The Nuclear Industry: Demanding Dimensional Constraints, Special Safety Requirements

Whether replacing spent fuel rods, moving material inside containment areas, or storing and stockpiling radioactive materials, overhead material handling systems can be a valuable tool in the nuclear industry.

But that doesn’t mean that just any crane will be right for such a demanding application. Control and accuracy are paramount when working in a hazardous environment. Design approaches for cranes and runways often require expert and innovative engineering. The handling of radioactive materials sometimes means that workers will operate equipment remotely.

North American Industries custom-designs and individually engineers every crane to exact customer specifications. With over 35 years’ experience in a variety of industries, we have the background and the skill to design the safest, most reliable system for your demanding application.

In the past, customers in the nuclear industry have chosen our cranes because we have sophisticated engineering capabilities--we are able to design and fabricate cranes with unorthodox runways, minimal hook approaches, very small or very large spans and heights, or other dimensional constraints. In fact, at times when designing for the nuclear industry, we have had to “start from scratch”—ending up with a finished product quite unlike what we normally produce.

North American Industries also exclusively produces Class D cranes, which are built for a higher duty cycle than the more common Class C models, and are far more reliable and durable than their lighter-duty counterparts. With greater durability comes greater safety—but we don’t stop there. North American cranes also come standard with higher safety ratios and greater redundancy than competitors’ products.

North American Industries is an experienced, knowledgeable name you can trust. In a high-stakes business like the nuclear industry, you shouldn’t expect anything less.