Cranes Technology Committee Activities

The CTC met 10 June 2024, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA.
The meeting was held in conjunction with the 30th AIST Crane Symposium. Key agenda items included planning for AISTech 2025. The CTC discussed the status of multiple technical reports, noting necessary updates and forming volunteer groups to work on them.

The CTC met 23–24 January 2024, Orlando, Fla., USA.
The meeting covered nominations for the upcoming committee leadership, a review of the 30th AIST Crane Symposi-um scheduled for June in Pittsburgh, Pa., and discussions on the status of various technical reports. Additionally, the group enjoyed a tour of Nucor Steel Florida Inc.’s continuous mini-mill long products facility.

Tom Berringer (left) presented a plaque of appreciation to Terry Boyd (right) for hosting the CTC’s tour of Nucor Steel Florida.

The CTC, MHTC, and TLTC met jointly 1 November 2023, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.
The MHTC and TLTC dedicated their meeting time to planning for the upcoming Material Handling Training Workshop. This essential workshop is set to take place on 15–16 October 2024, in Houston, Texas, USA. Concurrently, they mapped out the logistics for their spring meeting with the Association of American Railroads scheduled for March 2024.

Meanwhile, the CTC delved into the status of updates to various AIST Technical Reports. The committee’s diligent efforts ensure the continuous advancement of crane technology.

The three committees united for comprehensive presentations on rigging, loading and securing practices. The collective expertise and collaboration witnessed during this joint meeting contribute significantly to the ongoing advancements in material handling, transportation and logistics, and cranes technology.

The next day, all three committees enjoyed an insightful tour of Steel Dynamics Inc. – Flat Roll Group Southwest-Sinton Division.

MHTC chair Mike Leard (left) presented a plaque of appreciation to Thad McClone (right) for hosting MHTC, TLTC and CTC members for a plant tour of Steel Dynamics Inc. — Flat Roll Group Southwest-Sinton Division on 2 November 2023.
Russell Walters (left) presented the CTC service plaque to Bobby Hamilton (right).

The CTC met 8 May 2023, Detroit, MI, USA.
The following officers were elected:

  • Chair: Bobby Hamilton - Mazzella FHS

  • Vice Chair: Russell Waters - Nucor Steel Kankakee Inc.

  • Crane Symposium Chair: Tom Berringer - Gantrex Inc.

  • Young Professional Chair: Roland Najbar - Siemens Industry Inc.

  • Crane Outreach Chair: Mike Sparks - Dellner Bubenzer

  • Digitalization Liaison: Steve Lubeck - Laser-View Technologies

  • Decarbonization Liaison: Tad Dunville - Unique Group LLC

The CTC met 12 June 2023, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA.
The CTC convened just prior to the 29th annual Crane Symposium in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA. The meeting addressed several key topics and initiatives relevant to the committee’s objectives and upcoming events. One of the primary discussions revolved around the crane sessions that took place at AISTech 2023 in Detroit, Mich., USA, in May. Attendees shared their experiences and insights from the sessions, highlighting noteworthy presentations and key takeaways. The committee members engaged in productive exchanges regarding the information disseminated during AISTech and explored potential connections to be made with the upcoming Crane Symposium. The committee also conducted a thorough review of the final program for the 2023 Crane Symposium. The program was assessed for its content, relevance and alignment with the committee’s objectives. Feedback and suggestions were provided to ensure the program offered valuable insights and addressed the industry’s most pressing concerns.

An important focus of the meeting was the status update on various technical reports being developed by the committee. Specifically, updates were shared on AIST Technical Report (TR) 1 — DC Mill Motors and TR-1A — AC Mill Motor Standards, which provide valuable information on motor technologies used in crane applications. The committee also discussed the progress of TR-11 — Brake Standards for Mill Motors, which focuses on the specific brake systems employed in mill motors. Additionally, efforts were made to update TR-06 – Specification for Electrical Overhead Traveling Cranes for Steel Mill Service with the aim of ensuring its relevance and accuracy in the current industry landscape.

