5 Signs that it’s time to replace your Overhead Crane

1. The repairs keep adding up

Older cranes require more upkeep and repairs resulting in downtime. Repeated unplanned downtimes are causing large costs beyond replacing parts.

2. Your processes have changed

If you find your cranes lift different, heavier, or higher volumes of materials than those for which they were originally designed, don’t wait to make the change! Your lifting equipment may require faster speeds or more precise controls as you scale up your facility. Straining old machinery to meet new demand could end in injury and with new technology like remote pendants and intelligent lifting there is no excuse for worker injuries. A process change necessitates a review of your lifting processes.

3. Parts are increasingly hard to obtain

As crane technology improves, old crane parts become obsolete and difficult to find. If the supply landscape has decided that it’s no longer worth building your crane parts, you might have to find a more modern and up-to-date crane.

4. Workers avoid using it.

It might be a safety issue or it simply doesn’t work as well as they’d like but if your employees AREN’T using the crane take this as a huge red flag. Lifting solutions are supposed to make work easier and faster for your employees, if they are avoiding using it, then your lifting solution has deficits you don’t realize that they do.

5. Your equipment fails inspections

Regular inspections will identify any signs of wear or irregularities, allowing you to proactively address issues and avoid potential problems and/or legal action. If issues are arising at each inspection, it may be time to look into a new solution.