Truck Unloading Applications

SPANCO Gantry Crane Provides Secure Unloading of Steel Bundles from Flatbeds

A housing material supplier receives daily shipments of steel bundles. The bundles arrive on flatbed trucks that are then backed into a large warehouse and unloaded. Shipments can range from one 500 lb. I-beam to a full truck load of 40,000 lbs. The steel is then transported from the warehouse to existing indoor and outdoor stockpiles.

For several years, the method for unloading the steel from flatbeds involved using forklifts. The number of lifts used would vary depending on the size of the load, but a full shipment might require up to four 6,000 lb forklifts for unloading. Trying to coordinate the transfer of a large steel load with four forklifts was both time-consuming and dangerous. Some of the steel beams were of considerable length and difficult to unload safely.

The site manager came to the conclusion that the steel transfer process was inefficient and put his employees in harm's way. A SPANCO distributor suggested that an overhead material handling device, such as the SPANCO Gantry Crane, might provide a viable solution. Seeing the value that a SPANCO Gantry Crane would provide, one was installed. The crane has an overall span of 58 ft and an under-the-beam height of 23 ft. It is rated at a capacity of 7.5 tons. The crane is also motorized with 2 speeds for indoor operation on a v-groove track that runs the length of the warehouse. With the use of a SPANCO Gantry Crane, employees can now unload steel securely and efficiently. They can also move stockpiles within the warehouse with limited effort. The SPANCO Gantry Crane provides the user with a versatile system that doesn't require permanent installation and can easily be moved to a new location.

A SPANCO Gantry Crane provided this housing material supplier with a safe and economical material handling alternative to forklifts. If you have a material handling problem, consider the benefits of an overhead material handling device, like a SPANCO Gantry Crane.

Steel Production Application

SPANCO Wall Traveling Jib Cranes Have Improved the Efficiency of Steel Production

During the steel production process, large overhead cranes are used to transport large refractory lined ladles full of molten steel from the blast furnace to a pour station. At the pour station, the ladle cover is removed and the ladle is tilted to transfer the molten iron into large molds, which sit on transfer cars. Once emptied, the ladle cover is returned and the ladle heads back to the blast furnace to repeat the process.
Plant managers found that the large overhead cranes were subject to significant downtime due to tedious tasks like ladle lid removal and replacement. Due to the size of the overhead crane, production was proving to be inefficient and difficult.

SPANCO Wall Traveling Jib Cranes were a custom engineered and cost-effective solution for the problem. The Wall Traveling Jib complements the overhead crane system and provided a more efficient method for lid removal and allowed for the overhead crane to focus on transport to and from the blast furnace. The cranes can be used to span multiple workstations in an entire plant. The Wall Traveling Jib solution also translates into efficient material handling. In contract to a semi-gantry crane, the Wall Traveling Jib spans a wall, so there is no crane leg or rail to interfere with floor activity.

For over 20 years, the steel industry has benefited from the use of SPANCO Wall Traveling Jib Cranes. These cranes have improved the efficiency of the steel production process.

Metal Fabrication Applications

SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane Provides Ergonomic Solution For Metal Fabrication Facility

A 10,000 square foot metal fabrication facility in central Pennsylvania specializes in assembling and fabricating steel bases that are used to support large print facility printing presses. After being in business for two years, the company president re-evaluated the fabrication workflow, looking to lower production costs in order to stay competitive.

The fabrication process involved welding and part assembly that took place at individual work stations throughout the facility. Assemblies could weigh anywhere from 900 lbs. to 1500 lbs. Originally, jib cranes mounted on the warehouse support columns were used by workers at each station. The jib cranes were effective for work done within an individual station, but did not provide the ability to move an assembly to the next stage of fabrication. The company tried using forklifts, which worked to provide mobility. Unfortunately, the forklifts became a safety hazard and also introduced a significant amount of grease that was then transferred onto the product. This grease had to be removed before shipping, wasting valuable time.

The President sought a more effective and secure solution to the problem. Looking to bring in an expert, he contacted a local material handling specialist. The specialist, also a SPANCO distributor, visited their site to study the fabrication workflow.  After a full day of observation, he came to the conclusion that a SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane would add immediate value. As a result, the president invested in a 2000 lb. capacity SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane. Once installed, the system had a runway length of 110', covering a majority of the fabrication process. The dual 20' bridges allowed workers using an overhead hoist to move assemblies effortlessly along SPANCO's smooth enclosed track bridge crane.