Looking ahead, the committee announced the details of its next meeting scheduled for November 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas. This forthcoming meeting will be held jointly with the Material Handling and Transportation & Logistics Technology Committees and will include a tour of Steel Dynamics Inc. – Flat Roll Group Southwest-Sinton Division. These events will provide members with an opportunity to engage in discussions, exchange knowledge and explore relevant industry practices at a prominent steel production facility.

The CTC’s meeting concluded with a sense of progress and anticipation for the upcoming Crane Symposium. The committee members reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the crane technology sector and acknowledged the value of continued collaboration and knowledge sharing in achieving their objectives.

The CTC toured Nucor Steel Gallatin (left to right): Nick Jroski, Jim Sutherland, Tom Berringer, Kirby Brown, Casey Cummins, Russ Walters, Bob Schmitt, Scott Serene and Bob Buccigrossi.

The CTC met 13–14 September 2022, Louisville, Tenn., USA.
Russ Walters reported on the selected abstracts for AISTech 2023, which will be organized into two sessions. The AISTech 2024 Call for Papers text was discussed and approved.
Tom Berringer reviewed the 2022 Cranes Symposium survey results. The survey results will be compiled to determine the Charlie Totten Innovation Award winner at the next symposium.
The theme of the 2023 Cranes Symposium will be “Back to the Future.” The idea is to continue from the 2022 symposium theme of “For the Future of Cranes 4.0.” The 2023 symposium will be held 12–14 June in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA.
There was a lengthy discussion about developing a Cranes Roundup. The outcome was that the CTC does not see value in developing a roundup; however, they do see value in creating a survey to be done during the symposium which collects specific data.

The CTC met 20 June 2022, Milwaukee, Wis., USA, prior to the start of the 28th Crane Symposium
AIST CTC chair Bobby Hamilton welcomed everyone to the meeting and the attendees provided introductions.

A review of the AISTech 2022 crane sessions was provided by Mark McGinley, who noted that  a few of the presentations had as many as 25–30 attendees, which is  higher than normal attendance for  crane sessions at AISTech.

Tom Berringer, symposium chair, provided an overview of the 28th Crane Symposium program, noting the emphasis on Industry 4.0 as it relates to overhead cranes. (A recap of the symposium appears on page 174.) He also asked for the CTC members attending the symposium to actively solicit presentations for next year’s program.

The Cranes Technology Committee oversees many AIST Technical Reports as they relate to overhead cranes. A review of the various Technical Reports was conducted to note which reports required revision and which reports may become obsolete due to technology advancements.

The CTC members then held a discussion on creating a guide concerning the proper selection of overhead crane type for the various applications in heavy industry. This guide would be used by individuals new to heavy industry to understand the relation between crane design, duty cycle and facility requirements to ensure a new crane is sufficient for the operations intended. A subcommittee was formed to review the value and viability of the guide. The meeting concluded with the members discussing the location of the fall CTC meeting.

Bobby Hamilton (right) presented the CTC service plaque
 to Mark McGinley (left).

The CTC met 16 May 2022, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
The following officers were elected:

  • Chair: Bobby Hamilton  /  Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc.

  • Vice Chair: Russell Waters  /  Nucor Steel Kankakee Inc.

  • Crane Symposium Chair: Tom Berringer  /  Gantrex Inc.

  • Young Professional Chair: Matt Bruels  /  PT Tech LLC

  • Crane Outreach Chair: Mike Sparks  /  Dellner Bubenzer

  • Digital Transformation Liaison: Ryan Marks  /  Uesco Cranes

  • Decarbonization Liaison: Nate Kelly  /  Virginia Crane – Foley Material Handling

