The construction industry is not the only one that gets to use powerful heavy-lifters. Several industrial settings, facilities, and manufacturing plants require the help of heavy-duty machines to help them move around heavy equipment or cargo. In these settings—just like in construction— safety is the utmost priority. So how do cranes and other specialized machines and vehicles play a role in power plants and other industrial settings?
Let’s take a look.
First, Let’s Talk Cranes
Cranes are reliable machines that are used widely across various industries including the construction industry, manufacturing, power plants, factories, and more. The central function of these cranes is their ability to transport heavy loads in a fraction of the time it would take human bodies to move the same load. Historically, there are several different types of cranes that are widely used including tower cranes, telescopic cranes, crawlers, and rough terrain cranes. We’ve written about the four major types of cranes in a past post as well.
In addition to their heavy-lifting capabilities, they can reach high and awkward places that would otherwise require a large team of people. Movement is critical in industrial and power plant settings, as there is always equipment, loads, and other merchandise that needs to be moved.
Industrial Equipment to Get Things Moving
The industrial world deals with a lot of heavy equipment and cargo. Cranes and hoists are used in this sector for various tasks. The advantage of a crane is its ability to move a load from one place to another while shifting directions easily. Because manufacturing plants or factories have full crews and team members, safety is critical when moving any time of equipment or load from a high altitude.
What Are Some of the Most Commonly Seen Industrial Hoists?
These hoists are utilized for lowering, lifting, and moving heavy-duty, high-capacity loads without much effort. Instead of taking an entire team and a whole day to move a heavy load, hoists and cranes do it with minimal effort and with only one or two crew members. In an industrial setting, it’s not uncommon to have manual chain hoists and trolleys, air chain hoists and trolleys, electric wire rope hoists, electric chain hoists, and more. These hoists are suitable for handling high-volume loads in machine shops, steel warehouses, and fabricating plants and mills.
Manual Chain Hoists & Trolleys
Hoists are practical devices used for lowering and lifting a load. They do so through the means of a drum or lift-wheel. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers defines overhead hoists as a standard machinery unit used for lifting or lowering a freely suspended or unguided load. These useful little units can form part of an overhead crane as well.
A variety of different types of hoists exists as well. This includes trolley hoists, chain hoists, pneumatic hoists, and air hoists.
Air Chain Hoists & Trolleys
These hoists are used for a wide range of applications and facilitate control, enhanced productivity through their efficient high-speed lifting, and more. These hoists can be used for grain handling and storage, pharmaceutical processing, and other applications in pharmaceutical or chemical processing, as well as other day-to-day operations in power plants.
Electric Chain Hoists & Trolleys
These machines are great for difficult indoor and outdoor environments. Chain hoists and trolleys lift and lower heavy-duty loads even in harsh conditions. They are particularly effective at doing repetitive tasks effectively with a high amount of control and flexibility.
Overhead Cranes Used in Power Plants
The energy-producing sector is an important sector in the United States. It handles delicate equipment and materials and often uses overhead cranes in its facilities. Many overhead cranes, for example, are used to lift and assemble stators and rotors in power plants.
How are Overhead Cranes Used Inside Power Plants?
These machines have several benefits that make them useful and necessary in the power plant setting or in power generating sites around the world. The power industry has very unique demands when it comes to reaching high altitudes and working on equipment and other infrastructure. Cranes in these settings must be able to operate in harsh or difficult environments without losing precision or compromising safety. Some of the benefits and features of this heavy machinery include:
- Reliable performance: These bad boys can take a lot of wear and tear. High-quality equipment will reduce the need for consistent maintenance and costs to service the machine.
- High performance: These cranes will have the ability to travel efficiently and at moderate speeds. The smoothness of the machines means that there is a lot less impact on the workshop or risk of damaging equipment or other infrastructure. These machines are constructed to deliver precision and reliable transportation and that’s precisely what they do.
Looking for High-Quality Industrial Equipment? Look No Further than Wisco Supply
As the leading supplier of high-quality and reliable industrial equipment and tools, Wisco Supply works across all sectors to ensure warehouses, factories, and power plants have what they need when it comes to equipment and machinery.
Have questions about what we have to offer? Call Wisco Supply today and talk with one of our knowledgeable reps about our cranes, monorails, hoists, and more.
