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By Chris Becker
President G.W. Becker, Inc.
G.W. Becker Inc. last year
completed two of the largest
single-unit orders for new
cranes in our history. Both
orders mandated our expert-
ise in application assistance,
custom design engineering,
manufacturing, turnkey in-
stallation and commissioning.
The first project was a
40/10-ton-capacity crane rat-
ed for continuous charging
duty in an electric arc fur-
nace melt shop.
The 230VDC unit spans
60 feet, has 40 feet of lift and
is designed for ambient tem-
peratures up to 140°F. The
operator sits in an enclosed,
climate-controlled cab and
loads buckets of scrap into
the furnace.
He also has the ability to
handle loose scrap using an
electromagnet mounted on
the 10-ton capacity auxiliary
hoist. Additionally, this ven-
ture involved the design and
upgrade of the runway elec-
trification system to 1000
amps as required by the de-
mands of the new crane.
The second project was a
severe service, 40/15-ton-ca-
pacity crane for use in the
annealing bay of a steel man-
ufacturer. The 230VDC unit
spans 94 feet, has 55 feet of
lift and is designed for ambi-
ent temperatures up to
140°F.
The operator sits in an er-
gonomic control chair with
integral master switches,
which can rotate to improve
their viewpoint. The control
chair is mounted in a climate
controlled, centrally located,
enclosed cab which features
large glass windows in the
walls and floor to allow maxi-
mum visibility. The approxi-
mately-250,000-pound crane
will be used to load and un-
load steel coils into vertical
annealing furnaces.
In addition, we installed a
new automated crane for use
in a pickle-
house appli-
cation. The
unit was
custom built
to specifical-
ly handle long lengths of ma-
terial used in the nuclear in-
dustry.
The operator controls the
crane wirelessly from a floor-
mounted touch screen at a
control pulpit. The operator
can run the unit through a
predefined “recipe’’ of dips
and moves, or modify the
process accordingly. The dis-
play also provides crane
drive status telemetry and
fault information.
We are in the process of
modifying six existing EOT
cranes at a locomotive en-
gine manufacturer’s facility.
The turnkey field project in-
volved new power rotating
lower hook blocks, new ra-
dio-control units, associated
electrical control upgrades,
installation, commissioning
and training.
We continued some long-
term inspection and service
site contracts with several
manufacturing companies to
troubleshoot and repair the
EOT crane and hoist units at
their facilities. A typical con-
tract may encompassboth pe-
riodic and frequent inspec-
tions required by OSHA, as
well as preventive mainte-
nance including lubrication,
emergency service and
scheduled repairs. However,
we do customize each con-
tract to our customer?s spe-
cific needs. All supervision,
labor, equipment and materi-
al for repairs are usually in-
cluded.
G.W. Becker is offering
operator training for users of
overhead cranes and hoists.
Operator training is becom-
ing more prevalent and may
soon be required for all
units. Our typical course cov-
ers regulations, crane termi-
nology and types, rigging
and attachments, pre-shift in-
spection, operation, lifting
plans, and hand signals. A
test is administered and
graded prior to operator cer-
tification. Again, the course
can be customized to the
user specific needs, and may
be conducted on or off site.
We were recently awarded
a large contract for a new 20-
ton-capacity crane for use in
the charging bay of a steel
producer. The heavy duty
AC unit spans 60 feet, has 50
feet of lift and is designed for
ambient temperatures up to
160°F. The operator will
have control via a remote ra-
dio system or pendant. The
crane has many mill duty
features that will allow for
ease of access and mainte-
nance.
Our engineering depart-
ment was augmented again
this year with the addition of
a structural design engineer.
In addition, our engineering
manager obtained PE licen-
sure and continues to be an
active committee member on
ASME B30.2-Overhead and
Gantry Cranes.
We deal with a variety of
quality hoist manufacturers
to allow maximum flexibility
during the design application
phase of projects involving
packaged hoists. This year
we added the R&M product
line to supplement our al-
ready vast offering of ACCO-
Wright, Yale, Shaw-Box,
Budgit, CM, Coffing, Detroit,
Electrolift, Saturn and
Chester chain and wire rope
hoists.
Our outlook for 2012 is
positive. We carry a large
backlog of work into the
summer, including 15 orders
for new cranes ranging in ca-
pacity from one to 40 tons,
as well as a significant
amount of field service proj-
ects. If the recent trend of in-
creased monthly sales con-
tinues as expected, our
enthusiastic workforce of 50
people may need to be en-
hanced.
G.W. Becker is still an ac-
tive cxecutive member with-
in the Crane Manufacturer’s
Association of America Inc.
Member companies repre-
sent industry leaders in the
overhead crane market and
are concerned, conscientious
manufacturers affiliated in an
industry association to pro-
vide voluntary standards for
the mechanical, structural
and electrical design of over-
head cranes, and to formu-
late guidelines for the proper
use, operation and mainte-
nance of those cranes.
Since 1980, G.W. Becker
has been servicing cus-
tomers throughout the east-
ern United States and Cana-
da by providing a complete
spectrum of products and
services to address their
needs in both industrial and
mill environments. We offer
both new and rebuilt over-
head cranes, as well as pro-
viding field service, emer-
gency repairs, OSHA
inspections, preventative
maintenance, operator train-
ing, runway surveys, capacity
evaluations, and parts for all
makes and models of over-
head cranes and hoists.
www.sharonherald.com
Outlook 2012
ÿ
THE HERALD,
Sharon, Pa.,
Sunday, February 26, 2012; HUBBARD PRESS, Hubbard, Ohio, Saturday, March 3,
Celebrating 38 Yea
of service for
Better Hearing
20 Canal St.
Greenville, PA 16125
724-588-4784
1818 E. State S
Hermitage, PA 16
724-981-5930
VISIT OUR NEW
GROVE CITY LOCATION
610 W. Main Street, Suite C, Brenton Bl
Across from Howe Candy
Grove City, PA 16127 • 724-458-851
Toll Free 800-475-9192
Specializing
In Nerve
Hearing Loss
Hearing Evaluation
Hearing Aids
Service & Repair on all makes and
Accepting Most Insuran
R.W. Petruso team of Hearing Care professionals
Still Here After 86 Y
• Bring your Gazebo Tops, Swing Cushi
Covers and Patio Furniture Cushions in
• Let Us Cover Your Patio Furniture, Ta
Umbrellas & Air Conditioners!
We Can Design a Cover For You!
• Don’t Forget... We do Repair Work Als
Leaf Bags, Mower Bags, Etc!
Check Out Our Tough Canvas
& Wine Bags!
WE DO GIFT CERTIFICAT
150 Smith Avenue • S
724-346-495
“
Servicing Your Awning Needs Sin
Grimm’s Awnings
Proudly
investing
in the
community
since
1877
with
quality
people
producing
quality
products.
With the
strength to
deliver.
Plants located in
CAMBRIDGE, OHIO
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
NILES, OHIO
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SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA
WARREN, OHIO
WHEATLAND, PENNSYLVANIA
HERMITAGE
Becker completes massive
cranes for steel industry
G.W. Becker Inc. produced this 40-ton-capacity, 60-foot-span, 230 V
crane at its factory in Hermitage. It is designed for continuous duty
Pennsylvania manufacturer’s electric arc furnace melt shop.
The
Outlook
A community
point of view