FEATURE | LOAD MONITORING
point, which ensures repeatability. Any lifting accessories and attachments – slings, chains, hooks, wire rope will naturally position themselves at the centre of the bobbin, consistently applying the load in one place. Thirdly, the bobbin supplies strength, so
increasing the WLL and the safety factor. For these reasons and others, therefore, it is unwise to operate the load shackle without its bobbin. Even with the bobbin though, load pins and load shackles are generally less accurate than load links. Crosby Straightpoint manufactures load links, load pins and load shackles. Capacities range from 1t to 2,000t. Smart cell device apps, for Android or IOS, can wirelessly monitor loads via a Bluetooth connection from up to 50m away, though wired versions are also available. The company says it is the first load cell manufacturer to incorporate RFID tags in all its link load cells as standard and is the only manufacturer in the world with load monitoring and measuring products that are certificated to be used within hazardous gas environments. Despite their lesser accuracy, load shackles do have advantages in some applications. They are more suitable for heavy loads, of the order of many tons.
For lighter loads they can be useful also. A load link needs a shackle at its top, to attach it to the hook, and a shackle at the bottom, to attach it to the load. It has a length of its own in any case. These extra lengths can add significantly to the distance between the hook and the load. For low headroom applications this may be an important consideration. For an example of a manufacturer responding the low-headroom needs, see the box. But in general, using a load shackle replaces three components with just one, so does not affect the below-the-hook distance. There is however more to load
monitoring than just weighing the load. Wear and tear is cumulative. Many lifts can have the same effect as a few heavy ones; so data on how many lesser weights your hoist has lifted, and how many times, and over what period of time, is also useful. In an ideal world you want a full record of each and every load cycle, and their cumulative total. Digital data logging can give you
exactly that. Adding data logging and telemetry to your load measuring devices gives far more than simple overload checks. “Collection and analysis of load data can give performance monitoring and operational optimisation. Load cells installed in crane and winch systems can record load weights, lifting cycles and operating conditions, providing valuable insights into equipment utilisation, efficiency and maintenance requirements. By analysing load data over time, operators and maintenance teams can identify trends, detect anomalies and implement proactive maintenance strategies to prolong equipment lifespan, minimise downtime and improve overall operational efficiency.”
A selection of load links from LCM. A 5t capacity load link A 17t and a 25t capacity version
That is how monitoring equipment
manufacturers LCM put it. The phrase ‘Proactive maintenance strategies’ is in there, and in slightly plainer English means preventative maintenance. You no longer have to replace possibly-worn- out parts to a strict timetable, but on a software-calculated schedule that takes into account all the usage parameters of the hoist – cycles, heavy lifts, lighter lifts, unloaded runs of the trolley, accelerations, decelerations, braking effort, temperatures of the motor and brakes and how long they remained at those temperatures….So as well as monitoring just the weight you want a device to log all these inputs, that you can then pass to your predictive maintenance software which will tell you when is the safest and most economical time to replace this part or that part, thus avoiding breakdowns (so saving downtime) without having to replace parts that do not yet need replacing (so saving money.) The readout displays, and their ability to transmit their collected data to software, is a part of load monitoring, and is offered by most manufacturers as part of their package. LMS (Load Monitoring Systems)
for example specialise in the design, manufacturing, sales, rental, and calibration of intelligent lifting equipment and load monitoring products and services. Last year it was awarded the prestigious Kings Award for Enterprise, which, since the company is less than seven years old, is no small achievement. The award is recognition of its success in exporting: LMS has gained an average of 9-10 new customers each month, of which 20% are international. It is now active in more than 45 countries. Load pin shackles, load pins, load links, load cells and load cell data logging, of up to 100 devices simultaneously, are among its lineup.
Its ‘Combo kit’ is designed to make load monitoring simple. It is a rugged
34 | January 2025 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
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