Article
The Siemens S7-300 is being phased out — here's what that means for your warehouse
If your warehouse operations rely on a Siemens S7-300 PLC, it's time to start planning ahead. Siemens has moved this product family into its formal end-of-life process, and while nothing changes on your site today, the window for a calm, well-planned upgrade is narrower than it looks.
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Frequent inspections are the regular health checks your overhead crane needs
Think of frequent inspections as the routine check-up your crane needs to keep running safely. Unlike a full physical exam, this is more like checking vital signs—quick, regular looks at the parts of the crane that see the most action and wear out the fastest.
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Overhead crane supports pallet handling at ISOKON in Slovenia
ISOKON is a Slovenian manufacturer specializing in technical plastics for industrial applications. At its production facility, efficient material handling plays an important role in keeping production running smoothly. ISOKON has worked with Konecranes since 2023, when a crane system was integrated into a robotic production line. Following the successful implementation of that project, ISOKON selected Konecranes again to supply lifting equipment for a new production line where pallets with boards need to be transferred frequently and positioned accurately.
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Variable speed control upgrades for overhead cranes
The drive technology on an overhead crane has an outsized effect on how the crane performs day to day. Old or outdated variable speed controls don't just create maintenance headaches; they hold back the people using the crane. Modern inverter technology has advanced considerably, and whether your crane already has inverter control or is still running on two-speed contactors, an upgrade can bring big benefits.
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Why a spare parts package is a smart investment for your overhead cranes
When it comes to keeping overhead cranes running, having the right parts on hand at the right time can mean the difference between a minor maintenance stop and a costly, extended shutdown. A spare parts package takes the guesswork out of parts planning. And for facilities where cranes are critical to daily operations, that kind of preparedness pays for itself.
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See the crane coming: how safety lights protect people on the floor
An overhead crane moving through a busy facility is easy to miss. People are focused on their work, noise levels are high, and the crane is up above—not where most workers are looking. By the time someone notices a load swinging overhead or a hook descending toward their work area, they may not have much time to react.
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Is your wire rope as safe as it looks?
Wire rope is one of the most critical components on an overhead crane. It's the link between the hoist and the load. And when it fails, the consequences can be serious. But here's the problem: wire rope can look perfectly fine on the outside while deteriorating on the inside, which means visual inspection alone doesn't always tell the full story.
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Why hoist replacement creates long-term value
There are plenty of reasons a hoist reaches the end of its useful life. Components wear out and hit the limits of their service life. Breakdowns accumulate until repair stops making economic sense. Periodic inspections surface replacement recommendations that can't be deferred. Sometimes the hoist itself is fine, but the operation around it has changed because of higher production volumes, different load profiles, or shifts in how and where the equipment is used. Statutory requirements evolve too, and what was compliant a decade ago may no longer meet current standards. And sometimes the calculation is straightforward: a new crane is out of budget, but a new hoist achieves what's needed at a lower cost.
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Keep your crane working: everything you need to know about a general overhaul
Every time a crane lifts a load, machinery components in the hoist accumulate wear. That's simply the nature of mechanical equipment. Components experience fatigue over time, and as they do, the theoretical service life of the hoist gradually decreases. Left unaddressed, this means a higher risk of failure, unplanned downtime and costly emergency repairs. A general overhaul is how you reset the clock.
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