January 16-17 , 2008 - The Cranes Operating Committee (COC) met on Jan. 16–17 in Memphis, Tenn., for their winter meeting. Following brief introductions by the 27 members and guests in attendance, the committee began their business meeting. Discussion was held on the status of the Cranes Innovation of the Year Award and an offer to include the Material Handling Operating Committee (MHOC) in the award process. The award criteria would be modified to include all material handling innovations and would be overseen by a joint subcommittee of COC and MHOC members. This suggestion was approved and will be brought forth to the MHOC at their next meeting for their approval. Since the award is still focused on crane innovation, a motion was made to proceed with nominating and confirming the Crane Innovation of the Year for 2008. Randy Creech of EC&M championed the cause for a digital DC drive installation in the slab yard hoist at SeverStal NA by Jodie Van Kammen. This innovation was selected for the award, which will be presented at the 2008 Crane Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pa. The status of the 15th Annual Crane Symposium program for June 1–2 was then provided. Presenters who were verbally confirmed will receive a written invitation to present at the symposium. Any open slots in the program were filled with a topic and a potential presenter. The chair and vice chair organized the program into an appropriate order to encourage sustained attendance throughout the schedule. The Subcommittee on Maintenance, Inspection and Repair for EOT Cranes presented a tentative table of contents for a guideline report being created. Individuals at the meeting were identified to develop each section of the report to expedite publication of the document. The Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Guidelines for EOT Cranes will serve as an educational tool and reference manual for anyone involved in EOT crane maintenance. An update was provided regarding an International Crane Symposium in Košice, Slovakia. A volunteer will approach the management of U. S. Steel Košice to determine if sufficient support exists at that facility for such a program. The committee will begin final planning for the international program upon confirmation from U. S. Steel. The members then discussed the COC session scheduled for AISTech 2008. The open slots in this part of the program were filled by committee volunteers. A brief overview of the AIST/AISI integration of steel-related technical committees was presented. The business portion of the meeting concluded with a motion to approach the AIST Mill Buildings Operating Committee (MBOC) for a joint meeting either at AISTech 2008 or at their fall meeting. A volunteer who is a member of both committees will discuss this item at the upcoming MBOC meeting. On Jan. 17, the members drove to Blytheville, Ark., for a tour of Nucor-Yamato Steel. The delegation was met at the facility by long-time friend and member Rickie Gallant. Following an overview of the facility, safety considerations and its production, a tour of the meltshop and caster was given, as well as a walkthrough tour of the beam rolling facility.

October 10-12 , 2007 - The Cranes Operating Committee (COC) and Sheet Rolling Operating Committee (SROC) held a joint meeting in Concord, Calif., on Oct. 10–12. The meeting kicked off with a tour of the rolling facilities at USS-POSCO. The tour began with the pickle line, progressed through the galvanizing and tinplating lines, and ended at the USS-POSCO Learning Center for technical presentations. The technical presentations were as follows: “Double Cold Reduction Mill Conversion Project at USS-POSCO” by Dean Broglie, USS-POSCO; “Pickle Line Improvements at USS-POSCO” by Jesus Partida, USS-POSCO; “Controlled Area Network for EOT Cranes” by Jeremy Pearson, Cattron-Thiemeg; “Crane Bumpers and End Stops for EOT Cranes” by Charlie Bowers, Cavotec; “Crane Rail Size Availability” by Chip Miller, L.B. Foster; and “U. S. Steel–Gary Works Westside EOT Crane Inspection Program” by Andrew Montalbano, U. S. Steel–Gary Works. Following the technical presentations, the COC adjourned for the day. The SROC remained to review and organize abstracts into four technical sessions for AISTech 2008, focusing on hot and cold rolling and surface inspection. Volunteers were also identified as chairs for these sessions.

