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Written by Richard Howes
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Tuesday, 10 June 2008 10:14 |
I spoke to Mitchell A. Kueffer, president, KCI of Georgia, Inc., earlier this week, and we got to discussing safety, again. If you remember, Kueffer has previously told the story of a day in June 1998 when a routine hoist replacement job went badly wrong. Without the same disastrous consequences, there are equally valuable lessons to be learnt from this story.
Some years ago, KCI of Georgia was providing inspection and repair services to a nationally known manufacturer in south eastern Georgia.
"We had been inspecting their cranes for several years and, per standard procedure, after each inspection, we submitted ou r proposal for recommended repairs, for their review and approval," Kueffer said.
As was usual with this customer, they only addressed the absolute safety issues and let most other recommendations wait until they had no choice but to make repairs.
During this particular inspection, a technician noted that one of the bridge motors was running extremely hot. In checking with the operator, KCI learned that the crane was blowing fuses on a regular basis. This, of course, indicated that the customer knew there was a problem.
"Checking further, we realised that their solution had been to replace the three 10 Amp fuses with three 30 Amp fuses. This was why the motor was getting so hot," Kueffer recalled.
Upon further investigation, he determined that the motor windings were shorting out and that the motor was in need of replacement or of a rewind. This recommendation was passed on to the customer prior to their departure.
Several days later, KCI were called in on an emergency. It seemed that not only had the motor completely burned up, it caught on fire, causing minor damage to the building.
"Upper management was quite upset, claiming that we should have caught this problem during our inspection and effected immediate repairs!" Of course, Kueffer explained that they had, in fact, reported this condition to their maintenance contact and they had, apparently, chosen to ignore it.
Upon replacing the motor and prior to start-up, KCI did a complete circuit check to be certain no other damage had occurred. Upon opening the control panel they found three pieces of standard EMT (conduit) in place of the 30 Amp fuses they had discovered during the inspection.
"Once this was shown to the customer, we were off the hook and his maintenance department was on the chopping block."
Unfortunately, this incident did nothing to change the way the customer maintained his cranes. Like so many, they have the inspections performed because it's the law. But they still won't fix it until it breaks down.
Will people ever learn?
Richard Howes, Editor |
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Written by Richard Howes
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Wednesday, 30 April 2008 10:44 |
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We've got a brief reprieve between two back-to-back trade shows, with NA concluding last week and CeMAT kicking off in just under a month's time (27-31 May). And if the former is anything to go by, the hot topic in Germany will be how the imminent decline of the US market with influence business globally. Fortunately, there is much hope for the overhead market in the US, despite talk of a recession. The overhead material handling industry, including cranes, hoists and monorails, is, in the US, still growing at double-digit rates, according to Hal Vandiver, Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) executive vice president of business development. This is largely due to expansion at the ports, added Vandiver, who is also the managing director of the key overhead lifting product sections within the MHIA, namely the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), the Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI) and the Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA). Some areas of the industry, including industrial trucks, are already experiencing a slowdown but not so yet in the overhead sectors. Vandiver warns: "There is a business cycle." But the challenge for overhead lifting manufacturers and suppliers is to stay ahead of the game. Many still remain positive. Carlo A. Lonardi, vice president, sales and marketing, of Manheim-based manufacturer Harrington Hoists Inc., for example, said: "We're not participating in any recession. We will concentrate our efforts on outpacing the industry and creating our own opportunities. We feel another successful growth year is possible. The media want to talk us into a recession but major hoist industries are strong. We have found that many of our core industries are still strong and our Mexico and Central America markets still have much expansion available." He did add though: "I do believe that growth percentages will be lessened." And that was probably widely accepted on the show floor in Cleveland. Harrington Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Kito Corporation, generated a buzz with the last-minute unveiling of the next generation of the ER and NER series electric chain hoist, to the US market. The ER model incorporates a mechanical load brake, while the NER has motor brake only. "The new models will incorporate the latest technology available in the world today including standard under the cover variable frequency drives for all two-speed units, in addition to infinitely variable options," Harrington said. Additional improvements to the hoist include easy change top suspension, nickel-plated DIN chain, 5 and 6 pocket load sheave, IP 55 rating, UL listing for all models, capacities up to 20 tons and a revolutionary brake "requiring no maintenance," it added. A full product report will appear in OCH magazine, and online, when available, but this is basically fresh off the back of the show! Spanco Inc., meanwhile, launched its so-called Lift Boss Wire Rope Hoist, and the Beam Boss Beam Tractor Drive, both part of its new Boss line of products. The Lift Boss Wire Rope Hoist (its first ever wire rope hoist) is available in 3 or 5 ton capacity. Designed for Class C service, the hoist will come with 20 or 30ft lift capability, 15 FPM lift speed, and a four-pull hook load block. Outfitted with a worm gear reducer drive, the hoist travels on forged steel heat treated crown treads, designed to accommodate 4-8.05in flanges. The Beam Boss Beam Tractor Drive, meanwhile, "will bring motorised power to your bridge crane or trolley hoist." The "facility workhorse," as Spanco referred to it, is available in three standard speeds with a raft of optional features. Primarily designed for indoor service, it can run on an I-beam or wide flange beam with lower flange from 3 1/4-8 1/2in with a 1in thick maximum. Optional features include explosion-proof controls, spark resistant wheels, soft start, variable frequency drives, among many more. Spanco, meanwhile, opened a new west coast manufacturing facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, in March. The new facility will allow Spanco to provide "better service and faster delivery to our valuable customers on the west coast," it said. There's loads more to report and you'll be pleased to hear that a full show round-up will appear in the May/June issue. Congratulations, again, to the MHIA on a successful show! Richard Howes, Editor |
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Last Updated on Monday, 12 May 2008 11:53 |