After two months of service the company once again re-evaluated their fabrication workflow and found that through the inclusion of a SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane, they were able to cut their production time by a third! Not only was their efficiency increased, but more importantly, their workers were more secure. A SPANCO Workstation Bridge Crane was the perfect ergonomic solution.

Forklift Maintenance Applications

Large SPANCO Jib Crane Helps Keep Food Redistribution Forklift Fleet Running Efficiently

One of the nation's largest food redistributors manages a 275,000 square foot facility that is used as a redistribution hub for dry, frozen, and refrigerated food products.  Due to the large volume of food products that constantly move in and out of the facility, the redistribution facility utilizes a large fleet of forklifts. These forklifts are subject to heavy usage and therefore require daily maintenance. The forklift fleet is serviced by the company's maintenance department. Maintenance tasks include battery change outs, and pulling motors.

Because forklifts are a core component of the redistribution center, downtime due to maintenance can quickly translate into a loss of profit. The maintenance manager originally invested in a gantry crane to service the lifts. The gantry crane provided a solution for battery change outs, but became problematic when a motor needed pulled.  Eventually employees resorted to using another forklift in combination with a come-a-long to aide. This required more manpower and another forklift and raised safety concerns.

Hoping to find a better solution for his department, the maintenance manager contacted a local SPANCO distributor. After evaluating the unique challenges and needs of the department, the SPANCO distributor recommended a large SPANCO jib crane. The maintenance manager decided to purchase a 3 Ton Motorized Freestanding SPANCO Jib Crane with a base plate mounted design. The jib crane has a span of 25 ft. with an under the boom height of 25 ft.

Installation of the SPANCO Jib Crane brought immediate value to the maintenance department. Daily battery change outs could be done more efficiently and no longer required the presence of two employees. Now one person could handle the job. Complicated tasks like motor change outs that used to take two employees an hour and half and two forklifts, could now be accomplished in ten to fifteen minutes.

Improved turnaround times in the maintenance department put forklifts back on the facility floor quicker than ever before.

Light Rail Car Production Application

SPANCO Gantry Cranes Play Role in Seattle Light Rail Project

One of the largest suppliers of light rail mass transit vehicles in the northern United States operates as a 'set-up site' manufacturer. Once awarded a contract, a building is located, the supplier sets up their equipment and a production process. As another contract becomes available, the supplier moves on to the next site. Vince Nolan, production manager with the company is responsible for overseeing site set-up, and ensuring that production is efficient.

In 2007, Vince was asked to head up a major project in Seattle, Washington. His company was awarded a contract to build 33 light rail cars for the regional transit provider in Central Puget Sound. The cars would operate as part of the City of Seattle's new light rail transit system that connects the city of Seattle to SeaTac Airport. Vince researched the area and chose an old Boeing 747 production plant north of Seattle as the set-up site. As Vince set up the production process, he chose SPANCO Gantry Cranes to solve his challenging lifting problems.

The production of the light rail cars happens in sections. Drive trains and internal components are assembled in the facility through a long series of stations. A 7 ½ ton SPANCO PF Motorized Gantry Crane with a 20'-0" span and a 20'-0" under beam height is used to provide ergonomic and efficient movement of the large drive train chassis as they move through the assembly process.

Once completed, fiber glass car shells imported from Japan are mounted onto the components and drive train chassis with the help of 2 ten ton SPANCO T-Series All Steel Adjustable Gantry Cranes. The cranes are used in tandem with a webbing sling to lift the shells onto waiting chassis.

When asked how SPANCO Gantry Cranes have helped him on the project, Vince states "Portability of equipment is a significant factor for the Seattle Light Rail Project. SPANCO Gantry Cranes have really helped our business because of their portability. We can break them down and take them with us with little or no effort. The gantries have truly helped our productivity. The building we are in now did not have cranes in it, so we installed gantry cranes for the production line. The SPANCO gantry cranes offer quality, met our budgetary needs, and were delivered on time. They were simple to install, extremely rigid, and had a solid base. Technical support was also easy to get to."

