Insana Cranes Lifts 161,000 Pound Overhead Crane in PA

Insana’s Towing and Crane Service, Inc. is a family owned operation founded by Rick Insana in Washington, PA. The company has roots in the towing business but has evolved over the years to include crane lifting. So Insana was pleased with the end result when his new Link-Belt 275-ton (250-mt) ATC-3275 all-terrain crane lifted a 161,000 lb. (73 028.3 kg) girder and 134,000 lb. (60 781.3 kg) idler girder at North American Forgemasters (NAF) Company in New Castle, PA. The two girders, along with a 124,000 lb. (56 245.4 kg) trolley, also placed by the ATC-3275, comprise a 190-ton overhead crane installed as part of an expansion at NAF. The new overhead crane occupies a space that supports one of the largest forging presses in the Western Hemisphere - an open-die 10,000-mt Italian press which can process ingots weighing up to 100 metric tons.

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“Experience is very important. A lot of hours in the seat while learning, comprehending and watching become the best teacher. Each machine has its own character and it’s important for the operator to get to know them, and work with them to get the desired result. That outcome is the use of a smooth machine, capable of reaching its capacity in a safe manner. After making this lift, I’m happy with my choice of the ATC-3275.”

The large bay for housing the overhead crane and press was left unfinished, notably the roof and trusses on the south end, allowing for the Link-Belt 275-ton crane boom tip to be unimpeded during the crane assembly. Ground to truss height was 88 feet (26.8 m), but Insana’s ATC-3275 crane boom length for the lifts without needing to move the crane once in position with all its counterweight, including the cheek modules, was 89.2 feet (27.1 m). All 156,500 pounds (70 987.2 kg) of counterweight was used on the crane during the lifts.

“You come up on a load, and slowly pull up on the lever and watch your radius. You might have to boom up a little bit, cable up a little bit, and then boom up some more to keep your radius the same. That way, when the load comes off the ground, it doesn’t swing out, but comes straight up.”

“And vice-versa when you land it. You touch down on the tracks in this case, and then you just don’t cable down, or the load will come back to you. You boom down, and keep your radius the same. That way, the load comes straight down and it doesn’t come back toward you,” Insana continued.

”Keep the radius the same, that way the load comes straight up or straight down. You also have to account for everything flexing in a very heavy lift. On this 134,000 plus pound lift, you have to account for the boom, outriggers, and framework flexing,” he explained. “Everything was good here. We had enough cable to have a 10-part line for lifting the girder straight up for about 15 feet (4.5 m) in the air and then gave it a quarter turn as I raised it up the rest of the way, and set it on rails welded to special custom railway beams measuring 63 inches tall, with a 27 inch wide, two and a half inch thick, top flange.”

“The crane really was stable for the heavy picks. I especially liked the ability to view the screen showing both winches at all times from the on board cameras. Particularly as to how much cable I have left on my spools when working with the 10-part line, or even determining what part line I need for the trolley hoists. That is especially true on the first layer and third rap indicator. It’s reassuring to actually be able to see and know what is going on with the cable at all times,” Insana explained.