Cranes wheels are generally used in overhead cranes, transfer cars and for portal cranes and gantry. They need to be strong and well maintained because overhead cranes lift heavy materials and if wheels are not properly maintained then it will be a major failure for overhead cranes. Cranes wheels are generally replaced because of mechanical overloads and flange breakage and to make sure that your crane wheels and rail works in a good condition for that you have to take certain measures. Here are plenty of reasons as to why the excessive wear and tear of wheel and rail occurs but taking up those measures in the very first place can avert it from happening altogether.
Aspects That Should Not Be Ignored
There are several things that should be monitored from time to time such as whether or not you are required to change the drive wheels; it should be changed in pairs, but this part of the job is highly overlooked. Many times, cranes wheels might become non-functional due to regular and prolonged use, and then it is exchanged with the spare wheel; however, if the other drive wheel is just considered to be functioning properly without verifying for the correct diameters and if it is revealed to be more than the allowable tolerance then it is not at all safe.
This signal of mismatched diameters leads to crane skew which will eventually result in more wear and tear of the flange and rail. When there are signs of flange wear appearing then the immediate next step is to check the rail. If there are lifting issues or when the duration of the rail is beyond the allowable tolerance, then the flanges will rub against the rails. To check out for this figure out whether there are loud sounds coming out from the crane wheels part when the crane is moving or whether flakes are coming off from the wheel or the rail. If the crane has flange lubricators, then make it a point to change them in a cyclic manner.
In this part of the article we familiarise you with the issues regarding overhead cranes and what are the consequences you might have to deal with. This way you know how exactly you have to tackle them and have knowledge enough to prevent them as well:
- It is advised to initiate an inspection programme for your overhead cranes periodically. Also, it’s better if you follow your manufacturer’s directions for the service and maintenance intervals and also try and keep in mind the environmental concerns while structuring your crane.
- The life of the wire rope can be affected due to strenuous operating conditions. In order to stop or obstruct any kind of damage to the wire rope you should check on it before every shift. If there is hint of any kind of damage, then make sure that the wire is disposed of immediately and it is not used any further.
- If by any chance the wheel bearings or the cranes wheels flanges begin to wear and tear beforehand then the crane is faulty, and it is skewing. This cannot be afforded because it puts a lot of stress on the wheels. To avoid your wheels from wearing off prematurely the crane runway system in operation needs to be regularly looked over and tested by a worthy enough overhead crane manufacturer. He will give indications and signals of any kind of wear and tear happening before hand to.
After reading this article you must have understood that overhead cranes wheels play a key role in functioning of overhead cranes. And keeping in mind these points will help you deal with your overhead crane wheels better and try and prevent any mishap from occurring the next time. You are recommended to take the help of a good crane wheels manufacturer in Australia.
