Past AIST Committee Activities
Current Activities
The Mill Buildings Subcommittee of the Cranes Technology Committee met at AISTech 2010 following their technical session during the conference. The group concurred that the presentations by the group were well received; but for future conferences, the committee will look to jointly organize sessions with other AIST Technology Committees, such as the Project & Construction Management Technology Committee or the Maintenance & Reliability Technology Committee. The Mill Buildings Subcommittee will continue to review the content of Technical Report No. 13 and will plan to hold teleconference and face-to-face meetings to revise the report.
The Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) held a brief meeting during AISTech 2010 on May 4 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The CTC conducted some brief reviews of their current activities as they prepared for the 17th Annual Crane Symposium, which was held June 13–15, 2010. A review was also provided on the development of the Maintenance, Inspection and Repair of EOT Cranes guide. The CTC then elected officers for 2010–2011. Bill Wagner of ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor will serve a second term as chair of the committee, and Mike Urbassik of EC&M will be vice chair. The next CTC meeting was June 13, immediately prior to the Crane Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pa. The fall 2010 meeting will be co-located with the AIST Midwest Chapter meeting in Merrilville, Ind., on Oct. 12, 2010.
The Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) met on Feb. 18, 2010, at the Stockyards Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas, for their winter meeting. Following introductions and AIST announcements, the CTC members reviewed safety incidents throughout the steel industry. The main discussion item was the nominating of candidates for the 2010 Crane Innovator of the Year Award. Lucian Rainville of Cableform championed John Austin’s efforts at Gerdau Ameristeel in utilizing solid-state magnet controls to reduce maintenance costs and improve operating efficiency of a scrap handling crane. Frank Petrek of Xtek Inc. championed Warren McWhorter for the Overhead Traveling Crane Safety Program at CMC Birmingham. Rich Warriner of Ace World Companies championed Andy Montalbano for his work in developing a training school for U. S. Steel – Gary Works crane maintenance personnel to safely practice crane maintenance procedures. Bill Wagner of ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor championed Mike Heaney’s standardization of the crane inspection program at Indiana Harbor. Mike Urbassik of EC&M championed Charlie Totten for his lifelong dedication to promoting new technologies for EOT cranes and bringing attention to the new technologies through forums such as AISTech and the AIST Crane Symposium. Following these presentations, a vote by the attending members was taken, and Charlie Totten was confirmed as the 2010 AIST Crane Innovator of the Year. Mr. Totten will present his paper on “World-Class Crane Runways for the 21st Century” at both AISTech 2010 and the 17th Annual Crane Symposium. The paper is also scheduled for publication in the June 2010 issue of Iron & Steel Technology. He will be receiving his formal award at the Crane Symposium. The 17th Annual AIST Crane Symposium program was then discussed. Unconfirmed presentations were identified, and additional presentations were scheduled as needed. The Crane Symposium is scheduled for June 13–15, 2010, in Pittsburgh, Pa. The CTC technical session for AISTech 2010 was also discussed, and additional papers were identified. Next on the agenda was an update by Frank Petrek regarding the work being performed on the Maintance, Inspection and Repair Guide for EOT Cranes. The subcommittees continue to work to develop the individual sections for EOT crane inspection and repair. The subcommittees meet via Internet and conference calls approximately every third month. The report should be complete in 2011. A call was also made to all committee members to submit their thoughts on any revisions necessary to Technical Report No. 6 — Specification for EOT Cranes for Steel Mill Service. The meeting concluded with an overview of the ACE World Companies facilities in Fort Worth, Texas, by Rich Warriner. The members of the CTC were invited to tour the ACE crane-making facilities. Ace Ghanemi, Rich Warriner and Kevin Klubertanz took the group through their facility, showing the different capabilities of the crane construction process. Daan Potters also offered a demonstration of the Merford crane cab, which is used by Ace World Companies for their manned EOT cranes. The next meeting of the CTC will be on June 12, 2010, immediately prior to the 17th Annual AIST Crane Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pa.
The Mill Buildings Subcommittee (MBSC) of the Cranes Technology Committee held their fall meeting on Sept. 17 as an Internet/teleconference meeting. Middough Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, hosted the meeting. After brief introductions and a review of the AIST Anti-Trust Guidelines, the chair stated that the MBSC will sponsor a session at AISTech 2010 on mill buildings. The members of the committee have been working on three topics to be presented at AISTech 2010: Hot Metal Duct Design, Mill Building Load Criteria and Mill Building Inspections. A discussion was held concerning the revisions that have been made to ASCE 7-05 Seismic Provisions and how the provisions relate to non-building structures and what constitutes a non-building structure. Next, the Mill Building Load Criteria information was reviewed. It was noted that revisions may be required to AIST’s Technical Report No. 6 and Technical Report No. 13 to account for the practice of adding guide rollers to overhead traveling cranes, and that the guide rollers may impact the lateral stress that the crane inflicts upon the rail and building components. A final review was also made to the Mill Building Inspections information, as it is ready for presentation at AISTech 2010 in May. The next MBSC meeting will be held on Dec. 15, 2009.
The Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) held their fall meeting on Oct. 13 at the ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor Training Center in Chesterton, Ind. Following introductions and a review of the AIST Anti-Trust Guidelines and AIST activities, the CTC discussed the latest AIST Safety & Health Technology Committee steel industry safety incidents report. A note was made that fall protection is critical for crane safety. The CTC then made nominations for the 2010 Crane Innovator of the Year Award. Six candidates were proposed and their champions were identified, who will promote these candidates at the next CTC meeting. The members made their initial selections of presentations for the 17th Annual Crane Symposium, which will be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., on June 13–15, 2010. Presenters were identified for the 22 topics chosen on such subjects as crane safety devices, anti-sway technology, thermography for reliability and safety, gear inspection and repair, crane vibration analysis, the latest in brake technology, and many others. The presenters will be contacted, and invitations will be sent to solidify the program. Papers were also identified the AISTech 2010 CTC technical session. Four to six papers were selected for their session. Items were then proposed for the next AIST Technical Report No. 6 — Specification for EOT Cranes for Steel Mill Service revision. Members will be providing any additional items for the next meeting, with the goal of having TR 6 revised in the next two years. A review of progress on the Maintenance, Inspection and Repair of EOT Cranes was given by the chairs of the Mechanical/Structural and Electrical Subcommittees. Topics were identified for the next subcommittee meetings, which will be via Internet and teleconference on Dec. 3. The meeting concluded with a discussion on any potential nominations for the AIST Distinguished Member Award and the Sendzimir Award. The CTC then toured the ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor hot strip mill. With the guidance of Jim Maranto, Todd Sipich, Tim Palmer and David Gross, the members had the opportunity to see the hot strip mill from the reheat furnaces to the downcoilers, as well as a brief walk through both the roll shop and the motor room of the facility. As a wrap-up to the meeting, the members attended the AIST Midwest Chapter kick-off dinner that evening. The next CTC meeting will be on Feb. 17–18, 2010, in Dallas, Texas.
The Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) met during AISTech 2009. Introductions were made by members and guests in attendance. The acting chair, Charlie Totten, thanked everyone for attending AISTech, and especially thanked the members who were also presenting at AISTech for their support of AIST. The 16th Annual Crane Symposium program was reviewed, and ArcelorMittal offered a presentation to fill the open slot in the symposium program. The meeting ended with a discussion regarding the necessity of updating and enhancing radio remote control specifications. The effort is being led by ECMA International, an association that standardizes information and communications systems. Several CTC members volunteered to assist in reviewing any standard changes.
The CTC then met on May 31, 2009, immediately prior to the 16th Annual AIST Crane Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pa. After introductions and a review of the AIST Anti-Trust Guidelines, the members held an election for the chair of the CTC. William Wagner, ArcelorMittal Indiana Harbor, was nominated and elected to the position. The immediate past chair then reviewed the current status of the Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Guide for EOT Cranes. The committee also reviewed the need to update the DC Crane Control Print Reading document. The members then suggested potential presentations for the 17th Annual AIST Crane Symposium, which would be held, again, in Pittsburgh, Pa. The CTC will solicit presentations from EOT crane users in industries such as aluminum, pulp/paper, nuclear and shipyards. The next CTC meeting will be on Oct 13, 2009, in Merrillville, Ind., in conjunction with the AIST Midwest Member Chapter kickoff dinner.
The Mill Buildings Subcommittee (MBSC) of the Cranes Technology Committee met in Cleveland, Ohio, on Feb. 12. After introductions and a review of the AIST Antitrust Guidelines, John Rolfes, vice chair of the MBSC, welcomed everyone in attendance. The first item of discussion was the organization of their AISTech 2009 session on mill building design and inspection. Three presentations will be given during the Monday morning session at AISTech. The papers, which would form a foundation for a guide to the design and maintenance of mill buildings, are: “Mill Building Inspections,” “Hot Metal Duct Design” and “AIST Technical Report No. 13 Crane Loading Criteria.” Times were identified for the presentation. The meeting then focused on reviewing the content of the individual papers, with suggestions made as to how to properly focus each paper to ensure they are of the utmost quality for future references. An update was also given by Mr. Rolfes regarding the AISC Ad-hoc Committee on Industrial Buildings and their activities.
The Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) held their winter meeting at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor on Feb. 10. Frank Petrek, chair of the CTC, opened the meeting and welcomed the 38 members and guests in attendance. He made note of the AIST Anti-Trust Guidelines, had introductions, and reviewed the AIST staff announcements. Mr. Petrek provided an overview of the committee structure, detailing how the CTC would meet four times per year and include a plant tour, or meet in conjunction with AISTech or the AIST Crane Symposium. The two subcommittees of the CTC (Electrical Subcommittee and Mechanical/Structural Subcommittee) meet occasionally over the Internet and by teleconference to conduct work on the Maintenance, Inspection and Repair of EOT Cranes Guidelines, and AIST’s Technical Report No. 6: Specification for EOT Cranes for Steel Mill Service. A review of the AIST Crane Symposium was conducted. Presenters were confirmed and substitutions were identified where needed. Jerry Bruder, supervisor — crane maintenance at ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor, welcomed the committee and presented information pertaining to the Cranes Repair Department at Burns Harbor. The next item on the agenda was a brief discussion on the status of the next International Crane Symposium. Brazil is still being considered, and the committee has approached ArcelorMittal Tubarão to sponsor the tour and support the symposium. A review of the CTC sessions for AISTech 2009 was then made. Presenters were confirmed and substitutions were identified as needed. Mr. Petrek provided the group with an overview of the work done to date and the upcoming items for discussion on Maintenance, Inspection and Repair of EOT Cranes Guidelines. The guide will be a reference for new crane maintenance personnel to use on the job site to properly evaluate and maintain the various components of an EOT crane. A report was also provided regarding the upcoming changes to Technical Report No. 6 — most notably, modifications to the power limit switch and wiring information as it pertains to DC constant potential drives and variable frequency drives. The meeting concluded with a tour of the ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor Crane Repair Department. The next CTC meeting will take place May 5 during AISTech 2009 in St. Louis, Mo.
The Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) held their fall meeting on Nov. 13, 2008, in Birmingham, Ala. After introductions by the attending members and a review of the AIST Anti-Trust Guidelines, seven new members were welcomed to the committee. A review of the International Crane Symposium was then discussed. Held in Košice, Slovakia, in September, AIST’s international conference attracted 100 attendees and was well accepted by all who attended. The committee felt that future international conferences should be planned and that the next International Crane Symposium should be held in Brazil in the fall of 2009. ArcelorMittal Tubarao has expressed interest in supporting the event. Next on the agenda was the review of the Crane Innovator of the Year award candidates. Bruce Constatine of EC&M championed Randy Creech for Mr. Creech’s work in promoting AC-sourced magnet control. Rusty Landis of TAG Inc. championed Micheal Heaney’s efforts to develop a training program at ArcelorMittal for the Crane Repairman of the Future. Rich Warriner of Virginia Crane Services championed Andy Montalbano of U. S. Steel–Gary Works for his Crane Maintenance Training Facility at Gary Works. Following a close vote, a winner was determined and the award will be presented at the 2009 AIST Crane Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pa., June 1–2. The program for the 2009 AIST Crane Symposium was also discussed. The title for the symposium will be, “Safety, Maintenance and Modernizations for EOT Cranes.” Twenty-four papers will be needed, and the members developed a list of 28 potential presentations: 10 mechanical, 10 electrical and eight safety-related. The final list will be determined by the officers of the committee and organized into a formal program. A small number of the presentations will also be presented at AISTech 2009 in St. Louis, Mo. Two technical sessions focused on EOT cranes were organized for AISTech 2009. It was determined that the next meeting will be held on Feb. 10, 2009, in Northwest Indiana so the meeting could be located close to many of the producer members of the committee. Included in the meeting will be a tour of ArcelorMittal Burns Harbor’s Crane Maintenance Department.
Following the general committee meeting, the members split into two subcommittees (Mechanical/Structural and Electrical) for topic-specific discussions on the Maintenance, Inspection and Repair of EOT Cranes Guidelines. The subcommittees reviewed their respective sections and developed a timetable for the members to complete their designated sections of the guidelines. The next meeting for the subcommittees to review their progress via Web and conference call was on Jan. 27.