On Oct. 12, the COC held a business meeting, beginning with a review of the outline created for a Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Guide for EOT Cranes Users. This guide will examine inspection practices and repair criteria for crane- and runway-associated components, in an effort to develop consistent guidelines on maintenance and when to repair and/or replace these components to enhance crane operation and safety, and to minimize unplanned downtime through improved reliability. Each section of the guide will be reviewed by individual working groups, who will organize and write an outline for that section. Also discussed was the 2008 AIST Crane Symposium, scheduled for June 1–3, in Pittsburgh, Pa. A survey of the 2007 Crane Symposium attendees led to the development of a list of presentation topics for the 2008 symposium. Potential presenters were indentified and will be contacted in the coming months to confirm their participation. Also discussed was the viability of an International Crane Symposium, which would be held in Košice, Slovakia, in 2008. It was determined that, to provide adequate planning for such an event, the event should be scheduled for the fall of 2008. Finally, volunteers were taken to present at the COC technical session at AISTech 2008. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 16–17, 2008, in Memphis, Tenn., with a tour of Nucor-Yamato Steel.

On Oct. 12, the Sheet Rolling Operating Committee (SROC) held a business meeting, first discussing plans for their AISTech 2008 technical sessions. They reviewed the status of the Hot Rolling Training Seminar, which will be held Feb. 24–28, 2008, in Orlando, Fla. They also discussed preplanning for a 2009 AIST Cold Rolling Training Seminar. The SROC began organizing members to complete a North American Hot Strip Mill Roundup to benchmark these facilities for publication in Iron & Steel Technology. They discussed several options for future meetings and started to develop a plan to get more participation from producer members. A review of the presentations for the Hot Rolling Training Seminar was to be held in November to ensure elimination of any overlap between presentations. The SROC also planned to hold a meeting during the Hot Rolling Training Seminar in February.

May 9, 2007 - The Cranes Operating Committee (COC) met on May 9 at AISTech 2007 in Indianapolis, Ind. Following introductions, AIST staff announcements and an update on membership, the committee recognized Charles Totten, Morris Material Handling–P&H, who became an AIST Distinguished Member earlier that day at the AISTech 2007 President’s Award Breakfast. After re-electing their current officers to an additional term of office, the committee heard an update on the sold-out 2007 AIST Crane Symposium, which was held in Cleveland, Ohio, June 10–13. Geoff Zimmer of CMC Steel South Carolina was recognized at the meeting and at the Crane Symposium for being the inaugural Innovator of the Year for his presentation entitled, “Solid-state Magnet Control in Improve Scrap Handling.” The COC then discussed the possibility of a joint effort with the Crane Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA) to produce a maintenance and inspection guide for electric overhead traveling cranes. The meeting concluded with approval of the current COC mission statement. Dates and locations for the COC’s fall and winter meetings were discussed and were to be confirmed at the committee’s meeting on June 10 in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Cranes Operating Committee met again on June 10, 2007, in Cleveland, Ohio, prior to the start of the AIST 14th Annual Crane Symposium. Following member introductions and staff announcements, the members began discussion on the 2008 Crane Symposium. With the event being held outside of Pittsburgh, Pa., for the first time, it was agreed that the attendees of the 2007 symposium should be surveyed to garner their opinion on the location of future symposia. The results will be tabulated and submitted to the committee’s leadership before a final decision is made. The presentations for the 2008 symposium will also be based on the response from the attendees regarding current topics of interest in the crane industry. Next, a discussion was held on the status of any AIST Technical Reports that relate to overhead traveling cranes. Many of the reports were printed prior to the widespread use of computers and were not available electronically. Therefore, they were difficult to update. A project has been undertaken to put the reports into electronic format. TR No. 1A on AC Mill Motors, TR No. 4 on Alloy Sling Chains and TR No. 11 on Design of Mill Motor Brakes required no revisions. TR No. 8, Insulated Conductors for Mill Auxiliary Motors, was recently revised and prepared for printing. TR No. 7, Design of Ladle Hooks, required a clarification on symbology and the figures, and would need to be revised prior to being reprinted. Also, the 1991 revision of TR No. 1, DC Mill Motors, did not contain the extensive listing of 600 frame DC Motors that were listed in the 1957 printing. The 600 frame motors, while not being manufactured today, were still plentiful in service and were being remanufactured as replacements. A revised report will contain information for both motors and will be available as a supplemental appendix in the next revision of TR No. 6, Specification for Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes for Steel Mill Service. The next item of business was a discussion on the progress of a user-based EOT crane maintenance and inspection guide. The subcommittee responsible for preparing this document will continue their efforts to create this document. A discussion was then held regarding a request by U. S. Steel to bring the AIST Crane Symposium to their facility in Košice, Slovakia. Charlie Totten, past chair of the COC, will meet with representatives from U. S. Steel to determine their technological needs and how standards and laws governing crane programs in North America will apply to the standards and laws in Europe, as well as the relevance of the North American technology to the Slovakian industry. The committee voted in favor of conducting the program in Slovakia based on the outcome of the meeting. The COC’s next meeting, to be held in Concord, Calif., will include technical discussions on crane technology and a tour of USS POSCO in Pittsburg, Calif.