The CTC met 8–9 February 2022, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA 
On 8 February, the CTC joined members of the Safety & Health Technology Committee (SHTC) for a tour of Steel Dynamics Inc. – Flat Roll Group Southwest-Sinton Division. The mill produced its very first coil from melt to rolled steel on 7 February 2022. The members were greeted by Thad McClone, crane crew/loco shop supervisor, who provided safety equipment for the tour. Due to the facility just beginning production, the tour was conducted via 4-wheel side-by-side transports. Included in the tour was a drive-by of the meltshop and caster, and a drive down the lengths of the hot mill, roll shop, cold mill, galvanizing line and paint line. Also noted were the scrap handling yards and the areas of planned expansion for the facility.
The CTC held their winter meeting the next day. The meeting started with each attendee introducing themselves and hearing about the activities taking place within AIST. The two CTC sessions scheduled for Monday at AISTech 2022 were reviewed. There was a request for abstracts from committee members to fill the additional available time slots. 
Nominations were then taken for the 2022–2023 CTC officer roles. Final elections for the officers will occur during the AISTech 2022 CTC meeting. 
A lengthy discussion was held regarding bringing value to future meetings for all attendees and particular producers. A subcommittee was established to focus on these initial ideas and suggestions. 
The committee next heard status updates on AIST Technical Reports No. 1 — D/C Motors (TR-1), No. 1A — A/C Motors (TR-1A), and No. 8 — Insulated Conductors for Mill Motors (TR-8). TR-1 and TR-1A are at the initial stages of being updated. TR-8 was last printed in 2008 and should be thoroughly reviewed and updated as needed. 
Following the main CTC meeting, the CTC Mill Buildings Subcommittee held a separate meeting. The subcommittee reviewed the updated version of AIST Technical Report No. 13 — Guide for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings (TR-13) published in 2021. The group discussed topics that could be updated to improve TR-13 for the next release. 

Tim Bickel (left), Cranes Technology Committee (CTC) Mill Buildings Subcommittee chair, and Paul Thurber (right), Safety & Health Technology Committee (SHTC) vice chair, presented a plaque of appreciation to Steel Dynamics Inc. – Flat Roll Group Southwest-Sinton Division for hosting a tour for members of the SHTC and CTC on 8 February 2022.
 
Mark McGinley received the CTC service plaque at AISTech 2021.

The CTC met 29 June 2021, Nashville, TN USA.
The following officers were elected:

  • Chair: Mark McGinley, Hall Industries Inc.

  • Vice Chair: Bobby Hamilton, Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc.

  • Crane Symposium Chair: Tom Berringer, Gantrex Inc.

  • Young Professional Chair: Matt Bruels, PT Tech LLC

  • Digital Transformation Liaison: Ryan Marks, Uesco Cranes

The CTC held a virtual meeting 25 February 2021.
The CTC held a virtual meeting led by Mark McGinley. Bobby Hamilton reported on the committee’s planned sessions for AISTech 2021. There is a session scheduled for Tuesday morning and a second one Tuesday afternoon.
The group then previewed the 27th Crane Symposium, which has been rescheduled to 15–17 August 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA. The location for the 28th Crane Symposium was discussed and meeting attendees ranked their preferences of five different locations.
Rich Warriner reported on the next iteration of the Argentina Crane Symposium. Although there is plenty of interest to present at such an event, planning is shelved until travel restrictions are lifted.
The CTC heard status updates for three of its Technical Report revision projects. AIST Technical Report No. 7 – Specifications for Laminated Ladle Hooks (TR-07) has been sent to the AIST Board of Directors for final approval. AIST Technical Report No. 11 – Brake Standards for Mill Duty Cranes (TR-11) is on hold until in-person Technology Committee meetings can resume. AIST Technical Report No. 13 – Guide for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings (TR-13) is currently under review and will then be sent to the Board of Directors for final approval.

The CTC held a virtual meeting 21 January 2021.
 Tim Bickel welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked each participant to introduce themselves. This subcommittee is regarded in the industry as experts in mill building design and its main purpose is to oversee the development and revision of AIST Technical Report No. 13 (TR-13) – Guide for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings. The subcommittee has submitted a revision of the guide to AIST for approval and publication. Although the production had been interrupted by the global pandemic, the subcommittee plans to have TR-13 published by AISTech 2021, pending final approval by the AIST Board of Directors.
The subcommittee discussed topics that were in need of updating in the next edition of TR-13, including  additional crane loading, building classifications, coatings, guidance for future expansion, building information modeling (BIM) guidance and smart buildings. The subcommittee also discussed edits to make TR-13 consistent with other AIST publications.

