Cranes and their components are not designed to last forever
Welded structures and machinery components experience fatigue and wear-and-tear whenever a crane is working. These components have a finite service life – which is correlated to usage, not calendar time. Frequent inspections, while necessary, cannot always catch machinery failure that may be caused by extremely fast crack propagation. A calculation of design life will give information that helps you assess your safe working limits and plan actions for continued equipment use.
![Design Life white paper thumbnail](/sites/default/files/inline-images/design-life-white-paper-thumbnail.jpg)
Summary
- Design class determines usable design life.
- Understanding the design life of your crane is critical.
- Determining design life is especially important for older cranes.
- Design life analysis is not just a matter of economics, it's industry standard.
- Where to find expert analysis of the remaining design life of your crane.