Analysis of structural issues and redesign of an overhead crane

This thesis was developed during a curricular internship at Hypertec Solution, a mechanical and structural engineering consultancy based in Cesena. The project focused on the analysis and re-design of a lifting system used for handling long tubular bars in an industrial setting. The original structure is a single-girder overhead crane, and it consists of a main beam supporting a secondary beam — referred to as the lifting tong beam — connected via six chains. In the secondary beam there are 35 lifting tongs that are fixed to this beam, allowing the system to grip and move the bars. The structural verification was performed using both analytical and numerical methods, specifically with Ftool and ANSYS. The analysis covered the main beam, the lifting tong beam and the bolted joints. A re-engineering phase was then carried out to optimize the system by reducing the number of tongs and introducing a movable trolley that allows the tongs to be repositioned according to the length of the bars. The redesigned configuration allows for greater flexibility and a more efficient use of resources while maintaining the necessary mechanical performance for safe handling.