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I often surf around the net to keep up to date with developments in the multitude of fascinating materials handling marketplaces across the globe, which involves reading what fellow bloggers have to say. And I bumped into Tom Andel, editor-in-chief, Modern Materials Handling, in the blogosphere recently. He had just put the phone down following a conversation with Jim Shephard, president of Shephard's Industrial Training Systems, for the next "Lift Truck Tips" column in Modern. "We got to talking about how materials handling equipment is sold and how sometimes the salespeople are as clueless as their customers about the application of equipment in the customer's environment," Andel said. Problems begin when your operators try to fit that square peg into the round hole that is your operation, he continued. Not that it is Modern's style to promote overhead lifting, but he may have touched upon a key point here. Lift trucks are often the square peg he refers to. As he added: "If a mis-applied piece of equipment or technology forces an operator to change a good material handling technique to a bad one to handle the product, it's not the operator's fault." And, true enough, the member of the firm with buying authority will likely be on the show floor at NA08 next month (21-24 April), not operating the equipment on the factory floor. There's very little a lift truck can do that an overhead crane can't, and often do better. We've got to make end users and distributors leave the I-X Center, Cleveland, Ohio, sharing that belief. There's a certain glamour attached to fork lift trucks that could be the main reason why they hold such a massive slice of the materials handling market. Shephard told Andel he has had five calls from attorneys in the last few months, looking for an expert witness associated with fatalities involving lift trucks. "Jim's doing his homework on these cases. Are you doing yours to avoid being the next one?" Andel asks. I might well ask the same of Modern's readers, of which a large percentage is among the lift truck sector. Surely such "homework," as he put it, would uncover the raft of other solutions available in addition to lift trucks. The usual suspects - Baoli Forklift, Combilift Ltd., Hyster Co., Komatsu Forklift USA Inc. - will be out in force at NA. Let battle begin. Richard Howes, Editor |
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 March 2008 12:32 |
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Time to target lift truck market |
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We recently received confirmation of OCH's booth number (2725) at NA08, which will be held at the I-X Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, from April 21-24. We've got a big job on our hands both before and during the show... On a show floor packed with storage and automation equipment and lift trucks - there will be more than ever this year - it's so important that overhead lifting equipment is given the exposure it deserves. Of equal significance is the need to introduce it to potential visitors before they get in the show grounds. OCH is passionate about promoting overhead lifting above all other forms of material handling. There are clear advantages of, say, gantry and jib cranes over widely used lift trucks, but the challenge is positioning the products in a way that convinces the end user market that is the case. In a recent poll, the majority (61%) said the main reason they choose overhead lifting equipment over fork lift trucks is to clear floor space. Some 22% said trucks are cumbersome, noisy and dirty. The former reason is a real selling point and it is just one of the messages I'll be trying to get through to the sales channels during NA08, America's largest trade show relevant to this industry of the year. What advantages do your products have over alternative forms of lifting? Don't be shy about marketing your products and brands directly against the competition. It's one thing contributing to trade associations and product groups, but only when you unite forces against the lift truck business will you gain a priceless portion of the massive slice of the market they currently enjoy. Don't forget to drop by booth 2725 if you're at the show! Richard Howes, Editor |
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There was something symbolic about attendees of the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA) annual meeting gathering at Fort James Jackson (also known as Old Fort Jackson) on the banks of the Savannah River last year.
According to the Coastal Heritage Society, the fort is one of only eight Second System fortifications (a series of forts built prior to the War of 1812) still standing in the United States. It served as headquarters for the Confederate Savannah River defences during the American Civil War. It has been a part of Coastal Georgia's history for nearly two centuries. Named in honour of Georgia governor and Revolutionary War soldier James Jackson, the society says the fort is the oldest standing brick fortification in the state.
There, in the very battleground of bygone eras, in the shadows of the old stone walls, from which cannons were once fired on advancing enemies, MHIA members demonstrated the same collectivity that America's ancestor soldiers once did before them. Whilst the industry isn't facing cannon-fire, or even needs large walls to protect its troops, there are constant potential threats to the business and the broader economy that have knock-on effects. This is how markets are analysed and forecasts are drawn up.
There's something special about bringing the industry together to explore the common good that can be experienced through shared initiatives and focus groups. True, it's taken a long time to get many round to this way of thinking (some key figures within this and other major trade associations say even as long as ten years in fact) but they're reaping the rewards now. Within the MHIA, there are product sections and councils like the Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI), the Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA) and the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), where big cheeses from even the fiercest rival companies sit down to explore common goals and address issues in the marketplace. I suppose, just like commanding soldiers used to assess an enemy prior to battle, these product sections discuss the potential threats to their particular marketplace. The MHIA annual meetings offer the ideal environment for gaining knowledge and networking. Some parts of the agenda are totally focused on business topics; other parts encompass social gatherings to enjoy with spouses or partners plus old and new friends.
Meetings touched upon market forecasts, engineering concerns and ways companies can work together even in the promotion of their own individual products and brands, through cases on the MHIA website, for example. Just as it said in the brochure, the Hyatt Regency Savannah offered an "inspiring setting for both business and pleasure."
Everyone says their product is the best, the safest, the most cost-effective and shines the most, but it makes a nice change to forget this for a while and concentrate on the important collective interests companies share. After all, as I've said before, trumpeting your own product and throwing mud at the others is largely a waste of time if the industry-wide issued are ignored. And the MHIA, at least, have worked this out. Richard Howes, Editor |
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Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2008 11:46 |
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