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The Big Crane (well, for us anyway)

Mcgyver

Diamond
Joined
Aug 5, 2005
Location
Toronto
I wanted to show you guys one of things we're building right now. I invested in subarc equipment last year and we've ended up building a lot of cranes - biggest to date is this 30T 115' double box girder. Waiting for permits for shipping....I will take some photos of that operation. Finger crossed we're not like the guy who makes a canoe in his basement and it won't go up the stairs.

We've a bigger one on the books for later this year, not as long but a lot heavier. actually two of them. The do make for nice show and tell but take up a lot of space.....trick is a speedy in and out, but there's fair bit of complexity. Miss making/procuring one thing and there goes the speedy part and because they are all custom, stuff like that seems to happen.

I'm just the semi clueless guy who put all resource together - I've the utmost respect for skilled guys on the team making this stuff

putting the girders together

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The top plate is 1"....the stuff was flopping around like a wet noodle from the lift....you can sort of see it here. Before welding on the last side - do a head count :D

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flipping it - thats a 40Y roll off container the back ground, gives a sense of scale

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just painted and working on the electrical...girders for a smaller crane beside it



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built up trolley

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If you can share-
What sort of NDT do you do? I'm sure the materials come with certs, but do you ever send samples for testing? And what does your insurance have to say? What about welding procedures, who qualifies those? In ASME vessel world, an inspector must come verify your builds, does this have a similar requirement?

This is a far more complex weldment than it first appears to be, I'm sure.
 
That's a big damn crane for anyone! Whats she gonna be rated for as far as tonnage goes? Hats off to you and yours, that's one hell of a project.
 
Nice shop. Did you do the engineering? I'm wondering what the mid span deflection is at full load. How much does the weldment weigh? A36, grade 50, or some other material?
 
its all 44w, standard stuff. We are a design build shop so do engineering on lots of things, but not the cranes. Its really just fab work for us. In that bay there are two 10 ton cranes which is enough to do each box girder but not enough to do both. Its big enough anyway that each girder is on its own truck so we can load it ok....but there maybe a few tight corners leaving the plant
 
I have a question about how the girder-box is welded.

I see in the first pic the "vertical ribs" could be welded to the top and bottom and one of the side-skins.

But when that last side-skin is placed on it, how is that welded? Seems like it would need slots torched/punched into it so it could get plug welded or something?

Or maybe my sequence is off, is the bottom part welded on last?

OK so more questions...what is the purpose of the slot thats punched into each of the vertical ribs?

Anyway, I can tell its a lot of planning throughout the entire thing! Lots of dimensions to hold over a long distance!
 
we had to say goodbye to the big crane yesterday. White truck in the background is a mini roll truck body we just finished

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second girder loaded inside

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this thing would have never got off the site without the steerable dolly

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Beautiful work!
When I was in Ireland jist before the lockdown I took a couple pics of components of a new Leibherr port container crane, they build them in Killarney and somehow truck them to Fenit to be shipped out. This was one of the legs waiting at the dock there. The dock was already full of other components so I guess this piece had to sit there on the road until the ship arrived.
I didn’t pace it off but it had to be somewhere well north pf 100’.
The factory in Killarney is far bigger than the entire village of Fenit.
 

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I like that small detail on the walkways handrailing.
It looks like our OSHA required 42" top, 24" mid, and 4" toe kick, but you've added
a mesh in between.

Nice touch, is it required ?
 
I like that small detail on the walkways handrailing.
It looks like our OSHA required 42" top, 24" mid, and 4" toe kick, but you've added
a mesh in between.

Nice touch, is it required ?

Not by any regulations I'm aware of, but is a good idea.

thanks for all positive feedback gents!
 
Man thats crazy!

I hope they don't have to stop for gas :D (yah, diesel)

One day on the interstate, I got off at the regular exit, and at the top of the ramp was one of these (hauling concrete beams) and while we waited, someone walked to the back of the trailer (I think from the chase car) and there was a full set of stairs, with nice hand rails, and a platform on top with a "job box".

This person opened the box, and I heard a small engine crank over and start up.
Then they grabbed a steering wheel (I think it had hoses on it) and place it on the hand railing on the one side (so they could observe).

The truck started back up, and the person on back proceeded to steer the tail over to miss the oncoming traffic.

They were heading to the local truck stop for fuel....and probably stop for the end of the day (over width/weight/length) must be off the roads at official sundown.
 
I also wonder about the welding sequence, as Matt asked about in #9:

"I have a question about how the girder-box is welded.

I see in the first pic the "vertical ribs" could be welded to the top and bottom and one of the side-skins.

But when that last side-skin is placed on it, how is that welded? Seems like it would need slots torched/punched into it so it could get plug welded or something?

Or maybe my sequence is off, is the bottom part welded on last?"

Any insights into how you do this would be welcome.
 
the last to go on is the bottom (girder is on its side in 1st pic, bottom is to the right). After fitting, sides are sub arc welded to the top and bottom, one side, then flip on the bench then the other. The baffles aren't welded to the bottom
 








 
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