Cranes Technology Committee

MISSION: To develop specifications for dependable cranes that can be properly designed, installed and maintained; Also, to promote new technologies and communicate more efficient operational and maintenance practices through networking for the continuous improvement of heavy industrial overhead cranes.

Current Activities

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.