On Nov. 14, 2008, the committee members were welcomed by CMC Alabama for a tour of the steelmaking facilities. Warren McWhorter, Mark Brune and Martin Schreiber welcomed the committee to CMC Birmingham. Mr. McWhorter provided an overview of the steelmaking and rolling facilities in Birmingham, and then proceeded to provide an excellent review of their safety record and how it was achieved. Additionally, he presented information on the EOT cranes at CMC and some of the unique features that their cranes possess. The members were then taken on a tour of the rolling mill, packaging and shipping department, the EAF pulpit, the continuous caster and the charge aisle. Following the tour, additional time was spent conducting a question-and-answer session with Mr. McWhorter and Mr. Brune regarding their cranes, how they are maintained, and improvements that they have made to keep their cranes operating.
The Mill Buildings Subcommittee of the Cranes Technology Committee met Oct. 9 in Cleveland, Ohio. Following introductions and a review of the AIST Anti-Trust Guidelines, the members began a discussion on the minimum requirements for inspections of steel structures. This discussion will become a paper presented at AISTech 2009 and will focus on existing structures. The goal is to set a standard for minimum frequency of inspections for steel structures in order that they can be maintained in a safe condition. The various points developed in the paper outline were discussed, so that a quality paper can be written. A general discussion followed, with members bringing up topics of concern as they relate to steel mill structures. The last item of business focused on the other internally developed paper for AISTech 2009, which related to crane loading and the coordination between AIST Technical Report No. 13 and the International Building Code. The next meeting for the Mill Buildings Subcommittee will be on Feb. 12, 2009, in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Mill Buildings Subcommittee (MBSC) of the Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) met on June 24 in Cleveland, Ohio, for their second meeting of 2008. After introductions, a review of the AIST anti-trust guidelines and staff announcements, the members discussed the future activities of the committee. In the new AIST Technology Committee structure, the former Mill Buildings Operating Committee became a subcommittee of the CTC. As a subcommittee, the membership is part of the CTC membership, but they will continue to meet independently from the CTC, create their own programming and host their own activities. To foster interaction between the subcommittee and the CTC, a subcommittee liason was created who would report any relavent CTC activities to the subcommittee membership. Joint meetings will likely be arranged at the annual AISTech meetings every spring. The MBSC then began discussions on developing their technical sessions for AISTech 2009, to be held in St. Louis, Mo., on May 4–7, 2009. The membership will create presentations internally for a three-hour, three-paper session. The papers will focus on hot metal duct design, mill building inspections and crane loading criteria in AIST Technical Report No. 13, Criteria for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings. A discussion was also held on potential revisions to the technical report. The next meeting for the Mill Buildings Subcommittee will be Oct. 9, 2008.
The Cranes Operating Committee (COC) held meetings in both May and June. The May meeting was held in conjunction with AISTech on May 5, 2008. It was announced that Mike Urbassik, current vice chair and long-time member of the COC, had retired, and everyone in attendance thanked Mr. Urbassik for his years of service. A note was then made concerning the integration of the AISI Manufacturing Committees and the AIST Operating Committees. The new committee structure resulted in the COC changing its name to the Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) effective July 1, 2008. An election of officers was conducted, and a new chair was elected to serve the committee for the following year. The next item of business concerned Technical Report No. 6, Specification for Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes for Steel Mill Service, and new text proposed for Section 4.5.2.1. The proposed text change was brought forth at the sold-out 15th Annual Crane Symposium audience on June 1–3, 2008, to make them aware of the change in the specification. The CTC mission statement was reviewed and approved. An update on the International Crane Symposium in Košice, Slovakia, was given by Jerry Oberlander of United States Steel Corporation. The last item of business for this meeting was the presentation of appreciation plaques to the outgoing chairs of the COC and the Mill Buildings Operating Committee.
The next meeting for the CTC was held on June 1, 2008, prior to the start of the 15th Annual AIST Crane Symposium. The chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. An update was given regarding the program and attendance for the Crane Symposium. It was announced that the 2009 Crane Symposium will be held May 31–June 2, 2009, in Pittsburgh, Pa., and will focus on safety and safe work practices in maintaining electric overhead traveling cranes. An update was also provided regarding the International Crane Symposium, to be held on Sept. 23–26, 2008, in Košice, Slovakia, and which will include a tour of the U. S. Steel–Košice Works. Additional discussions took place regarding the revisions of Technical Report No. 6. The committee voted that the document should be revised every five years to keep it current with changes in the industry. It was also noted that work will continue on Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Guidelines for EOT Cranes. These guidelines will be educational in nature and geared toward any new personnel regarding best practice techniques in crane maintenance. The next meeting for the CTC will be Oct. 21–22, 2008, in Birmingham, Ala. Prior to the general committee meeting, an Electrical Subcommittee and a Mechanical/Structural Subcommittee meeting will take place to begin the revision of Technical Report No. 6.