February 21, 2007 - The Cranes Operating Committee (COC) met in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 21, 2007. The meeting began with a tour of the CMC Steel Texas meltshop, caster, and rolling and shipping facilities in Seguin, Texas. Following the tour, the members returned to San Antonio. After member introductions, AIST announcements and an update on committee membership, an update was given regarding the Cranes technical session for AISTech 2007. Two papers were added to complete the session, and the session chairs were confirmed. The next agenda item was the 2007 Crane Innovator of the Year Award. The three technologies being championed were: “Understanding the NFPA 70E Requirements for Personnel on Cranes,” “Digital Hoist Conversion of a Slabyard Hoist,” and “Digital DC Magnet Control to Improve Scrap Handling.” The COC evaluated each technology based on its novelty, potential industry-wide applicability and potential benefit to crane users. Votes were taken and tallied. The 2007 Crane Innovator of the Year Award will be presented during the 2007 AIST Crane Symposium, which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, June 10–13, 2007. The current program for the AIST Crane Symposium was then reviewed. Open presentation slots were identified, and members volunteered to provide presentations to complete the program. The meeting ended with a round table discussion on any matters that members wanted to bring before the committee. The committee will consider holding a fall meeting in California, and all members were encouraged to provide a discussion topic in order to continue to raise the quality of the technical content of the meetings.

September 26, 2006 - The Cranes Operating Committee met on Sept. 26 in Hamilton, Ont., Canada. After introductions and an overview of AIST activities, a discussion was held on down-shop collector supports and the inclusion of a fourth rail for EOT cranes. A memo was sent from the Cranes Operating Committee to the Mill Buildings Operating Committee to consider including the installation of a fourth collector rail in the text of Technical Report 13, Specification for Mill Buildings. The memo also included a request to modify the existing language of crane clearances in the report to match the text written by OSHA, CMAA and AIST Technical Report No. 6. A summary was then provided by the Crane Inspection and Repair Subcommittee on their planned activities and goals. A member also provided updated information regarding emergency stop systems on EOT cranes. A short addition was made to Technical Report No. 6, Section 4.5.2.1, to clarify the current text. The committee then selected four papers from AISTech 2006 and the Crane Symposium to consider for their Crane Innovator of the Year Award, which will be based on new technology, potential industry-wide use and potential benefit to crane users. The meeting concluded with a summary of the upcoming 14th Annual Crane Symposium program. Additional presenters were identified, and a vote was taken on the location of the symposium. Charleston, S.C., Cleveland, Ohio, and Milwaukee, Wis., will be considered as potential sites for this conference. The Operating Committee’s next meeting will be held Feb. 20–21, 2007.

September 25, 2006 - The Crane Inspection and Repair Subcommittee of the Cranes Operating Committee met for the first time on Sept. 25 in Hamilton, Ont., Canada. The subcommittee was originally charged with focusing on the inspection and repair of crane runways and crane end-trucks. As the members discussed this focus, they expanded it to include the entire crane. Working groups will be established within the subcommittee to develop sections for a crane inspection and repair guide based on the structural, mechanical and electrical components of the crane. The next meeting for the subcommittee will be co-located with the Cranes Operating Committee meeting.

