Lifting gear is used throughout the construction industry but needs to be serviced and maintained on a regular basis. Read on to find out about how different types of lifting gear are serviced.

Most component parts need to be stripped and cleaned before they are repaired. This is carried out initially with chemical cleaning or shot blasting. This is the best way to remove any paint, grease or grime that has built up so a thorough inspection can take place.

The process for doing this will be different depending on the type of equipment that is being cleaned as some equipment is not ideal for shot blasting and may in fact be damaged by it.

Larger equipment is placed in long soak tanks, for smaller items there is a metal laundry system, whilst chain is cleaned in a polishing box.

Stripping and cleaning not only allows equipment to be examined in detail, but also improves the quality and result of repairs.

Reputable lifting gear repair services will offer a wide range of lifting gear repairs and will also have access to a large number of spare parts. Lifting gear repairs will be carried out by highly skilled professionals to ensure that all safety measures are fully met.

Lifting gear service will also incorporate inspection and testing. This is carried out after cleaning and repairs have taken place to ensure that equipment is working to the optimum level. In addition, all good companies should supply a detailed record of test and thorough examination.

Lifting gear service will also involve calibration and verification where lifting gear is measured against the standard to ensure that it is running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Painting and finishing is the final part of the lifting gear service process. Equipment will be placed in a paint shop, the majority of which feature a runway system so items can be suspended and a roller conveyor for bigger and more cumbersome items.

Painting and finishing is carried out by machine which ensures that the finish is of the highest quality possible and extremely durable. All lifting gear can be colour coded and appropriately labelled after painting.

This represents just some of the activities that are carried out during lifting gear service. Servicing is an essential part of the life of any machinery and regular repair and servicing will ensure that all equipment is safe and that it lasts for as long as possible without needing to be fully replaced.

There are many diverse industrial sectors that depend on lifting gear to manoeuvre heavy objects. Some examples are building, transportation, mining, metals, oil and gas. Organisations that manufacture industrial equipment must have the capability to keep abreast of developments within the industry and with safety regulations. The lifting gear industry is heavily controlled and manufactures highly specialist equipment. Each industrial sector that utilises equipment for heavy lifting has very different needs and requirements.

Building:

The building industry is one of the main industries which utilises lifting gear. Most building sites will house at least one crane that is utilised for lifting. In addition to cranes, various kinds of equipment like hoists and winches might also be utilised. In general, hoists and winches are utilised for getting weighty or bulky building equipment to the correct point during construction. This type of lifting gear can also be used to remove damaged or old materials. Additionally this type of equipment can also be used to construct scaffolding.

Oil and gas:

Oil and gas companies need lifting gear for the purposes of building and maintaining oil rigs and gas plants. Heavy gear, like equipment used for drilling is often utilised in the gas and oil industry and needs to be well maintained once it is put in place. As well as construction, lifting gear is also used to keep workers safe as it is essential for speedy evacuation should there be an emergency. For example for lowering lifeboats off oil rigs.

Mining:

In a similar vain to oil and gas companies, mining companies need to constantly utilise lifting gesr to get heavy industrial equipment from A to B. Lifting gear is also used to harness any coal or other materials that are mined and move them from one place to another. Different types of mining require different types of lifting gear. For instance, open cast mining utilises different means of removal than deep mining and so will utilise different types of lifting gear..

Transportation:

Transportation companies, in particular the rail industry, utilise lifting equipment frequently for various types of maintenance and construction work. Components that are used to build and maintain railways, such as ballast and sleepers, are extremely heavy and need industrial machinery to be moved around. Similarly, moving train carriages around requires heavy duty equipment that can easily lift several tonnes of weight to be utilised.

Metals:

The Metals industry, in particular the steel industry, utilises lifting gear to move extremely heavy items such as metal sheets from place to place. This means that lifting equipment used needs to be very accurate to ensure materials are placed carefully. The Steel industry needs lifting gear that can cope with several different demands as steel sheeting can be used for so many different purposes. In some cases, magnetic equipment is used.