I own a welding and fab shop. I have some left over steel, and thinking of a gantry to help in loading my shear and power rolls. Span needs to be 14 feet. I have 40 feet of s7x 15.3, also 4" schedule 40 for the uprights, and some 6x4x1/4 tube for the bases. Was thinking of 3" channel for the upright gussets. Mostly it'll be used for 72x144 sheets of 10 gage, but would like to know the realistic capacity. Anyone know? Also would like a recommendation on 6 or 8" casters.
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Another gantry crane build post
- Thread starter joebass
- Start date
- Replies 16
- Views 3,674
Illinoyance
Stainless
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2015
Get the ANSI standards for gantry cranes. Do the calculations to prove your design meets the ANSI criteria.
Scruffy887
Titanium
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Location
- Se Ma USA
There are plenty of companies that sell crane components and most will have span/load tables for you to work from. I just bought 2 sets of Harrington Hoist end trucks @ 1 ton per span. I just hung the last 20' bridge beam tonight. Not gantry but bridge cranes. Even though I have 1 ton end trucks the last 20'span has only a half ton beam and will be clearly marked as such, AND will have a half ton hoist max.
Scruffy887
Titanium
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2012
- Location
- Se Ma USA
You are also going to need a vacuum lifting system setup. Magnetic lifting systems are really nice but you have little control on how many sheets it grabs at once. Bad enough that a vacuum lifting can pick up 2 sheets and maybe not let you know. I was transferring a 30 sheet pallet one by one to a A frame transport cart with my vacuum lifter. I picked up a sheet, rotated the sheet to near vertical, placed it on the A frame. But there were 2 sheets sucked together. I dwelled after the initial 2-3 inch lift for a stuck sheet to drop. I keep my feet away from the sheet slide shear zone and the sheet stayed until set on the A frame. It was then that I knew 2 sheets were lifted. From then on I always double checked.
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
DD is right ,if you use tables and calculations ,you end up with a bridge beam......when you want the lightest structure that will actually resist bending.......The other point is that you can see the hoist deflecting the beam if you overload it ,and back off...Even if it bends ,it can always be straightened and reinforced.
bridgedog
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2012
- Location
- southern Or.
If you decide to build your own and have employees you will need a stamped set of plans.
We had engineers on the job but still had to have a P.E. sign off on the plans.
We had engineers on the job but still had to have a P.E. sign off on the plans.
johnoder
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2004
- Location
- Houston, TX USA
This one (back there on the left) is S7 X 15.3, but a much more reasonable 9 feet span. With the 4700 Lb shaper hanging on it mid way that I sold long ago you could see no deflection. This has never been a commercial shop, so suit yourself. You do realize home made will never cut it if you happen to acquire an employee
There are no employees but me, and my retired father comes down a few hours a day to give me a hand and keep busy. We're also not talking loading 30 sheets a day, we're talking 10 a month. I'm doing it now, and for the last 5 years with a shop made boom on our fork lift and a bessey clamp. I'll really make you guys cringe when I tell you I've lifted 48x120 sheets of 12 ga with an 11r clamp.
Blazemaster
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2009
- Location
- Olympia, Wa
I have a wallace 15 ft span, 13ft tall, 3 ton crane that uses an s10x25.4. I have used it to load and unload lots of machines in the 3-6000lb range. I would imagine a s7x15.3 would be fine for loading sheets and other stuff as well, just do the calculation and don't push it too hard.
jackal
Titanium
- Joined
- May 4, 2006
- Location
- northwest ARK
Look at some designs and over build.
I've never had anything fail because I made it too strong.
I've never had anything fail because I made it too strong.
I dont really need any more strength, I was just curious what the max would be.
Right, I really only need the 14 feet span at the bottom, I had planned on gussets going from the uprights to the beam, so essentially I could even make it a 12 foot span.
john.k
Diamond
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2012
- Location
- Brisbane Qld Australia
You could also do whats done with piles.....place the beam between supports ,and test load it.,and measure the deflection.....Then you say .."Yup ,thats OK"
My eyeball engineering says you doo....