May 2, 2006 - The Cranes Operating Committee held a meeting on May 2 during AISTech 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio. Officers were elected and an update on membership was given. The organizers of the 12th Annual Crane Symposium also provided an update on the status of the conference, which was held June 11–. The committee then reviewed their Crane Innovator of the Year Award, to be given to the best crane presentation at either AISTech or the Crane Symposium. The committee then discussed ANSI Z241.2 “Safety Requirements for Melting and Pouring of Metals in the Metal Casting Industry” and how this standard relates to steel-mill-duty cranes. The Cranes Operating Committee also met on June 11 in Pittsburgh, Pa., prior to the 12th Annual Crane Symposium held at Station Square. The committee continued discussion on the ANSI Z241.2 and also began planning for the 2007 Crane Symposium. The members also discussed the pending ASME standard on inspection and repair procedures for below-the-hook lifting devices. They will revisit the standard once it has received formal approval by ASME. The committee formed a subcommittee to investigate the creation of a Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Guide for Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes. The next meeting will be held on Sept. 26 in Hamilton, Ont. The subcommittee members will meet on Sept. 25 to begin discussion regarding the guide.

January 19-20, 2006 - The Cranes Operating Committee met in Arlington, Texas, on Jan. 19–20 for their winter meeting. The committee meeting began with some general business items on Jan. 19, followed by a tour of Chaparral Steel–Texas. The group toured the bar mill, meltshop and the 4-strand beam caster/structural mill. On Jan. 20, the business meeting covered the following topics: updates from the CMAA September 2005 meeting, an overview from Morgan Engineering on the differences between electric overhead traveling (EOT) cranes built to “AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 6”specification and the CMAA 70 specification, an update on a second draft of a “Crane Innovator of the Year” award, a discussion on how revved-in lifting beams should be handled in “Technical Report No. 6,” an update on the cranes technical session for AISTech 2006, and an overview of the current status of the 12th Annual Crane Symposium. Following the business meeting, the attendees held a round table discussion on events at their companies. The meeting concluded with presentations by EC&M, Cleveland Gear, Cableform Inc., Morgan Engineering and Xtek on technology associated with EOT cranes. The next meeting will be held May 2 at AISTech 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Iron Producing Operating Committee held their winter meeting in conjunction with the Eastern States Coke Oven and Blast Furnace Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Feb. 2. After attendee introductions, the members held an overview of the iron producing technical sessions for AISTech 2006.

November 8, 2005 - The Insulated Conductors Subcommittee of the AIST Cranes Operating Committee met on Nov. 8, 2005, in Cleveland, Ohio, to review the committee’s responses to the Technical Report No. 8 ballot draft. Each of the 24 comments was reviewed by the committee to determine if the document required revision. The document will be prepared and sent to the AIST Technology Divisions for their review and comment. The next meeting of the Insulated Conductors Subcommittee will be Feb. 28 to review the comments from the Technology Divisions.

August 24, 2005 - The Cranes Operating Committee met on Aug. 24 in Elyria, Ohio. The committee reviewed the comments and suggestions from the attendees of the 12th Annual Crane Symposium, which was held in June. Preliminary plans were discussed for the 13th Annual Crane Symposium, to be held June 11–13, 2006, in Pittsburgh, Pa. Presenters for the two-day conference were identified and will be issued invitations. Included in the program will be two round table discussions on fall protection and gear inspection. The committee then discussed the feasibility of coordinating the symbology of “Technical Report No. 6, Specification for EOT Cranes for Steel Mill Service” with international symbology standards. The symbology revision was tabled for another revision. The committee also discussed developing a Cranes Operating Committee Award, which would recognize the best innovation or technical advancement in the EOT crane industry. The meeting concluded with a tour of the U. S. Steel Lorain Tubular Facility. The next meeting for the Cranes Operating Committee will be in February 2006.

August 23, 2005 - The Insulated Conductors Subcommittee of the Cranes Operating Committee met on Aug. 23 in North Olmsted, Ohio. The committee completed their revisions to “Technical Report No. 8, Insulated Conductors for Crane and Mill Auxiliary Motors.” The document will be sent to the Cranes Operating Committee for a ballot draft review. Comments regarding the ballot draft will be reviewed at the next subcommittee meeting, to be held Nov. 8 in North Olmsted.

