Date: 10/02/2020
Previous Blog: Standard Hand Signals for Crane Operators
Know What Comes Standard When Buying A New Hoist
HOW DO YOU COMPARE CRANE OFFERINGS?
At R&M, we’re proud to have standard offerings that many other lifting equipment companies consider add-on options. No matter where you ultimately buy your crane components, we want to share the features we think are valuable enough to make standard. As far as we’re concerned, price shouldn’t inhibit safety and optimal performance.
Today, we’ll look specifically at the features on the Spacemaster® SX wire rope hoist. Wire rope hoists lift loads using a wire rope cable that is wrapped around a grooved drum. This category of hoists is generally known to offer a wide variety of options and very fast lifting speeds.
Compared to chain hoists, wire ropes are less susceptible to wear over time, and so they are the preferred choice for jobs that require frequent use. Also, wire rope hoists are the more commonly used for higher-capacity lifts (usually 5 tons and above).
15 FEATURES THAT COME STANDARD ON THE SPACEMASTER® SX WIRE ROPE HOIST
And why they are important
1. Inverter trolley control
Inverter trolley controls allow for faster load positioning and ensure smooth starts and stops to save wear and tear on the systems, compared to 2-speed contactor controlled or multi-step controllers. Inverter trolley controls do the work of stopping the trolley for the operator, protecting both them and the hoist, while controlling load swing.
2. Large drum-to-rope ratio
Depending on the size of the drum, some wire rope hoists cannot execute near true vertical lift. This is because when the wire rope moves around the drum during lift, there is some lateral movement. The Spacemaster SX features a 40:1 drum-to-rope ratio, where others in the industry have a 20:1 ratio.
With a larger drum-to-rope ratio like that of the Spacemaster SX, near true vertical lift is easier to accomplish. For example, on a single-reeved hoist, there is only 1/8” hook drift per foot of lift.
A larger drum also improves the life of the wire rope, as there is less “bending” as the rope travels around the grooved drum. A larger drum also facilitates smooth hoisting and fast positioning.
3. Overload limit switch
A key safety feature, the overload limit switch protects the operator, load and hoist in case a lift is beyond the rated capacity. This switch trips at 110% of rated capacity, immediately suspending the upward motion and allowing the operator to slowly lower the load to the ground.
4. 4-position geared limit switch
This safety usage feature prevents over-travel of the hook in both the up and down directions. It also has phase-reversal protection in case phases are unintentionally reversed during installation. The switch has four positions: phase reversal, upper stop, upper slowdown and lower stop. The geared limit ensures that the hook block and load stay within the allowable lifting area.
5. Self-adjusting, DC hoist brake (IP55)
Meeting the IP55 standard for indoor use, providing a degree of protection against windblown dust and moisture seen in a typical manufacturing environment. The self-adjusting DC hoist brake is designed to last the full safe working period (SWP) of the hoist. This feature only needs the air gap checked annually and does not require regular manual gapping of the brake, saving on service costs.
6. Trolley brake (IP55)
This trolley brake acts as a holding brake to prevent unwanted traverse movement, protecting equipment and operators and minimizing operation time needed to correct that movement.
7. Trolley bumpers
Trolley bumpers are designed to protect the load and hoist from unexpected contact with the end stops or other hoists on the bridge.
8. AGMA 12 hoist gears & AGMA 10 trolley gears
The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) quality numbers measure how close the teeth on gears come to the geometric accuracy specified for their size. The higher this quality number is, the closer the actual geometry of the gears are to what the gear manufacturer specifies. For our hoist and trolley gears, our AGMA 12 and AGMA 10 ratings are indicative of exceptional reliability, quality and quiet operation.
9. Trolley drop lugs
Trolley drop lugs protect the operator, load and hoist against any failures of wheels, axles and kingpins. These lugs are securely fixed to the end truck or underhanging trolley frame which will prevent the equipment from falling in case of a mechanical failure.
10. Hoist and trolley motor thermal detection
Thermal detection helps prevent the motor from being damaged due to overheating or overuse. This increases the safety and reliability of the motor. To support operators’ monitoring, our OLI app shows the ongoing temperatures and other key metrics from any iOS or Android smart device.
11. Rope guide
The rope guide keeps rope in drum grooves, ensuring that there is no unexpected bending, jumping or overwrapping to increase safety and reliability during the hoist’s operation.
12. Optimal headroom & trolley approach
Your hoist and crane should create a minimal amount of unused space using optimal headroom and trolley approach to reduce building costs and maximize the space efficiency of your operation.
13. Order-specific owner’s manual (paper + CD-ROM)
Because a true partnership doesn’t end when the initial installation is done, R&M provides hook & rope test certificates, load test certificates, electrical schematics and electrical bill of materials to support you in ongoing upkeep of your equipment through the full course of its safe working period.
14. CSA Certification
The Spacemaster SX wire rope hoist carries the CSA mark with the indicators “C” and “US”. This means that the product has been certified by CSA International for both the U.S. and Canadian markets, to the applicable U.S. and Canadian standards. CSA International is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) accredited by the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) to test and certify products to U.S., Canadian and International recognized standards.
Certification from CSA International also indicates that the Spacemaster SX wire rope hoist manufacturing sites conform to a range of compliance measures and are subject to periodic follow-up inspections to verify conformance. These same manufacturing sites are also ISO9001 certified.
15. RX Program for emergency shipment
We’re in the business of minimizing downtime – during emergency situations where you need a hoist as quickly as possible, we offer the RX Program to ship you the hoist you need as quickly as possible. This includes shipment within 2 to 5 business days for 1 ton through 40 ton hoist models in our most popular trolley configurations and lifts. In this case, an additional charge applies, but programs like this are a good indicator of your hoist manufacturer’s commitment to keeping your operations running at top operation, no matter what happens.
FEATURE CHECKLIST TO REVIEW WITH MANUFACTURER
With these features accounted for, you can be sure of the quality and reliability of your new hoist.
VALUE SAVINGS: SAFETY AND QUALITY BUILT STANDARD
When features come standard as a part of your equipment, transparency of cost is clearer during initial purchase, helping you configure the budgetary needs of the other parts of your upcoming project. Features add up quickly when manufacturers view them as options rather than standard features.
Want to speak further about value saving features for your next project? Call us today at 800-955-9967 to speak with an expert, or contact a local representative online.