Crane Electrification Systems – Buying Used Overhead Crane Purchasing an overhead crane is a pricey decision so used cranes typically are at least thought of as an option. Obviously it is a less costly alternative on the surface, but is it truly cheaper? Following are some concerns to think about. 1. Is the maker still in business? There have been many consolidations, closures and bankruptcies in the crane industry. Will you have the ability to get parts for your crane? Numerous of the older cranes are more robust and are a built-up design which allows you to buy numerous of the parts off the shelf due to them being market standard elements (NEMA rated for instance). This applies for motors, contactors, bearings, and couplings among others. But, numerous of the cranes have components that were specifically produced the crane producer and do not use basic elements. You might need to make modifications to elements to make the retro-fit parts fit correctly. Lots of crane producers require unique motor shafts, contactors, collector shoes, electrification systems to name a few which may or may not be easily offered. 2. Exactly what are my liabilities if I buy a crane and make any adjustments to it? Maker's liability is totally relieved once you customize their crane. Most utilized cranes will certainly require some kind of re-span which requires major mechanical modifications. If the crane is especially old, the box girders might be riveted girders which are hard to customize, or arch beam type on patent track design which have been deemed unsafe. Appropriately done, an engineer will certainly have to design and put his PE seal any adjustment to a bridge girder. 3. Is the crane the right capability for my application? Larger is usually better in crane applications however you need to consider the costs of getting a bargain on a higher than needed capability? There are additional costs to consider. The crane is much heavier and will require a larger runway and footings to support the dead load of just the crane. Every replacement part such as the motors, brakes, contactors, and wire rope all are larger and more costly to change. If you are making changes or upgrades to the electrical system such as variable frequency drives those components will certainly also be larger and more costly. 4. Does the crane match my existing electrical supply? There are numerous stories of a customer buying an old crane and then figuring out it is DC or the wrong voltage. You then face costly motor changes or step up or step down transformers. Likewise is the electrical shipping system approximately date. Is the electrification old open wire type, or an outdated type of bar? It is really pricey to replace the electrical on an old crane. 5. Are you prepared to quit the comfort of a service warranty? Utilized cranes typically bring no service warranty. New cranes now frequently come with 1 year parts and labor
with an extra year on parts for all non-wear items. You also stand up to date parts manuals so you can order parts from the manufacturer. 6. Who will do my modifications to the crane? If your crane does require a re-span or significant electrical adjustment a skilled crane company has to be involved. Where will the work be done? Exactly what are the added expenses of shipping consisting of taking down the crane, shipping to a shop then reshipping to your facility? Will a professional engineer stand behind all of the work? If the crane has issues once it remains in the shop, who is liable? Most made use of cranes are "as is". There are many stories of an excellent made use of cranes being rehabbed but a certain amount of care and preparation has to go into location to make the ideal choice. If you are looking for more information regarding crane electrification systems in Singapore and different electrification systems then you should visit www.thegreenbook.com , you can find a wide range of products and services.