Wire Rope or Electric Chain Hoist?

Chain hoists...

• lift by pulling the chain through sprockets and depositing the chain into a chain container
• require less maintenance
• are less expensive
• are more common for applications below 7.5 tons

Wire rope hoists...

• lift by winding cable around a grooved drum
• offer very fast lifting speeds
• can be rated H-5 (severe duty)
• dominate the market at 10 tons and above

NAI supplies both hoist types from most hoist manufacturers such as: Coffing, Detroit, Harrington, Nitchi, R & M, Shaw-Box, Stahl, & Yale.
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Spare Parts on Hand?

A Recommended Parts List can be created specifically for your crane’s duty cycle and application. This is important because some crane parts may wear faster in certain industries. Having the proper parts on hand right now can be the difference between a simple quick fix and prolonged downtime. It's important to purchase quality parts from a reputable crane manufacturer who has technical and engineering expertise - North American Industries supplies parts for all our cranes as well as parts from all major hoist manufacturers. www.naicranes.com/parts/parts_services.htm

No matter who the original crane manufacturer was, North American Industries can supply parts that are compatible. 800-847-8470 ext. 104.

Crane Project Highlight

North American Industries (NAI) supplied a 25 metric ton double girder bridge crane, with an 87ft span riding on a 90ft runway, to MDS Aero Support Corporation for a facility at the NASA Stennis Space Centre, where it is used to lift jet engines. Stennis Space Centre is NASA’s primary rocket propulsion testing facility where engines such as the ones used on the space shuttle are tested. It is also the new home to a division of Rolls Royce which is doing testing for the company’s high-thrust Trent 900 and Trent 1000 jet engines, which are slated for use on the new double decker Airbus A380 and the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the next generation in wide body aircraft.

Installed by North American Industries in July 2007, the crane is entrusted to lift these 35 million dollar prototype engines into special engine stands which will enable engineers and technicians to work on them and make the necessary developmental changes. Due to the weight, size, and unequal weight distribution of the loads, a precise four-point lift is required, so the crane has four remote controlled 15 metric ton wire rope hoists. The hoists are mounted on one trolley with four pick points which can lift the jet engines up to 26ft 2in above the ground. Flux vector variable frequency drives are used to monitor the position and speed of each hoist and to control the hoists for precision lifting.

The crane can adapt to the different types of engines such as the Trent 900 and the Trent 1000 because the four hoists attach to a special lifting device bolted to the top of each type of jet engine. In the testing facility, there are two stands on which an engine may be placed. Once a jet engine is mounted on a stand, the North American Industries crane is also used for maintenance and changes to the engine. The crane has two 5 metric ton auxiliary monorail trolleys which ride on the bottom flange of each cross girder, used for handling smaller equipment mounted to the engine, such as intakes and instrumentation. The engine(s) may be on the stands for a week or more while engineers and technicians work on them.

When the engines need to be fired up and run for testing purposes, they are transported several hundred yards from the facility and mounted to a test tower, which incorporates additional lifting equipment supplied by North American Industries in the form of jib cranes. Once mounted to the test tower, the engines are run to test the changes made by the engineers and technicians.
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NAI to Attend World Steel Bridge Symposium

Visit Booth 206 at the World Steel Bridge Symposium (Dec. 5-7 in New Orleans) where North American Industries will be an exhibitor. NAI specializes in designing cranes for bridges and elevated highways to handle the materials necessary for repairs and construction. www.naicranes.com.

Pick Our CraneBrain with Q&A

What is reverse plugging or jogging and how does it affect the crane?

Reverse plugging or jogging is when the operator slows the crane improperly or reverses the crane to stop it. This "Reverse Plug" will damage the gearbox. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) eliminate the damage caused by jogging because a VFD will not allow a reverse of direction until the crane has come to a complete stop. Variable frequency drives allow you to program acceleration and deceleration rates which reduces costs associated with damaged parts from misuse. Please ask your North American Industries sales engineer what options are right for your application.

If you have a question that you would like answered in a future publication, please send to info@naicranes.com.
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Use this link www.naicranes.com/about/press_releases/newsletter/issue3.htm to access an online version of the newsletter. This informational communication may be considered advertising under certain jurisdictions. You can opt out of receiving the newsletters at any time by replying with subject line "opt out."

North American Industries, Inc.
80 Holton Street, Woburn, MA 01801
phone: 781-897-4100 / toll-free: 800-847-8470
fax: 781-729-3343 / info@naicranes.com
www.naicranes.com