BUILDING A CANE KIT

ACI’s overhead crane kits are the result of years of research and development.

Many years of experience providing custom crane kits on a quote by quote basis has led us to offer a range of complete crane kits online. The ACI team began by speaking with crane installers and technicians, carefully considering their input regarding standard equipment, wiring, and ease of installation.

ACI crane kits are built with the highest quality components to ensure simple operation, reliability, and ease of installation. Businesses around the world appreciate the reliability and efficiency built into every ACI crane kit, and at the most competitive price points in the industry, we look forward to serving the needs of your business as well.

We then approached the end-users, speaking with crane operators and safety inspectors to learn what features they would like to see included with their crane kits. What we came up with is the most complete crane kit package available on the market today.

Frequently Asked Questions

A basic crane kit comes with top or under running end trucks, and a choice of additional equipment that best suits your lifting application. Every ACI crane kit includes a pair of end trucks, an electric hoist with motorized trolley, a pre-assembled C- track festoon system, and a pendant control. Many more options and below the hook attachments to complete your crane system are available.

Whether a top running or under-running bridge crane fits your individual needs is dictated primarily by the building dimensions (if the crane is to be fitted to an existing building rather than a new building), and the demands of your specific application. If maximum possible lift height is required, a top running bridge may be the best choice; if headroom above your runway comes at a premium, an under-running style bridge crane is a logical choice. The best way to determine if a top running or under running crane kit is right for you is to contact ACI to discuss your application, critical dimensions, and other requirements to see which crane kit is right for you.

ACI’s crane kits are a money saving concept for the build-it-yourself customer who has basic fabrication skills.

ACI’s single speed bridges travel at 70 feet per minute, a slow pace that allows crane operators to handle heavy loads while negotiating a shop environment. Even with a relatively short 60 foot long building, it will take 1 minute for the bridge to travel this distance. 140 FPM bridge speeds are also available. 140 FPM is a slow walking pace which we have found to be a safe and comfortable pace for a crane. We strongly recommend using variable drives with higher bridge speeds. The variable drive enables low and high speed bridge travel, along with ramped acceleration and deceleration. This reduces load swing and time spent positioning loads. Even if you find that your selected speed is faster than you want, the variable drive allows the bridge travel speed to be reduced as slow as you wish.

Variable frequency drives modulate the input power supplied to a motor as dictated by specially preprogrammed software. Functionally this allows end truck, trolley, and hoist motors to gradually accelerate and slow to a stop, and provides 2-speed operation for crane functions. Why is that important? A variable drive improves efficiency and safety by allowing the operator to move loads faster, and with no dangerous load swing. The very slow speeds available allow accurate positioning, where the faster speeds allow cranes with no load or small loads to move into position for the next lift more quickly. As a result, a bridge and trolley equipped with a variable drive will only require 50% of the movement time when compared to a single speed or 2 speed crane. ACI’s variable drives feature special programming designed to reduce brake wear, impact to gearing, and prevent unnecessary heat buildup in all motors they control. When installed on a hoist, variable drives are a very cost effective way to improve reliability. “Jogging” a load into position is common among crane operators, who use short taps of the controls to slowly adjust positioning of a load. This punishes gearboxes and creates lots of heat in motors, shortening their life, and the life of other components as well. The ramped acceleration and deceleration a variable drive provides eliminates the need for jogging by helping a crane operator hit their mark the first time.

The best crane type for your individual needs is ascertained based on application and building dimensions (if the crane is to be fitted to an existing building rather than a new building). The most effective way to determine if a top running or under running crane kit is right for you is to consult with your crane manufacturer and installer before making the final decision about the appropriate equipment to purchase.

Wireless remotes are used in situations where being tethered to the crane is inconvenient. In applications where the operator must walk around an object to assure proper positioning, such as truck repair facilities, remotes allow one operator to do the work of two people. In facilities that move long items, the remote allows the operator to balance the end of the load, eliminating the need for an extra person. With improved reliability, added safety features, and low cost, remotes are an option we are seeing ordered on increasing numbers of cranes.

Though remote controls have become more reliable and less costly, an independent festoon for the pendant allows the operator to stand anywhere along the length of the crane when operating the hoist. The pendant cable runs on a second separate festoon track. This is important when rotating long items or if the operator must lift from a pit or truck or walk in a crowded area, while maintaining hard-wired control over the crane.

ACI crane kits are the most complete crane package available. All components are of the highest quality, and each crane kit is completely pre-wired and fully tested before shipping to your installation site. Each ACI crane kit includes:

  • Electric Wire Rope or Electric Chain Hoist
  • Hoist mounted on a Motorized Trolley
  • Pair of motorized end trucks, including bumpers and bridge attachment plates.
  • NEMA 4X rated crane control box, with variable frequency drives available for all crane motions.
  • C-track festooning system, fully assembled and prewired to the control box.
  • NEMA 4 rated pendant control with mainline power control prewired to hoist.

