You have to determine that your business unit or organization can profit from installing an overhead crane system. In that case, you should start your research with the companies that manufacture or build overhead cranes. The first step, to begin with, would be the identification of the companies that manufacture one. Once you have selected some of these companies, you need to go for a consultation.
An overhead crane is an expensive and complex piece of equipment. Before investing in one such piece of equipment, you should opt for multiple quotes on the process of installation of your overhead crane system. Even if you are not going to purchase new equipment for your crane, it is a good idea to check for different companies and their scope of work.
To understand what kind of expectations you should have from the overhead crane consultation, you must go through contacting the crane manufacturer—followed by the installation process of the overhead crane.
The first step is to contact the crane manufacturer.
Once you do the research, you need to contact the crane manufacturer via email or telephonic conversation. During this process, you will get a brief introduction about them and their capabilities. Once you get to know about some of the best level information, you can set up a time according to both parties' convenience and understand how they can come to your help.
Understand the process of installing a crane into your building if you already have an existing structure. With this, you can start away with the process of consultation.
What happens during the process of consultation?
Before the consultation process, you must let your partner know anything and everything that you require. It includes the training, safety equipment or installation of overhead cranes into the existing structure.
Once you gather the information, you can schedule the meeting to complete the mandatory formalities like drug testing or safety training. It will ensure your partner comes prepared with every other protective equipment. Once you get away with this, your partner can now understand the environment and the general layout of the facility, which would help you start your project at the earliest.
What happens after the consultation?
The overhead crane manufacturers have a team of project managers, estimators, and engineers involved in the quotation. First, they would review the worksheets for site plans acquired by their salesperson. They would start feeling in the blanks to estimate how much the project would cost from that point on.
- The turnaround time
Different overhead cranes have other turnaround times. For instance, the simpler cranes like jib crane have a quick turnover, whereas simple modular crane takes 5 to 7 business days to produce any quotes.
- What does the quotation include?
The court includes the full scope of the project. Some of these points are:
- Project management
- Design and engineering of the overhead crane system that meets the customer specifications and other guidelines
- Sourcing of all the components and the parts of overhead crane
- Manufacturing and design of the runway system
- Removal or assembly of the existing crane system
- Loads test or electrical start-up
- Time frame required
- Payment terms
Selecting your partner
Once you are satisfied with the given number of quotations, it is now important that you select the company that you want to work with. Price could be only the determining factor while choosing the partner. But it would be best if you remembered that an overhead crane system is one of the critical pieces of equipment. Therefore, you should be cautious while selecting one as it improves your business's production flows and efficiencies.
After the selection of your partner, you need to let them know about your decision. Then, you can schedule meetings and start finalizing the scope of the project. Once the project is finalized, now it is time that you sign the agreement.
Depending on your project's magnitude and vastness, it may take one week to 3 weeks to come up with the drawings for approval. After the provision of authorized signatories, you can start with the process of installation.
If any manufacturer does not commence with the installation process, they would typically schedule an appointment for third-party assistance before the scheduled date. It can ensure a quick and easy method of installation without any surprises or shock.
Bottom line
Work with a team that has more than the required experience. You can expect help from the estimators, project managers or engineers with the design and the facility for a cost-effective crane system. Since every business's operation is unique, you cannot expect the cranes from two different companies to work alike.
If you are interested in the quotation and the operation, and most importantly, if your business needs the use of an overhead crane of a particular company, then you should go ahead with the consultation process. Before that, it is remarkably important that you understand how the overhead crane system provides safety and increases the efficiency of your facility.
