DiagnosingBridgeCraneTrackingProblems

PreparedBy

GaryJ.Davis,P.E.
DirectorofConsultingServices
IntegratedMachinerySolutions(IMS)
FortWorth,Texas
November14,2010

TexasRegisteredEngineeringFirm#11499

www.teamims.com garydavis@teamims.com 8176592399

Introduction

Poorbridgetrackingcanbeastubbornandexpensivemaintenanceproblemforoverhead
cranes.Itisalsooneofthemosttediousproblemstotroubleshoot.Trackingproblemsare
difficulttodiagnosebecauseofthemanyconditionsthatcausethem.Iftheyarenotpromptly
rectified,thedestructiveactionfeedsonitselfandproblemscanmultiply.Whenthishappens,
theproblembecomesevenmorecomplicated.

Thisarticleprovidesagoodstartingpointtohelpmaintenancetechniciansandengineerssolve
trackingproblemsbytheprocessofelimination.Duetothemanypossibleconfigurationsof
toprunningoverheadcranesandrunways,thisguidecanonlyprovidegeneralguidanceonthis
topic.

Normalvs.AbnormalBridgeTrackingBehavior

Skewing,sidethrust,andwheel/railwearoccurnaturallyduringbridgetracking.Design
specificationsforcranesandrunwaysprovideforlateralcraneloadsandforcescausedby
steeringandskewing.Forcertainhardworkedcraneapplications,wheelsandrailsmaybe
consideredconsumableitems.Forthesecranes,itisdifficulttodiscernbetweennormaland
abnormalbehavior.Forabnormaltrackingbehavior,lookforoneormoreofthefollowing
symptoms:

Frequentreplacementofwheels,wheelbearings,andrails.
Brokentiebacksbetweenrunwaybeamsandcolumns.
Extradrivepowerrequiredtomusclethroughcertainareasoftherunway.
Brokenwheelflanges.
Loudscrapingsounds.
Wheelflangespressedhardagainsttherailhead.
Endtruckscrackednearthewheelassemblies.
Loosegirderconnections.
Wheelflangesattempttoclimbovertherailthensuddenlycrashdown.
Bridgederailment.

Evenifthesesymptomsarenotpresent,thesuggestionsinthisguidewillhelpimprovebridge
trackingperformanceandreducemaintenance.

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ASimplifiedDescriptionofSkewing

Skewingoccurswhenthereisadifferenceintraction
orspeedbetweenthedrivenendsofthebridge.

Forthisdescriptionwewillassumethatskewingis
initiatedbyonedriveendmovingfasterthanthe
other,orfromdrivewheelskidding/slippage.When
thishappens,thefollowingeventsaresetinto
motion:

1.
Thedriveeffectivelydeliversalargertraction
forcetooneendofthebridge.

2.
Thedifferenceintractionbetweenthedriven
endscausesthebridgespantoactasalever
arm.Theleverarmforcesareresistedby
lateralloadingofthewheelsandrail.

3.
Theleverarmactioncausesthebridgeframe
totemporarilydeformasshowninfigure1.

4.
Thedeformationcausesthecornersofthebridgeframetotwist,andthewheelsto
becometemporarilymisaligned.Iftheframeisnotstiffenough,themisalignmentwill
contributetothetrackingproblem.

5.
Theframewillremaindeformedaslongasthereisadifferenceintractionforce
betweenthedrivenends.

6.
Thetractiondifferencecausesthecranetosteertoonesideoftherunway.

7.
Thecranewillcontinuetosteertoonesideuntilthewheelflangetouchesthesideof
therailhead.

8.
Thewheelflangeappliesalateralforcetotherunway.

9.
Thelateralforcecreatesafrictionforceparalleltotherunway.

10.
Thefrictionforcecounteractsthetractionforce.

11.
Therandomdifferencesofthefrictionforcesbetweenbridgeendscausestheskew
angletointermittentlyincreaseanddecrease.

12.
SeeFigure2.Thecranerotates(inplan)untilthecumulativeeffectofwheelflange
contactandlateralfrictionareequaltotheeffectofthetractionforcedifference
betweenthedrivenends.Theangleofrotationistheskewangle.

13.
Iftheskewangleisallowedtobelargeenough,thefrictionforceparalleltotherunway
willequalorexceedthetractionforceandthecranewillbindandcometoahalt.
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14.

15.

Ifthedriveshavesufficientpowerandtraction,thewheelswillclimbuptherailandthe
cranemayderail.
Iftheskewangleispreventedfrombeinglarge,theflangewillskipoffthesideofrail
andcontinuetrackingalongtherunwaypath.

SuggestionsforDiagnosingTrackingProblems

Thefollowingtablescontainconditionstoinvestigate.Theconditionslistedundereachofthe6
suspectitemsareorderedbytheirlikelihoodtocausetrackingproblems.

1.0RunwayRailRelated

Condition

Runwayrailsoutof
1.1
horizontalalignment.
1.2

Excessivewheelfloat
causedbyrailwear.

Excessivelateralrail
movementcausedby
1.3
useoffloatingrail
clamps.
Drivewheelskiddingor
1.4
slippage.

