North American Industries Designs Several Cranes for an Energy Company’s Environmental Project

November 2007

North American Industries has been awarded a project to provide four 7.5 US ton single girder underhung bridge cranes to run on 250 foot long runways for Westar Energy, Inc. Westar provides electricity to 669,000 retail customers, supplies wholesale electric power to 48 cities in Kansas, and coordinates about 33,000 miles of electric distribution and transmission lines. The four cranes North American Industries is designing will be for use in a new building at Jeffrey Energy Center. Jeffrey Energy Center is a coal fired power plant turning coal into electrical energy; Westar Energy is undertaking an environmental project on this plant. More specifically, the cranes will be used to help construct precipitators which remove pollutant matter significantly decreasing emissions.

The bridge cranes designed by North American Industries will include the cold weather package with NEMA 4 watertight enclosures because the cranes will be exposed to outdoor conditions. The enclosures, which prevent entry of dust and water, meet IP (Ingress Protection) 66 classifications. The cranes will be designed to operate in temperatures as low as negative 4 degrees and as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The hoist motors and panels will have heaters to prevent any condensation buildup.

Two of the cranes will have 41’ spans and the other two will run on a separate runway with 47’8” spans. The cranes include variable speed trolleys and end trucks which can be controlled both by impendent traveling pendants and radio remote controls.

The dual speed, base mounted hoists will provide the ability for 115 feet of true vertical lift. North American Industries will also provide the runway electrics to match the existing runway in the Jeffrey Energy Center. The first annual safety inspections for the four cranes will be performed by North American Industries, who offers inspection, service, and spare parts as well as engineering and fabrication of overhead cranes.