Did you know that people spend more than $23 billion on the market for cranes every single year? Not only that but this market is expected to reach a value of over $38 billion by the end of 2030. That means that experts expect this market to grow at a steady rate of about 5% every year for the foreseeable future.
Considering how much people spend on this industry, it is clear that cranes provide an incredible amount of value. On the other hand, some people end up spending so much on new cranes because they neglect crane maintenance. Failing to dedicate yourself to proper maintenance will cause your crimes to wear out faster, requiring you to spend extra on repairs or even expensive replacements.
On the other hand, avoiding these common crane maintenance mistakes can help you maximize the longevity of your cranes. So what are some of the most common crane maintenance mistakes people make?
Read on to learn all of the most vital things to know about crane maintenance and how you can avoid these mistakes!
1. Neglecting Preventive Crane Safety Maintenance
The biggest problem with the crane maintenance policies of many companies is that they neglect the importance of preventative maintenance. When a crane starts to malfunction, that is a sign that problems have been brewing behind the scenes for much longer.
As tiny problems are left alone, they become more and more serious until you notice them because your crane is no longer working. Of course, you can always repair these problems and keep using your crane. However, the cost of repairing significant problems is much higher than the cost of preventing such problems from ever occurring in the first place.
By catching crane problems while they are small, you can often resolve them before they ever affect your crane performance. By spending a little extra time and attention upfront on preventative maintenance, you can save yourself a lot of lost time and money later on. This principle applies to preventive maintenance of all kinds.
Another thing to remember is that every problem with your crane has an effect on the rest of the crane. When problems are left alone to develop, they also place greater burdens on the rest of the crane. That means that what starts as a single problem can lead to multiple problems, multiplying your repair costs even more.
However, with regular preventative inspections and maintenance, you can eliminate many of your crane repair problems before they ever occur.
2. Ignoring Crane Alignment
Cranes produce incredible amounts of force. As long as that force is being applied to external objects, everything is fine. However, improper crane alignment can mean that more and more of the incredible power of the crane gets applied to the body of the crane itself.
This increases friction and decreases the efficiency of crane operations. This increasing friction can also lead to incredibly destructive damage to your crane. Considering how enormous the power of cranes is, the tolerance for crane misalignment is quite low.
Fortunately, measuring how aligned your crane is does not take very long. As long as you make these kinds of measurements part of your regular inspections and maintenance, you will always know when your cranes are starting to develop alignment problems.
When they do, don’t delay resolving them. Keep your cranes as aligned as possible so that they can last as long as possible!
3. Applying Crane Lubrication Sporadically
One of the easiest ways to prevent serious crane damage is by making sure that your crane always has the lubrication that it needs. Applying lubricating grease to a crane is a simple and fast process. That means that it hits above its weight when it comes to keeping your cranes in working order.
4. Using Inefficient Inspection Processes
Many people neglect proper crane inspections because they always feel like they can put them off a little longer. Of course, that means running the risk of problems developing while you are not paying close attention.
However, it might be easier to maintain regular inspection routines if the inspections were not as tedious. There are certain parts of the crane that need more regular inspections than others. You can establish different protocols for daily, weekly, and monthly inspections.
The more items on your inspection process that you can leave for the weekly and monthly inspections, the faster your daily inspections will go. The same principle applies if you can move some of your weekly inspection items to your monthly checklist. However you need to do it, it is crucial that you provide your cranes with regular inspections.
5. Letting Wear and Tear Affect Operating Conditions
Once a crane develops issues, it is important to resolve them as soon as possible. If you continue to use a crane with an alignment or other problem, it will develop wear and tear at an accelerated rate. This will also decrease the efficient functioning of your crane.
When you discover a problem, schedule the necessary maintenance or repair right away. By providing prompt resolution to maintenance issues, your cranes will last as long as possible.
Avoid the Most Serious Crane Maintenance Mistakes
A lot of people end up spending more on repairing and replacing their cranes than necessary by making common crane maintenance mistakes. It can take a little time to set up your processes so that you are always taking proper care of your cranes. However, in the long run, doing your due diligence in this area can save you time and money!
To learn more about how to keep your cranes in the best condition possible, reach out and get in touch with us here at any time!