1.5

Runwayrailelevation
outofalignment.

Comment
Misalignedrailscause
wheelstobind.
SeeFig.3.Excessive
floatallowsalargerskew
angle,largerlateralrail
force,andbinding.

HowtoDetect
Performarunway
alignmentsurvey.

AlignrailsperCMAAor
AISTtolerances.

Inspectsidesofrailhead
forexcessivewear.

Replacewornrails.

Checkforgapsbetween
Floatingclampsallowrail railbaseandrailclamp. Replacefloatingrail
toshiftlaterally,causing Clampsshouldbetight
clampswithnonfloating
alargerskewangle.
againstbothedgesofrail typeclampsorclips.
base.
Causesunbalanced
tractionbetweendrive
wheelsresultingin
skewing.
Relativelylargeelevation
differencesarerequired
tocauseproblems.

Inspectrailsurfacesfor
liquidordebris.

Keeprailscleananddry.
Adjustmotorcontrolsto
reduceacceleration.

Performarunway
alignmentsurvey.

AlignrailsperCMAAor
AISTtolerances.

Notes:

Seereferences1and2forrunwayalignmenttolerances.

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CorrectiveAction


2.0WheelRelated

Condition

Wheelmisalignment
2.1 relativetootherwheels
andtrackingdirection.
Excessivewheelfloat
2.2 causedbywheelflange
wear.
Drivewheeldiameters
2.3 notmatchedwithin
tolerance.

2.4

Excessivewearofdrive
wheeltread.

Comment
Producesthesame
effectasrail
misalignment,and
causesskewing.

HowtoDetect

CorrectiveAction

Completeaprecise
wheelalignmentsurvey.

"MCB"bearingcapsules
canbeshimmedfor
alignment.

Usegreaterflange
Inspectwheelflangesfor
hardnessfor
excessivewear.
replacementwheels.
Replacedrivewheels
Checkwheeltread
Causesspeeddifference
withwheelpairsthat
diameters.See
acrossthespan,resulting
havematchingdiameters
references1&2for
inskewing.
withinrecommended
tolerances.
tolerance.
Createsvariabledrive
Byvisualexamination.
treadcircumferenceand
Replacewornwheels,
Normaltreadsurfaces
causesaspeed
usegreatertread
shouldlookperfectly
differencebetweendrive
hardness.
flat.
wheels.
Seecomment1.2.

Excessivewheelfloat
2.5 duetotreadprofiletoo
wideforrailhead.

Seecomment1.2.

Floatshouldbewithin
thevaluesshowninFig.
3.

Replacewithwheelsthat
havepropertreadwidth.

2.6 Wheelbearingfailure.

Causesskewingdueto
rollingresistanceatone
endofthebridge.

Highlocaltemperature
atthebearingcapsule,
paintdiscoloration,
noise.

Replacebearingand
capsule.

Notes:

2.1. Seereference2forwheelalignmenttolerance.Wheelalignmentsurveysaredifficult
toperformandshouldonlybecompletedbyqualifiedpersonnelwhoareexperienced
withthiswork.Pilotedflangecapsulescanbereplacedwitheccentricboresfor
adjustment.Bearingalignmentscanonlybemadetosphericalrollerbearings.

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3.0BridgeFrameAlignment

Condition

Comment

HowtoDetect

CorrectiveAction

Bridgetrucks,bogie
3.1 trucks,orendtiesoutof
alignment.

Originalequipmentmay
bemisaligned,or
becamemisalignedfrom
othercauses.

See2.1

See2.1.

Bridgespandimension
3.2 outoftolerancerelative
torunwayrailspan.

Hassameeffectasrail
spanmisalignment.

Useapreciselaser
"distancemeter"to
measurethebridge
wheelspans.

Consultwithaqualified
personforbridgespan
modifications.

Allowsbridgeframeto
becomemisaligned.

Inspectgirder
connections.

Completeaprecise
wheelalignmentsurvey.
Reamholestonext
largerboltdiameter,use
interferencefitbolts.

Bridgeaccelerationor
decelerationwithtrolley
3.4
atornearoneendofthe
bridge.

Seefigure1.Oneendof
bridgemovesfasterthan
theothercausing
skewing.

Observetracking
behaviorduring
accelerationwithtrolley
atcenterofspan
comparedto
accelerationwithtrolley
atendofbridge.

Modifydutycyclesothat
bridgeaccelerationdoes
notstartuntiltrolleyis
nearmidspanofbridge.

Endtrucksorendties
3.5
tooflexible.

Seefigure1.Frame
deformationcancause
temporarywheel
misalignmentand
skewing.

Performanengineering
analysistodetermine
cornerrotationunder
normalserviceloads.

Consultwithaqualified
persontoincreasethe
stiffnessofthebridge
frame.

3.3

Loosegirder
connections.

Notes:

3.1. Thereisacommonmisconceptionthatbumpingthecraneagainsttheendstopswill
squarethebridgeframe.Thisprocedureisnotrecommendedduetothefollowing:

Theendstopsmaynotbeperpendiculartotherunway.
Thebridgebumpersmaynotbesquaretothebridgealignment.
Girderconnectionsshouldholdthecornerjointcompletelyrigidandnotbe
adjustable.

