Overhead Crane Wire Rope, Hooks, Brakes, and Load Testing

This specialized course provides technicians with the core competencies required to evaluate, maintain, and verify critical overhead crane lifting and load-holding components. Participants explore the structural design, lay configurations, and discard criteria for industrial wire rope, alongside rigorous dimensional inspection protocols for load hooks, sheaves, and bottom blocks. Detailed instruction covers industrial hoist braking systems, including electro-hydraulic thruster, DC magnetic shoe, and mechanical load brakes, focusing on torque calculations, air-gap adjustments, and friction lining replacement procedures. The curriculum culminates in the safe planning and execution of static and dynamic load testing, emphasizing rigging principles, structural deflection measurement, and operational braking verification. Through combined classroom theory and targeted practical workshops, technicians develop advanced diagnostic problem-solving abilities to ensure total mechanical integrity and safe load control across heavy industrial lifting operations.

InstructorJacob Calhoun

Prerequisites

CRN 101

Course outline

Lectures, virtual labs, and graded assignments — completed in your browser.

01Lesson 1: Wire Rope Construction, Classifications, and Reeving Systemslecture

02Lesson 2: Wire Rope Damage Mechanisms, Wear Limits, and Discard Criterialecture

03Lesson 3: Hook Assemblies, Throat Measurement, and Bottom Block Evaluationlecture

04Hands-on Lab: Hands-On Lab: Wire Rope Caliper Gauging, Discard Evaluation, and Hook Inspectionlab

05Lesson 5: Electro-Mechanical Hoist Shoe Brakes and Actuator Systemslecture

06Lesson 6: Disc Brakes, Caliper Mechanisms, and Thruster Brake Servicelecture

07Lesson 7: Mechanical Load Brakes, Friction Discs, and Overrunning Clutcheslecture

08Hands-on Lab: Hands-On Lab: Brake Assembly Teardown, Air-Gap Adjustment, and Torque Setuplab

09Lesson 9: Auxiliary and Regenerative Braking System Operational Checkslecture

10Lesson 10: Load Test Planning, Test Weight Calculations, and Rigging Setupslecture

11Hands-on Lab: Hands-On Lab: Dynamic and Static Load Testing and Deflection Measurementlab

12Lesson 12: Non-Destructive Testing Methods for Hooks and Load-Path Componentslecture

13Lesson 13: Root-Cause Failure Analysis of Wire Rope and Braking Systemslecture

14Capstone Service Project: Hoist Re-Rope, Brake Overhaul, and Full Load Certification Verificationassignment

Syllabus

["Week 1: Lesson 1: Wire Rope Construction, Classifications, and Reeving Systems", "Week 2: Lesson 2: Wire Rope Damage Mechanisms, Wear Limits, and Discard Criteria", "Week 3: Lesson 3: Hook Assemblies, Throat Measurement, and Bottom Block Evaluation", "Week 4: Hands-on Lab: Hands-On Lab: Wire Rope Caliper Gauging, Discard Evaluation, and Hook Inspection", "Week 5: Lesson 5: Electro-Mechanical Hoist Shoe Brakes and Actuator Systems", "Week 6: Lesson 6: Disc Brakes, Caliper Mechanisms, and Thruster Brake Service", "Week 7: Lesson 7: Mechanical Load Brakes, Friction Discs, and Overrunning Clutches", "Week 8: Hands-on Lab: Hands-On Lab: Brake Assembly Teardown, Air-Gap Adjustment, and Torque Setup", "Week 9: Lesson 9: Auxiliary and Regenerative Braking System Operational Checks", "Week 10: Lesson 10: Load Test Planning, Test Weight Calculations, and Rigging Setups", "Week 11: Hands-on Lab: Hands-On Lab: Dynamic and Static Load Testing and Deflection Measurement", "Week 12: Lesson 12: Non-Destructive Testing Methods for Hooks and Load-Path Components", "Week 13: Lesson 13: Root-Cause Failure Analysis of Wire Rope and Braking Systems", "Week 14: Capstone Service Project: Hoist Re-Rope, Brake Overhaul, and Full Load Certification Verification"]