Crane Kit Components

  • End Trucks
    – Top or under running designs available to suit any application.
    – Single or double girder models in a wide range of capacities.
    – End truck wheels machined and hardened to the highest standard in the industry (450-501 BHN) for long life, higher wheel loading, and smooth operation.
    – Push, geared, or dual drive motorized styles available.
    – Bridge brakes standard.
    – Bumpers and rail sweeps included standard on all end trucks.
  • UL Listed Crane Control Box
    – A thru-the-door lockable disconnect included standard.
    – Mainline disconnect operated from the pendant. This provides an extra level of safety by allowing the operator to immediately disconnect power if a relay sticks, or if other issues arise.
    – Only one fused transformer for all controls. Many manufacturers use a separate transformer for the hoist and bridge; this can cause electrical feedback problems, which lengthen and complicated troubleshooting.
    – NEMA 4 rated enclosures house all the fuses, relays, inverters, and other electrical components safely away from dust, moisture, and debris.
    – Frame to mount control box to crane is included with each crane kit.
  • Hoist and Trolley
    – Outfit your crane kit with your choice of wire rope, electric chain, or manually operated chain hoists in a range of lift heights and different capacities. If you don’t see a kit that meets your needs, call us and we can quote a custom crane kit designed to fit your application.
    – Push, geared, and motorized trolleys are available in a full range of load capacities and flange widths.
  • Pendant control station
    – Pendant with mainline power control included with every ACI crane kit.
    – Pendant comes fully assembled with cable and strain relief wire at no extra charge.
    – NEMA 4x rated pendant controls are weatherproof, dustproof, and resistant to oils, solvents, and acids.
  • Festoon system for bridge power and control
    – All hardware and brackets to mount festoon system to your bridge crane are provided.
    – Heavy duty C-track type festoon system arrives completely assembled and carefully bundled; just slide each trolley onto your C-track, connect your hoist, and installation is complete.
    – Insulated flat festoon cable is used to connect power from crane control box to hoist.
  • Conduit and wiring to bring power and break controls to end truck motors
    – All connectors, armored cable, and conduit necessary to run power from the crane control box to the end truck motors are prewired and color-coded for simple, fast installation.
    – All ACI crane kits meet or exceed U.S. National Electrical Code requirements for grounding, insulation, and protection of conductors and wiring.

We recommend the following options for safety, ease of use, and to extend equipment life:

  • Motion activated strobe light to warn others of crane movement.
  • Independent pendant festooning allows the operator to stand next to, or away from, large or long loads. Pendant control stations run on separate tracks, instead of hanging from the hoist, and can be moved independently across the entire span.
  • Pendant operated horn to warn others of danger. OSHA states that systems “should” have a horn. While “should” is not mandatory, we strongly recommend them for the added safety benefits.
  • Wireless remote control to operate crane. ACI wireless crane remotes can be operated with one hand, and each system includes a spare remote. For the ultimate in operational flexibility, equip your crane with a wireless remote control.
  • Increased wheel diameters and larger motors. Larger wheels and motors reduce wear and stress, greatly increasing the life of the system.
  • Multistep, infinitely-variable speed on bridge control. With variable speed control, the speed ramps up and down at a programmed rate, reducing load swing. Variable drives also allow very slow speeds when positioning loads, medium when traveling with large loads, or fast for no loads. The bridge speeds can also be increased to 150 FPM (a variable drive system allows speeds to be set to your specific needs).
  • Variable drive on trolley and hoist motions will save you time and money. ACI recommends variable drives as an option on every hoist and crane kit we sell. A VFD will reduce load swing and time spent positioning loads, and extends the life of brakes and hoist gearing by minimizing the mechanical impact and heat build-up created by frequent starts and stops.

    CUSTOMER INFO

    GENERAL

    Bridge Single GirderDouble Girder

    End Trucks Top RunningUnder Running

    Hoist type Wire RopeElectric Chain HoistManual Chain Hoist

    Voltage [radio voltage default:1 "230V-3Ph-60Hz" "460V-3Ph-60Hz" Other"]

    Preferred Controls: Wireless Remote SystemPush Button PendantNo Controls

    Safety Features: Strobe and HornStrobe ONLYHorn ONLYNone

    Conductor Bar System: IncludedNone

    Festooning: IncludedNone

    Independent Pendant: IncludedNone

    HOIST, TROLLEY, BRIDGE

    Hoist Speed:

    Hoist Control: Single SpeedVariable Frequency Drive

    Trolley Speed 50 fpm100 fpmCustom w/ VFDPush or Geared

    Bridge Speed 70 fpm140 fpmCustom w/ VFDPush or Geared

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