The CTC held a virtual meeting 28 September 2020.
The CTC discussed the crane-related abstracts for AISTech 2021 and the development of their technical session.
The group also discussed the Crane Symposium Webinars, which were held 29 September–1 October 2020. Nine presentations that were originally scheduled for the 2020 Crane Symposium were converted to a virtual platform. Included in the webinars was the opportunity for attendees to participate in virtual networking sessions following each day’s presentations.
The committee is now looking forward to organizing the 27th Crane Symposium, scheduled for 13–15 June 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA. A Call for Abstracts is available at AIST.org.
The meeting concluded with updates from the Crane Technical Report subcommittees. Technical Report No. 7 — Specification for Ladle Hooks and Technical Report No. 13 — Guide for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings have both been completed and they are awaiting final ballot draft review before publication. Technical Report No. 11 — Specification for Mill Motor Brakes continues to be revised by the Electrical Subcommittee of the CTC.
Prior to the meeting concluding, the members voted to postpone the decision on the format for the next meeting until more clarity has been established pertaining to in-person events.

The CTC held a virtual meeting 7 May 2020.
The CTC began their meeting with a report from Mark McGinley on the committee’s planned sessions for AISTech 2020.
Tom Berringer updated the group on the 2020 Crane Symposium, which has been rescheduled to 29 September–1 October 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pa., USA. The current program includes two full days of presentations from the crane industry’s most knowledgeable leaders for operations, product applications, and basic research and development. The symposium will also feature the winner of the 2020 AIST Charlie Totten Crane Innovator Award.
The 2021 Crane Symposium is scheduled for 13–15 June 2021 in Pittsburgh.
Bobby Hamilton reported that AIST Technical Report No. 7 — Specifications for Laminated Ladle Hooks was approved by the Technology Council but the subcommittee needs to resolve a few comments that were made. Cullen Ketcham reported that AIST Technical Report No. 11 — Brake Standards for Mill-Duty Cranes is still in progress, with the subcommittee scheduled to meet at the AIST headquarters in Warrendale, Pa., USA, on 21 July 2020. Ken Landau reported that AIST Technical Report No. 13 ­— Guide for the Design and Construction of Mill Buildings has been approved by both the CTC and the Technology Council and is now being prepared for Board of Directors approval.
The CTC wrapped up its virtual meeting by confirming the following 2020–2021 committee officers:

  • Chair: Mark McGinley, Hall Industries.

  • Vice chair: Bobby Hamilton, Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Inc.

  • Crane Symposium chair: Tom Berringer, Gantrex Inc.

Members of the Cranes Technology Committee’s subcommittee on Technical Report No. 13 gathered as part of the CTC’s meeting on 4 February 2020 in Las Vegas, Nev., USA

The CTC met 4 February 2020, Las Vegas, Nev., USA.
The CTC’s winter 2020 meeting began with progress reports from the AIST Technical Report No. 11 and No. 13 revision subcommittees, who also met that day.
The committee then discussed the Charlie Totten Innovator Award. Four “champions” presented on their choice of candidate and a winner was determined by committee vote. The award will be presented at the 27th AIST Crane Symposium.
The topic then moved to the upcoming Crane Symposium, scheduled for 7–9 June 2020. The committee finalized the list of presenters and brainstormed ways to encourage attendee participation. The CTC then looked ahead to the time and location of the 28th Crane Symposium, which will be held in Milwaukee, Wis., USA.
The CTC reviewed its upcoming session at AISTech 2020 and the role of session and papers chairs were reviewed.
Nominees for the 2020–2021 CTC chair and vice chair were sought. The final vote will take place at AISTech 2020.
The meeting wrapped up with an open discussion on content featured in AIST Technical Reports and future updates.