So, this blog is all about lifting beams! Why exactly do we need lifting beams for? What are the benefits of using them?
Lifting beams are required when the safety and wellness of the load being lifted is crucial. The lifting beams are custom designed with precise specifications to minimize unwanted stresses at certain points of the lifted load. The lifting/spreader beams are used mainly to stabilize and support a swinging load during an overhead lift. Lifting beams are below-the-hook lifting devices that avoids damage to the load, the lifting slings and prevents the slings from sliding off the load.
A lifting beam is a fabricated metal beam, suspended from a hoist/crane designed to offer multiple lifting points. The lifting beam offers the user to attach the load to multiple lifting points which in turn provides safety and control on the load’s movement. For instance, lifting beams are used for a variety of applications – may it be gas & steam Turbines, marine engines, heavy nacelles, rotor’s, large size compressors & gensets, civil precast segments, U / I girders & and many more.
Advantages of using a Lifting Beam –
- Totally safe and reliable solution for handling the heavy loads
- Stabilizes and supports bulky load while handling and lifting
- Highly customizable depending on the Load / Object being lifted / design requirements
- Use other add-on attachments under the beams – (ex. magnets, vacuum lifters etc.)
- Its rigid design helps in lifting loads that are weak and flexible without any support – for instance, thin sheets and metal plates.
Case Study! – 225 Tons Lifting beam for O&G sector.
During the construction of a major Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) producing facility in Mozambique, specialized handling devices were used for Offshore Transportation and Installation (OT&I) of heavy and large sized machinery. It included several skid mounted systems of critical gas turbine, which required extremely safe & reliable handling. For proper load distribution while lifting of long and heavy items, lifting/spreader beams are used.
The requirement was to have a lifting attachment designed for taking a load of 225 ton. As per mandate requirements of this offshore facility, the 225-ton capacity lifting beam had to be designed as per Lloyd’s code for lifting appliances in a marine environment. This also involved the verification and approval of design, calculations and a detailed FEM report by an authorized Lloyd’s inspector. In addition, the lifting beam had to undergo several rigorous quality checks at every stage to ensure high quality and mitigate risk during operation.
Our Solution!
ElectroMech approached the customer with its expertise in lifting beams and was awarded to design and manufacture the lifting and spreader beams for the above FLNG production facility. The designer had to ensure that the beam design met every expectations and requirements of the facility. As our specialists are well experienced in designing solutions for such challenging applications, the verification and approvals of the drawings and calculations were precise and up to the mark that they were cleared in the first go.
The complete manufacturing, inspection & load testing of the beam at 200% i.e. at 450 tons was carried out, in the presence of Lloyd’s authorized inspector, in house at ElectroMech facility. After passing all the critical tests, the NDT and painting was carried out for the final inspection. The final verification process involved review and signing of completion reports of the beam as well as all the add-ons such as D shackles, Turnbuckles and Slings. The beam was then shipped & delivered to the site. This ‘Right the First Time’ development of the Lifting/Spreader beam for this project reinforces our high standards of design competence and strong adherence to quality manufacturing and testing.
ElectroMech provided the client a safe and reliable solution that went through several rigorous tests before final dispatches. Because of the inhouse hydraulic testing facility capable up to 500tons, a lot of time was saved during inspection.
This way, ElectroMech continues to support safe lifting of heavy equipment during onshore and offshore installations through various projects and clients across the world.
