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Custom Lifting for Wind Energy: AFE Crane’s 180-Foot Load Bar Design

AFE Crane Custom Below Hook Lifting Device for Wind Turbine Blades

Overview

The growing wind power industry requires highly engineered lifting equipment to handle large, delicate turbine components. AFE Crane specializes in wind energy load bar design, creating custom lifting solutions that ensure safe, efficient handling of wind turbine blades. Over the years, our team has engineered and fabricated multiple versions of these below-the-hook devices to meet the industry’s evolving demands. One of our most advanced projects is a 180-foot load bar, purpose-built for wind turbine blade handling with exceptional structural integrity, optimized balance, and transport-friendly construction.

Project Challenges

Lifting wind turbine blades presents unique engineering challenges. The load bar needed to span 180 feet while maintaining a 4,000 lb capacity, requiring a design that balanced strength with weight efficiency. Additionally, the bar required 13 rigging points and 2 hoisting points to ensure even weight distribution and secure handling. Due to its extreme length, the load bar also needed to be fabricated in a way that allowed for efficient shipping and on-site assembly.

The AFE Crane Solution

AFE Crane engineered a truss-style load bar to reduce weight while maintaining the required load capacity. The design incorporated splice assemblies, allowing the bar to be fabricated and shipped in three separate sections, simplifying logistics and installation. The load bar was equipped with 13 load points for optimal rigging and two hoist hooking points on top to facilitate safe and stable lifts. By leveraging our expertise in below-the-hook lifting solutions, we created a custom tool that met the precise needs of wind turbine blade handling.

Project Execution

The 180-foot load bar was fabricated, assembled, and load-tested in our Cedar Falls, Iowa facility before shipment. Our engineers meticulously verified the structural integrity and performance of the load bar, ensuring it met all safety and operational requirements. By conducting full-scale assembly and testing in-house, we provided the customer with a fully validated lifting solution, minimizing potential on-site issues and expediting deployment.

Conclusion

This custom 180-foot load bar showcases AFE Crane’s ability to design, fabricate, and test innovative below-the-hook lifting devices for the wind energy sector. By integrating a truss format for weight reduction, splice assemblies for ease of transport, and multiple rigging points for secure handling, we delivered a solution tailored to the complex demands of wind turbine blade lifting. At AFE Crane, we continue to push the boundaries of custom lifting solutions, helping our customers solve their most challenging material handling needs.

 

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