Maintenance is a much-needed practice be it any field, especially when it comes to tools and equipment or machinery. Maintenance keep the equipment in smooth running condition. Thus, it prevents from expensive and over costly repairs. Cranes are extremely useful equipment and help in a wide sector in different fields. At the same time, these are dangerous equipment and many fatal cases have occurred due to faulty crane system.
Hence, it is important to follow up with the crane maintenance to keep the crane efficiently working as possible to avoid any mishaps
- Understanding the problem: The first step of solving any problem is understanding the problem itself. If you don’t know how the crane works or function, then you will not be able to repair the fault also. There will be a time when the crane hoist system will lose its effectiveness. If you don’t know how the chain hoist system works, then you will have no idea why it is happening.
There are different types of chain hoist and the working principle of each hoist differ from each other to a lesser or greater amount. But since all the three types of hoist chain work on the principle of rotating the chain. Hence, the most common problem in crane maintenance is the wear and tear of the chain itself. Thus, you must keep this in mind and check for any wear and tear in the chain. - Keeping the chain clean is one of the most important aspects of crane maintenance. As already mentioned, the most common issue in crane maintenance is the wear and tear of the chain. There could be rust developing on the chain or there could be debris on the chain which could make the rotation of the chain difficult. The chain will become stiff. Hence, it will not be able to rotate smoothly. Most types of the chain will require the hoist to be dismantled before performing any kind of crane maintenance. Hence, do it at least once a year so that the chain keeps running smoothly.
- Watchful of signs: As wear and tear will come into play, there will be signs which clearly indicate that the crane needs an extensive crane maintenance. It gets deteriorated and various symptoms will appear, as it will lose its effectiveness. The chain will also start to become stiff and it will not move as smoothly as it was before. do not ignore these signs as it is a hint of immediate requirement of crane maintenance at that point in time. If you neglect these signs, then accident may occur at the site, and it could lead to even serious injuries to the workers out there. Hence, it is advisable to keep the chain lubricated and maintain it in an adequate manner, as it is one of the core integral parts of a crane maintenance.
- Regular inspections also keep away any incident of accidents at work site. Before starting the work, the operator should himself do a day-to-day inspection to see that everything is in correct order and place. These types of crane maintenance will ensure that the crane will be in a healthly condition and its longevity will also be increased manifold.
- Sometimes, to check the effectiveness of the crane, you will need to perform test also. For example, to check the lifting capacity of the crane, you will need to perform various tests after which, you can conclude the performance of the crane and will be able to rectify the system in the crane maintenance, so that its performance will increase furthermore. There should be at least one test conducted in every six months to inspect the lifting capacity of the crane.
Thus, these are the some of the crane maintenance tips. Following this will ensure optimum functionality and smooth working in and effective manner.