Tips on Using Slings to Remove and Install your Heavy Servo or Spindle Motor
Posted by Michael Norman on Fri, Sep 18, 2009 @ 01:59 PM
Your motor has failed and you need to remove it from your machine. You have disconnected all the electrical, dissconnected the coupling, cursed the engineer who designed the machine, and are now ready to remove the motor. There is just one obstacle left however, the motor weighs way more than you can lift by hand.
You decide to use a forklift or ceiling crane to lift the motor out of the machine. You see that the motor has one or two eye-bolts that you can attach slings to. Just connect the motor to the crane and lift right? Almost, but there are a few things you must do to insure your personal safety and the safety of the motor.
Slings are specifically rated for certain loads. These loads vary depending on the manner in which you utilize the sling. These loads should be documented on the sling lable. If the lable is missing or you are using a sub-par sling you should consider throwing it away and investing in proper slings.
Learn the right and wrong ways to attach a sling. Wear-flex has a webpage on the proper use of their slings. Knowing when a sling is being used improperly will reduce the likleyhood of undue strain leading to sling failure.
Always use one sling per eye-blot. Never loop the sling through two eye-bolts. This mistake is common. When the sling loops from one eye-bolt to another it puts force on the bolts at an improper angle that can lead to them bending or breaking. Always lift an eye-bolt straight up from the top of the bolt, and check that the bolt is tight before lifting.
These are some tips on safely lifting your motor out of your machine and putting it back in.