Vince has been very pleased with the role that SPANCO Gantry Cranes have played in the Seattle Light Rail Project. He has even recommended SPANCO Gantry Cranes to other "set-up site" project managers within his company.

SPANCO sells a wide range of motorized gantry cranes with pre-engineered spans of up to 60 feet and capacities of up to 15 tons. Our motorized gantry cranes are trackless and motorized directly on the floor. Consider a SPANCO Motorized Gantry Crane as an economical addition to your production facility or process.

Cold Storage Production Application

Overhead System Solves Lifting Problems, Prompts Design into New Facility

Zero Zone, Inc., manufacturer of commercial coolers and freezers, wanted to improve workflow and increase manufacturing floor space in an ergonomic and efficient way. Despite adequate facility space, floor area became increasingly crowded due to the temporary storage of large parts, which were waiting for use in production. This hindered work flow, resulting in decreased productivity time.

Through the addition of two SPANCO enclosed track stand alone workstation bridge crane systems in their old facility, Zero Zone supplemented their existing material handling systems (two SPANCO gantry cranes) and freed up needed floor space.

Due to increasing business, Zero Zone expanded operations to a new facility that could accommodate increased manufacturing volume. Plans for a new facility presented the opportunity to custom design an overhead lifting system to answer their manufacturing demands and to solve their material handling problems.

Zero Zone plant operators used two, 2 ton SPANCO A series gantry cranes to lift and move freezer doors and panels ranging in weights from 150 to 200 lbs. during production. Though effective, the use of gantries for these tasks took up valuable floor space. The process was also time consuming and often required more than two workers.  After assessing the problem, Zero Zone engineers contacted their local material handling distributor in order to discuss overhead lifting solutions. Zero Zone presented the distributor with the problems and their objectives: ergonomics, improved workflow and maximum floor use efficiency.

The distributor solved Zero Zone's problems and fulfilled their objectives with two, 1000 lbs. capacity SPANCO overhead enclosed track stand alone workstation bridge crane systems.

Plans for a new manufacturing facility also presented the opportunity for Zero Zone to fully design a customized overhead lifting system.  Zero Zone's architect worked in conjunction with the material handling distributor and SPANCO's local manufacturing representatives to incorporate an enclosed track overhead lifting system into the building design.

Again, objectives for the system were clear: ergonomics, smooth workflow, and freeing up needed floor space. The new facility solution met these objectives with seven ceiling mounted bridge crane runway systems with 14 bridges and air-operated hoists. In order to attain the most comprehensive coverage, Zero Zone chose to have different bridge capacities ranging from 500 lbs. to 2000 lbs.
With the lifting system chosen, the architect designed the new building structure with reinforced bar joists in order to support the extra weight of the ceiling mounted cranes.

Because the cranes are ceiling mounted, floor area is open for full production utilization. However, Zero Zone hasn't completely abandoned their former lifting system. Plant operators continue to utilize SPANCO gantry cranes as a supplement to their new overhead lifting system.

In addition to maximized floor space, Zero Zone has improved workflow by cutting down on the amount of people needed to perform a task. Bringing a freezer door panel to the assembly line in their old facility used to require the manual lifting power of at least two workers. Today, this same task only requires one worker and the use of an overhead crane. The cranes save production time, labor costs and possible injury.

Roof Top Plenum Maintenance Application

SPANCO Aluminum Gantry Provides Economical Lifting Solution for HVAC Industry and Contractors

Many companies in the HVAC industry face the challenge of doing repair, maintenance, and installations of HVAC units on rooftop settings. The units that they work with are very heavy and placement or removal from the plenum requires the use of an overhead lifting device that can be transported to a rooftop.

For 28 years, SPANCO Aluminum Gantry Cranes have been providing an economical lifting solution for this HVAC challenge. SPANCO Aluminum Gantries are engineered for solid construction, yet they are light enough for a one or two man crew to transport and assemble quickly. Many rooftop work settings are hampered by roofs that are composed of soft material. Standard polyurethane wheels sink into the soft material due to the stress of a load. To solve this problem, SPANCO Aluminum Gantry cranes come with optional single and dual wheel pneumatic tires. These pneumatic tires provide a flexible cushion of air for the gantry load to ride on, therefore preventing rooftop damage.