June 12, 2005 - The Cranes Operating Committee held a brief meeting on June 12, prior to the 12th Annual Crane Sympsium. After introductions by attendees, a review of the Crane Symposium program was held, and changes to the printed program were noted. The committee then discussed future revisions to “Technical Report No. 6, Specification for Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes for Steel Mill Service.” Members volunteered to begin coordinating the symbology of the report to provide consistency between the report’s four sections. Another group volunteered to review the “Rerating of Cranes” document begun by the former AISE Structural Working Group of Subcommittee No. 6. The Cranes Operating Committee also continued discussions with CMAA representatives on future joint projects.

May 2005 - The Cranes Operating Committee held a luncheon meeting during AISTech 2005 in Charlotte, N.C. After introductions, an election of officers was held. The committee then reviewed the program for the 12th Annual Crane Symposium, which was held June 12–14 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The committee also completed their review of any outstanding items concerning the revision of “Technical Report No. 6, Specification on Electric Overhead Cranes for Steel Mill Service,” which has since been completed and printed. The committee then welcomed representatives from CMAA for a discussion regarding a cooperative effort to streamline EOT crane specifications.

November 9, 2004 - The Cranes Operating Committee held their fall meeting in Crawfordsville, Ind., on Nov. 9. The meeting began with an introduction of attendees and a welcome from Nucor Steel–Indiana. The first order of business was to fully develop the program for the 2005 Crane Symposium, to be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., on June 12–14, 2005. More than half the scheduled presenters were confirmed for their presentations in this program. The meeting continued with a final review of revisions to AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 6, Specification for EOT Cranes for Steel Mill Service, which is now ready for ballot draft. The meeting concluded with a discussion on the major differences between AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 6 and CMAA 70, the other crane industry standard. The next meeting of the Crane Operating Committee will be Feb. 1 in Columbus, Ohio.

November 3, 2004 - The Insulated Conductors Subcommittee of the Cranes Operating Committee met Nov. 3 in Cleveland, Ohio. The main focus of the meeting was to continue revisions to AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 8, Specification for Insulated Conductors of Mill Duty Motors. The committee revised the definition of cable reels and began revision of the working examples. The committee also began the final revisions to the technical report’s commentary. The committee’s next meeting will be Feb. 15 in Cleveland, Ohio.

September 14, 2004 - The Cranes Operating Committee met Sept. 14, prior to the start of AISTech 2004. The committee approved a mission statement created by the Electrical Subcommittee of Cranes. The committee reviewed potential revisions of the AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 6, “Specification for EOT Cranes for Steel Mill Service,” that were concerned with power limit switches and gear cases. The meeting ended with the development of a potential presentation schedule for the 12th Annual Crane Symposium, Crane Maintenance and Technology Advancements III, to be held in Pittsburgh, Pa., in June 2005.

August 19, 2004 - The Electrical Subcommittee of the Cranes Operating Committee met Aug. 19 in North Olmsted, Ohio, to finalize their revisions to the AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 6, “Specification for Electric Overhead Travelling Cranes for Steel Mill Service.” The committee developed a mission statement, which was forwarded to the Mechanical/Structural Subcommittee for final approval. The committee then discussed including 600-series mill-duty motors into the report to ensure that this historical reference would not be lost. The service factors table was moved into the appendix of the report, and minor revisions were made to the text. The meeting concluded with a general discussion on the balloting of the document for publication prior to the 2005 AIST Crane Symposium.

August 18, 2004 - The Insulated Conductors Subcommittee of the Cranes Operating Committee met in North Olmsted, Ohio, on Aug. 18 to continue the revision to the AIST/AISE Technical Report No. 8, “Insulated Conductors for Mill Auxiliary Motors.” The committee revised sections of the appendix for clarity and began development of the commentary section of the report.

June 6, 2004 - The Cranes Operating Committee held a short business meeting on June 6, prior to the start of the 11th Annual Crane Symposium. The committee received volunteers to chair the Crane Session at AISTech 2004 in September. The committee also reviewed the program for the 2004 Crane Symposium, noting that there would be a full program and that the conference was sold out. The committee then agreed that “Technical Report No. 6, Specification for Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes for Steel Mill Service” should be revised and sent to a ballot draft by year’s end. The Mechanical/Structural Subcommittee will meet Sept. 14 in Nashville, Tenn., to finalize their revisions.