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4.0Runway&BuildingStructureRelated

Condition

Brokentiebacksfor
4.1
runwaybeams.

Longspanrunwaybeam
4.2 ononesideofthe
runway.

Excessivedeflectionof
4.3 runwaybeamsupport
bracketsoncolumns.

Windloadonexterior
wallcausesexcessive
4.4
lateraldeflectionof
runway.

Heavysnowloadcauses
4.5 excessivelateral
deflectionofrunway.

Comment

HowtoDetect

Seecomment1.2.
Visualstructural
Causesrailmisalignment. inspection.

Longerbeamspanshave
largerdeflection.See
notebelow.

Columnsare
eccentricallyloadedby
cantileveredsupport
bracketsforrunway
beams,causingthe
runwaytodeflectand
decreasetherunway
span.
Iftherunwayisadjacent
toanexteriorwall,wind
loadingmaycause
runwaylateral
deflection.More
significantfortall
structures.
Heavyroofliveloadmay
causecolumnstobow
outward,andincrease
therunwayspan.More
significantforverywide
cranebays.

CorrectiveAction
Consultwithaqualified
persontoreplacetie
backswithimproved
design.

Observepoortracking
behavioroverbays
whereoneendofthe
bridgeissupportedbya
beamwithasignificantly
longerspanthanthe
otherend.

Consultwithaqualified
persontospecify
positivecamberand
increasedstiffnessfor
thelongspanbeam.

Poortrackingatornear
columns.

Consultwithaqualified
persontoincreasethe
columnstiffness.

Poortrackingbehavior
duringwindyconditions.

Consultwithaqualified
persontoincrease
lateralstiffnessatthe
elevationoftherunway.

Poortrackingbehavior
withheavysnowloadon
roof.

Removesnowfromroof.

Notes:

4.2 Whenthebridgetravelsacrosstherunwaybeam,itdeflectsdownwardandassumesa
concaveshape.Thebridgethentravelsonadownwardslopeuntilitreachesthemid
spanofthebeam.Afterpassingthemidspan,thebridgetravelsuphill.Morepoweris
requiredfortravellinguphill,andlessfordownhill.Thisconditioncreatesadifferencein
tractionforcebetweenthedrivenendsandcancauseskewing.

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5.0BridgeMechanicalRelated
Condition

5.1 Driveshafttooflexible.

5.2

Driveshaftcouplings
looseorworn.

Driveshaftsbecomepre
5.3 loaded,shaftwindupis
lockedin.

Comment
Appliestocrossshaft
connecteddrivewheels.
Flexibleshaftingcausesa
largerdifferencein
angulartwistbetween
drivewheels.
Causesdrivewheelsto
beunsynchronized.
Appliestocrossshaft
connecteddrivewheels
where4wheelsare
driven.Ifonedrive
wheelslipsrelativeto
theothers,thedrive
shaftscanbecome
preloadedwithtorsion.

HowtoDetect

CorrectiveAction

Performanengineering
analysistoconfirmthat
angulardeflectionof
shaftingiswithin
allowablelimits.

Replacewithlarger
diametershafting.See
references1&2for
allowableshafttwist.

Inspectbridgedrive
couplings

Replacelooseorworn
couplings.

Observetrackingand
watchforwheelskidding
orslippage.

Inspectrailsurfacesfor
liquidordebris.Keep
railscleananddry.Jack
thedrivewheeloffthe
railtoreleasethe
torque.

6.0MotorDriveRelated

Condition

Comment

HowtoDetect

CorrectiveAction

Differenceinbraking
6.1 torquebetweendrive
wheels.

Appliestoindependent
driveswithmagnetic
control.Oneendofthe
bridgestopsfaster
causingskewing.

Visualobservationof
oneendofthebridge
stoppingbeforethe
other.

Adjustbraketorque
settingstoobtainequal
torque.

Drivemotorspeedsnot
6.2
equal.

Appliestoindependent
driveswithmagnetic
control.Oneendofthe
bridgetravelsfaster
causingskewing.

Monitormotorspeeds
underdynamic
conditions.

Servicemotorsand/or
motorcontrolstoobtain
synchronizedmotor
speeds.

Conclusion

Usethesetablesasastartingpointtocreateadisciplinedandsystematictroubleshooting
procedurethatissuitableforyourcranesandrunways.Itisstronglyrecommendedthatthe
investigationphasebecarriedoutbyqualified,personnelwhohaveexperiencesolvingtracking
problemsforavarietyofdifferentcraneapplications.

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References

1. CMAASpecification#70,2010ed.,CraneManufacturersAssociationofAmerica,Inc.,
Charlotte,NC.

2. AISTTechnicalReportNo.6,June2005ed.,AssociationforIronandSteelTechnology,
Pittsburgh,PA.

3. Fisher,JamesM.,IndustrialBuildingsRoofstoColumnAnchorage,AISCDesignGuide7,
AmericanInstituteofSteelConstruction,Chicago,2004.

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