If you own a manufacturing plant or warehouse facility that depends on an aging overhead crane, there's a good chance you'll eventually be in the market for new lifting equipment. Choosing the best overhead crane for your facility means taking a number of crucial factors into account.

Your Operating Environment

One of the first things you should consider when purchasing an overhead crane is the environment it will operate under. For example, an environment where corrosive chemicals are present could create premature rust and corrosion issues for your lifting equipment. Environments featuring extreme heat and moisture can easily test the longevity and reliability of electric motors, electronics and lifting cables.

Most overhead cranes have a specific ambient temperature, elevation and moisture range in which the machinery can safely operate within. These specifications can vary among manufacturers, so it's important to get specifications for each equipment candidate and compare them to the average temperatures, elevation and relative humidity of the environment it will be installed in.

How Much Capacity is Needed

Capacity is another important consideration when it comes to overhead cranes. Your overhead crane should be able to handle the combined weight of your heaviest products and the below-the-hook hardware used to lift them. There should also be some room for additional capacity as a safety margin. For instance, if your heaviest product weighs 10 tons, you should invest in an overhead crane that offers a 15-ton capacity.

Choosing the right capacity is not only important from a safety standpoint, but also when it comes to extending the life of your equipment. Operating your equipment at or above capacity not only adds wear and stress to the equipment, but it can also pose an immediate safety threat if the crane fails due to overloading.

The Duty Cycle

Another factor to consider when purchasing an overhead crane is how often it will be used to lift product and materials. Your overhead crane's rated duty cycle will have an effect on the components and materials used in your overhead crane build. The Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA) offers a duty cycle table that covers six different classes of overhead crane and their requirements. It's important to keep these requirements in mind when choosing your lifting equipment.

Building Clearances

Your choices in lifting equipment will be restricted to the maximum height and overall design of your existing warehouse. For this reason, it's important to understand the maximum dimensions of your facility as well as any other unique features that could pose a challenge to the installation process.

Hook Approach

Understanding how much floor coverage you'll need is a key factor when purchasing an overhead crane. The amount of coverage offered to operators will depend on the selected crane's hook approach – the distance from the wall to the nearest possible position of the hook. The closer the crane's hook can safely approach the walls of the building, the greater the amount of floor space becomes available to the crane.

Technology Features

Keep in mind that today's overhead cranes offer a variety of technology features that help improve productivity while enhancing safety and equipment longevity. For example, many newer overhead cranes feature radio controls that allow operators to control the equipment remotely. Consider what type of features your operators may be interested in and how these features will benefit your facility overall.

Service and Warranty Issues

Last but not least, you should also consider how your equipment vendor handles servicing and warranty issues. You may also need to rely on your vendor to properly train your operators on the new equipment. Although most manufacturers offer some form of support for their lifting equipment, it's usually the turnkey suppliers who are involved in service and installation. Tt's also important to know whether the manufacturer or distributor will be handling your equipment's warranty issues.

Having a thorough understanding of these particular issues can help you make the best possible decision when choosing overhead lifting equipment for your manufacturing or distribution facility. Navigate to this website to learn more.