Gantry Crane Operation

The safe operation of gantry cranes is essential to improve your work efficiency and productivity. Here are a few tips to help you operate gantry crane more efficiently and safely.

Preparation And Inspection Before Operation of Gantry Crane

The gantry crane should be operated by personnel trained in crane operation.
The driver should understand the structure and performance of the crane, be familiar with its working principle and operating device, master the function of its safety device and the correct operation method, and conductcareful and timely maintenance.
Check whether there is a temporary power failure on site for maintenance.
Check whether the safety switches, transmission mechanisms and brakes are intact and reliable.
Check whether the fixing bolts of each part are loose, and whether there are various items scattered on the crane.
Add grease to each lubrication point as required.
Before powering on, all control handles must be turned to the zero position and the doors on each channel must be closed.

Safety Operation Rules

Before driving, ring the bell to warn.
Test run each mechanism with no load first to judge whether each mechanism can work normal.
When lifting heavy objects for the first time in each shift, or lifting liquid metal, hazardous liquids or important objects, they should be lifted 200-300mm off the ground first. They can only beofficially lifted after verifying the reliability of the brake.
When the gantry crane is running close to the crane of the same span or above, a distance of more than 1.5 meters must be maintained.
The gantry crane must lift heavy objects in the vertical direction, and it is forbidden to drag and lift heavy objects at an angle. No lifting is allowed when the hook is rotating.
When approaching the end of the track, both thegantry crane and the trolley should slow down and approach at a slow speed to avoid direct collision with the block.
The gantry crane must not collide with another crane.
The lifted heavy objects shall not stay in the air for a long time. When the line voltage drops sharply, all control handles should be returned to the zero position as soon as possible, and the main switch should be cut off. In the event of a sudden power failure, when heavy objects are suspended in the air, neither the driver nor the crane worker shall leave their posts, and other personnel on the scene shall be warned not to pass through the danger zone.
When the brake of the lifting mechanism suddenly fails during work, the operator should calmly respond. If necessary, the operator can switch the controller to a low-speed gear to perform slow and repeated lifting actions. At the same time, start the crane and trolley mechanisms, and choose a safe area to put down the heavy objects.
The low-speed gears of each mechanism prohibit long-term operation, and it is only allowed to run under three working conditions: starting, braking and alignment. Normal working conditions are all running at high gear.
The crane’s controller should be activated step by step. It is forbidden to directly pushthe controller handle from the forward position to the reverse direction or from the reverse direction to the forward position to stop the crane. Only under special circumstances to prevent accidents, can it be allowed to reverse the first gear to achieve emergency stop.
During the operation, if hearing abnormal sounds, the operator should immediately stop and cut off the power for inspection, and the hoisted objects should be placed on the ground securely.
When the crane is working, no one is allowed to stay on the crane and the track.
When the gantry crane is running with no load, the hook must be raised at least one person’s height.
When the crane is running with heavy objects, the hook must be raised 0.5 meters above the highest obstacle on the running route.
It is strictly forbidden to passover people’s heads when lifting heavy objects.
It is prohibited to use crane lifting devices to transport or lift people.
It is forbidden to store flammable (kerosene, gasoline, etc.) and explosive materials on the crane.
Tools and spare parts must be stored in special boxes, and are not allowed to be scattered on cranesto prevent falling and hurting people.
The gantry crane should be equipped with a fire extinguisher. A safety rope should be provided to prepare for getting on and off in special circumstances.
Under normal circumstances, each limit switch is not allowed to be used for stopping.
When finishing the work, drive the crane to the specified parking point, park the trolley at the other end of the cab, hoist the empty hook to the upper limit position, and turn the controller handles to the zero position.
Make a record of shifts, and report any problems found during operation.
For gantry cranes that work continuously, each shift should have 15 minutes of cleaning and inspection.
When changing shifts, the wire rope should be inspected on the surface and its fixings, and a detailed inspection should be done every 1-10 days.
Within 12 months, a regular safety inspection of the crane must be carried out.