You’ve seen those extreme makeover shows on TV?  Engineered Lifting Systems and Magnetek recently did an interesting makeover to modernize a 40 year old hoist, and we did it fast!

An Engineered Lifting customer recently had an old hoist operating in a very important part of their plant that needed a new mechanical load brake assembly.  A mechanical load brake is the device that limits the lowering of a load to a speed no greater than the hoist motor RPMs.  Because of the age of the hoist, the parts for repairwere many weeks in delivery in order to get the hoist back in service.

Many weeks for delivery of the repair parts was not an acceptable option.  This hoist operates in a critical area of the plant and downtime was delaying production.  The customer asked Engineered Lifting Systems for help.



Our detailed inspection of the hoist showed that the load brake was not the only repair issue.  The controls were badly in need of an update.

The hoist was otherwise in generally good shape, and because of its special design, it would be very difficult to replace in this application. So, Engineered Lifting Systems worked out a modernization plan based around a Magnetek VG+ Series III drive, locking the load brake so the drive would handle the dynamic lowering chores with feed back via a Lakeshore 1024 PPR encoder, shaft mounted to the existing motor.

This design allows the customer flexibility to update the motor at a later date if required.



Hoist motor shaft before encoder installation.



New Lakeshore encoder installed on the motor shaft.



New Magnetek controls.

Controls were modernized, including load reactors to protect the existing hoist motor due to it’s age.

With these components delivered in only a few days to the customer, total downtime was limited to days, not weeks or months!

The hoist was placed back in service, and the only complaint has been:

“We can’t hear the hoist operating any more.”

When you have a crane or hoist in need of repair or a makeover, extreme or otherwise, don’t wait weeks or months for factory replacement parts.  Call the crane doctors at Engineered Lifting.  We make house calls.

For more information or assistance with your crane, hoist and engineered lifting  requirements, please contact Eric Brown.