Why it is important to carry out maintenance checks on Hydraulic Truck Cranes

HDS cranes have been on the market for a very long time. It is only in recent years that they have gained in popularity. We use them for both loading and unloading various types of goods. Their compact design means that we can reach almost any location. This is a feature that sets HDS cranes apart from other cranes.

Cranes are more or less technologically and structurally advanced pieces of equipment. They require constant supervision and regular maintenance checks. HDS cranes are equipment that is subject to inspection by the Office of Technical Inspection. The efficiency of hydraulic truck-mounted cranes is of great importance for the safety not only of people, but also of the loads being moved. This translates into the careful regulation of maintenance and supervision of the equipment.

Tests to which HDS cranes are subject

Hydraulic truck cranes are subject to three types of testing. These include:

• Periodic examinations - These are cyclical surveys which are carried out at intervals set by the manufacturer, but must not be performed less frequently than once a year. The purpose of the tests is to check whether the recommendations which were ordered in the previous test have been carried out and whether any new damage affecting safety during use of the HDS cranes has occurred during operation of the machine.
• Ad hoc in-service tests - These are examinations carried out when necessary. The extent of these examinations is determined taking into account the needs as well as the circumstances in which they are carried out.
• Ad hoc post-accident and post-crash examinations - They are carried out after a malfunction or after an accident during the use of the HDS crane. The purpose of these surveys is to determine the technical condition of the equipment and the cause of the fault. 

 How often to perform maintenance checks on HDS cranes

Maintenance inspections of cranes mainly depend on the type of crane. This is due to the manufacturer's recommendations and the UDT procedure. However, they should be carried out at least once a year. Each maintenance job must be certified in writing in the crane equipment maintenance logbook.

Maintenance of cranes

Maintenance is a series of activities that are carried out in order to quickly detect faults and malfunctions in equipment and to ensure that it is operated correctly and safely. This allows us to operate machines safely and avoid work stoppages.

During maintenance inspections, min:

• Repair or replacement of defective components
• Assessment of the technical condition of the equipment
• Cleaning of machine components

Crane resourse

According to the Decree of the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology of 30 October 2018 on the technical conditions of technical supervision in the operation, repair and modernisation of material handling equipment, the owner of the crane is obliged to assess the technical condition of the equipment in terms of its service life. This refers to the so-called residual life. These are limit parameters that are used to assess and identify the technical condition of the machine. It is determined by the number of operating cycles and its load over a given period of operation.

 HDS crane service

Maintenance and repair work should only be outsourced to suitably qualified persons. Comprehensive service activities do not only include supporting the company in carrying out maintenance inspections, tests or registering equipment. Maintenance activities can also include upgrades, repairs, replacement of defective components and such activities that extend the service life of individual machine components.

What are the most common failures of HDS cranes

One of the operating risks when using HDS cranes is caused by damage to the hydraulic system, particularly leakage of hydraulic fluid. Hydraulic fluid leakage and slack in the working elements of the machine are most often the result of excessive loading of the machine or incorrect maintenance.

Popular faults with HDS cranes are also damage to the crane's structure, failure of the controls or mechanisms that are responsible for gripping the loads being moved. Damage and failures can be caused by overloading, working on incorrect ground or not stabilising the HDS crane correctly.