Levelling of crane runways

The wide use of overhead and gantry cranes, and partly of tower cranes, to optimise lifting, transport, loading and unloading operations in industry, mechanical engineering and at power facilities depends directly on their correct installation and reliable operation.

One of the most important elements of these machines is the crane runway, which must be installed correctly and then inspected periodically during operation. This is necessary so that the work process creates no unnecessary risks and remains efficient, without downtime or potentially dangerous situations.

To achieve this, the KazExpertProm testing laboratory carries out a geodetic survey of crane runways which, under the governing regulations in force in the Republic of Kazakhstan, includes periodic inspection of the runways, mandatory levelling of the crane rail tracks and verification of their geometric parameters.

Geodetic survey and inspection of crane runways are carried out by qualified specialists. Only certified measuring instruments are used, listed in the state register of measuring instruments of Kazakhstan and having passed metrological certification. This allows us to guarantee the accuracy and reliability of the data obtained.

This type of work makes it possible to verify that the runway complies with the requirements of the governing documents and to assess the actual condition of:

• the extent to which the rail track elements deviate from the design position in plan and in profile;
• the butt and intermediate joints of the rails along which the crane wheels travel;
• the elements that transfer the load from the rails and intermediate joints to the ground, beams, columns, trusses, foundations and so on;
• the track equipment, buffer stops and various travel limiters;
• the earthing of the crane runway;
• the galleries for maintenance and for the safety of personnel.

How often crane runways should be levelled

The date of the next survey is set on the basis of the results of the previous one. Where the crane runways are in good order, the next survey is normally scheduled in three years.

A scheduled survey is required in a number of cases:

• lifting machines are installed on a runway — both newly built runways and those used previously;
• the service life of the crane runways expires — at least three years;
• the period of use of the crane runways set by the previous survey expires.

Crane runways are inspected out of turn, regardless of when the previous survey was carried out, in a number of cases:

• this is required by the state industrial safety inspector who has found defects that create operating risks;
• a natural disaster has changed the properties and parameters of the structure: an earthquake, fire or flood;
• the owner of the crane runways or of the lifting equipment has requested an inspection.

Levelling of crane runways is carried out on prior request throughout the Republic of Kazakhstan.