ELS meets complicated application needs with custom lifting solution

Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment (ELS) has been designing and fabricating custom lifting solutions for more than 45 years. Thanks to its expert staff, engineering knowledge and ability to produce quality products, the company has earned a reputation for making difficult jobs seem easy. One recent example is for a customer that required two identical offset lifting beams in a restricted, hazardous area.

A complicated application

In this particular example, the end-user’s lifting operations had several challenges that needed to be considered. The work area was a hazardous environment, and significantly restricted the length and weight of the beams. Each lifting beam required a single point lifting bail for a 15-ton crane, along with rigging that would attach to two lifting points on the beam. The initial quote request was for an offset lifting point of 11,000 pounds to enable safe lifts outside of the overhead crane’s normal service area. The customer also requested a second beam for 3,000 pounds.

An additional complication was the compressed timeline for design, fabrication and shipment of the two beams. Due to the complexity of the lifting beam, the ELS design engineering process required extensive model and testing in software programs. This would help them develop a system to accommodate various lifting capacities and, at the same time, balance the offset load.

A creative solution

All of these requirements called for the design to be a three-piece, bolt-together beam to accommodate the additional reach and capacity. The final capacity was for 14,000 pounds and 6,000 pounds, with an additional length of six feet, three inches. A nose piece was needed to extend the reach, and an end piece was necessary to increase the beam length for a longer travel distance, so that the counterweight could accommodate varying reach and load weights. Balancing of the beam prior to lifting operations was accomplished by a remote radio controller and a battery-powered, trolley-mounted counterweight that travels along the length of the beam to offset the load.

To prove the functionality of the beam and ensure that everything worked as required, a pre-planned engineered load test was performed at ELS before being shipped to the customer.

A satisfied customer

The end-user’s difficult job of lifting panels has been made achievable with these two offset lifting beams. Through a demanding design, fabrication and assembly process that insisted on excellent workmanship and high safety standards, the lifts are now performed reliably and with ease.

To learn more, contact Engineered Lifting Systems & Equipment. 

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