The Challenges of Operating in Harsh Conditions
Choosing the right davit crane can be a challenging task. This is especially true if you need equipment that not only fulfills your lifting, lowering, and positioning needs, but also has to be able to stand up to harsh working conditions. Many cranes are not capable of dealing with chemicals, saltwater, humidity, or temperature swings and extremes for a long period of time, resulting in accelerated degradation. If you choose the wrong crane for any of these environments, you’ll be dramatically cutting down its service life, upping maintenance and repair costs, and creating unsafe working conditions.
However, there are solutions. Corrosion-resistant davits are designed to hold up in harsh conditions in industries like:
- Marine operations
- Wastewater treatment facilities
- Offshore drilling platforms
- Chemical processing
- Mining
If you want a better picture of the impact corrosion can have on your lifting equipment — and why it’s important to invest in corrosion-resistant options — this guide is for you.
How Corrosion Impacts Crane Performance and Safety
Corrosion and rust aren’t just ugly annoyances, they can cause performance and safety problems for davit cranes. Plus, corrosion and rust can be expensive, requiring more time and money (including the cost of premature replacement) than a corrosion-resistant crane in the same environment.
Corrosion will weaken critical crane components, reducing their effectiveness, overall performance, and their effective lifespan. Corrosion and rust can also cause safety issues, from reduced load capacity to contributing to catastrophic failure, overloading, and various safety violations. As corrosion builds, safety issues will increase and performance will decrease, causing costly slowdowns in productivity, higher risks of workplace injuries, more liability concerns, and the need to replace equipment before it would otherwise be necessary.
What Makes a Davit Cranes Corrosion-Resistant?
There are a number of factors that can contribute to corrosion resistance, but coating treatments and material choices are perhaps most important. Choosing materials that are naturally corrosion-resistant — such as galvanized steel, stainless steel, and aluminum — will prolong the life of your equipment while working in harsh conditions.
While the right materials are invaluable, it is important to remember that corrosion-resistant doesn’t mean corrosion-proof, so some extra protection never hurts. There are a number of protective coatings and procedures that can be done to further safeguard your crane from corrosion and rust, including powder-coating, multiple layers of epoxy coatings, and more. In fact, Thern electropolishes all of our stainless steel davits. This process removes a thin layer of the metal to create an ultra-clean, smoother, and occasionally chromium-enriched finish that offers improved corrosion resistance. By reducing corrosion, all of these measures can increase crane durability, longevity, and reliability in even the most difficult conditions.
Applications Where Corrosion Resistance Is Non-Negotiable
There are some industries and environments where corrosion-resistance is a requirement — not just a nice-to-have feature. For davits used in extremely harsh conditions, corrosion resistance is table stakes. If they aren’t resistant to corrosion, there is a high likelihood they will quickly become dangerous and perform well below standards. Applications that expose cranes to constant moisture, corrosive chemicals, and salt spray will all need corrosion-resistant equipment. Industries that operate in these environments include:
- Offshore oil rigs
- Wastewater facilities
- Port infrastructure and equipment
- Manufacturing or processing plants that use caustic chemicals
Building Long-Term Reliability With the Right Crane Choice
When you’re looking for a crane that can handle harsh conditions, corrosion resistance should always be top of mind. Pick materials, like galvanized or stainless steel, that are naturally resistant to corrosive environments, and protect them further with coatings and procedures that will improve that resistance. Doing so will extend the service life of your crane, preserve high levels of performance, and help you save money by reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
If you’re looking for a high-quality davit that is built to stand up to the harshest conditions, Thern has the cranes you’re looking for. If you’re looking for more guidance, check out our crane guide to help you find the perfect model for your application.