should always have enough spares in order to stop your downtime from being equivalent to the time it’ll take a replacement part to arrive from manufacturers.

Calculating the precise number of spares that you require is a matter of knowing the average life expectancy of the various parts and then adjusting the expected lifetime according to what you understand about the wear and tear of your operation.

Life Expectancy of Mechanical Crane Parts

To help you determine the exact number of necessary spare parts, here are a selection of the most frequent mechanical spares as well as their typical life span, as well as other things to keep at heart when you are stocking spare parts for cranes.

Wheel assemblies will typically last 8-10 years; however, it is possible to alter this with your crane’s rail or construction alignment. You can track the wear on your wheel assembly by monitoring flange wear and the lifespan of bearings. Keep in mind that the wheel assembly includes an idler and drive group. You’ll require both of them on hand since they aren’t interchangeable.

Gearing will typically last between 8 and 10 years. Check your gearing regularly to make sure it’s not wearing quicker than expected. Be aware that hoist gearing typically is a reverse-hand unit; you’ll need to have both available as they aren’t interchangeable.

Ropes should generally last only 2-3 years if you use them in severe duty. In general, however, you can anticipate up to 3-5 years.

Life Expectancy of Structural Crane Parts

On the structural aspect that is structural, spare crane parts sheave, drum and hanger components are some of the most essential spares to have on hand at all times.

Based on their duty of service, it can expect to last between 10-20 years.

Hangers and laminated hooks are designed to last 5 years if they are used in a high-duty service. Inspections are vital to ensure that hangers don’t fail suddenly before the recommended life span.

Sheaves and assemblies of sheaves should typically last between 5 and 10 years. This is for bearings, pins, and any hook block. Regular inspections are crucial to ensure that they won’t fail without warning, similar to hangers. Make sure you know that there are lower and upper sheave assemblies; you’ll need to keep both on hand because they’re not interchangeable.

Crane Parts with Production in Mind

Based on these expected time frames, it is recommended to keep a supply of spares ready to keep your crane running until the parts are carefully inspected and then repaired. Furthermore, majority of parts are considered to be repairable or rebuilt assemblies. Therefore, when you switch them out with one spare item, bring them to a reputable repair and inspection shop in order to restore them to working order.

In the end, the foundation of an organized stockpile of spare components of crane parts is a high-quality inspection program that is accompanied by years of experience in the use of material handling equipment.

If you’re not sure whether you do have the right spare crane parts, HL Equipment provides a list of suggested spares for each crane. We can pack our spare parts for long-term storage and, where possible, design built-up assemblies that can be placed in the right place to allow for rapid part replacement. In addition, our expertise assists our customers in their material handling requirements daily.