Equipment Repair Company Uses Spanco Gantry Crane for Technician Training
Products used
Overview
A company in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, sells and repairs heavy equipment and machinery, such as excavators, loaders, and other construction vehicles. Their repair services include engine repairs, and technicians are trained in various repair specialties at the company’s facilities.
For several years, technicians have been trained on equipment during the repair process. Normal repair operations take place in an assembly line layout. When technicians would receive training, the assembly line would have to be paused, slowing down the complete process.
To address the delays caused by the training process, the company moved their training operations to a location separate from the repair process. This new training area required lifting equipment to allow trainers and new technicians to work with the heavy equipment. The company reached out to Sacar del Centro, a nearby material handling provider, to help them find a lifting solution.
Solution
When managers approached Enrique Ibarra of Sacar del Centro, they planned to incorporate a freestanding overhead bridge crane. However, after he examined the workspace, Enrique didn’t think a bridge crane was the best fit.
Because the training area was in a relatively small space, it was important for the end user to be able to maximize the use of the facility. The freestanding columns of a bridge crane would limit the amount of usable floorspace. Additionally, the training area houses other machinery that must be maneuvered around the space, which would be obstructed by support columns.
Instead, he recommended a Spanco PF-Series Gantry Crane. Spanco gantry cranes are supported on legs that travel along the ground on wheels, which make the systems entirely mobile. The mobile design allows a gantry crane to cover the required area without any additional support structure.
The Spanco Gantry Crane the company selected has a capacity of 10,000 pounds, a span of 21 feet, three inches, and a Height Under Beam (HUB) of 12 feet. The system features a motorized trackless power drive kit set up for two-speed operation. Sacar also equipped the crane with a radio control system, an alarm that alerts nearby workers when the crane is in motion, and proximity sensors to slow the system when it approaches the ends of the operating area.
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Impact
The Spanco PF-Series Gantry Crane that Sacar recommended provides an ideal solution for the company’s needs. Because the gantry crane doesn’t require the additional freestanding supports of a bridge crane, additional equipment and machinery can fit in the training facility unobstructed. The gantry crane can also be moved under load, so workers still get the same coverage and capabilities they would have with an overhead bridge crane.
On Sacar del Centro’s end, the results were also great. The order from Spanco was delivered on schedule with no damage. They were able to install the system on-time, leaving them with a completely satisfied customer.
Most importantly, the Spanco gantry crane allowed the end user to separate their training and production areas effectively. With the necessary lifting equipment, the new training area can be used for all required training operations. The end user is thrilled with the new setup because the separate training area has allowed them to improve efficiency and productivity in both their production area and the training process.