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Specialized Crane Systems

PAR Systems is a leader in creating, building, and maintaining specialty and high-integrity cranes and easy-to-install anti-sway technology. We’re experts at lifting and moving extremely heavy loads to the strictest regulatory compliance standards.

Designing, manufacturing, and maintaining specialty crane systems for challenging applications is one of our specialties.

Our crane systems are being used on some of the largest and most critical material handling applications in the world. PAR Systems can create a first-of-its-kind solution when a standard “off the shelf” crane doesn’t meet your requirements.

 

PAR has engineered hundreds of intelligent solutions for challenging environments. Whether it’s critical payloads like space launch vehicles or aircraft manufacturing lines, construction sites with critical and unique requirements, underwater applications, environments with explosive particulate and gasses, elevated temperature situations, or conventional munitions demilitarization, we have the technology and experience to get the job done safely.

Deep experience with equipment for complex, critical lifting applications

Building a crane for extremely heavy loads requires advanced engineering to design and build a crane to be effective, efficient, and safe. And because many of these environments are highly-regulated industries, deep expertise is needed to ensure policies are adhered to. You can count on that expertise and quality with PAR Systems.

PAR Systems is your resource for all things crane-related.

High Integrity and Specialty Cranes

It’s common for our competitors to refer their customers to PAR when a standard, pre-engineered crane does not fit their requirements. That’s because we’re experts in a variety of special crane types. Our specialty crane systems extend beyond typical lifting operations to include grappling components, performing inspections, and personnel lifting. We are the premier provider of gantry cranes and bridge cranes for specialized applications. Our cranes have been installed at both “duty-cycle” (mills, plants, ship unloaders, and refineries) and “technical” (nuclear, aerospace, military, etc.) facilities around the world.

Anti-Sway Crane Control

Anti-sway technology enables crane operators to skillfully maneuver cranes safely and efficiently. PAR Systems’ anti-sway technology, EXPERTOPERATOR™, is a hardware module that converts pendent commands into expert commands issued to motor drives. This enables all crane operators to perform like experts. Installation of this technology is much faster than other anti-sway solutions, as it doesn’t require sensors. This also allows it to perform at any height, making it easy to install and use, no matter how challenging the application. Hook sway is eliminated, and efficiency and safety are increased.

Crane Updates

Updating your crane’s DC drives to modern controls has many benefits. With expert help from PAR, a crane update can improve overall performance, lower necessary crane maintenance and operational costs, and conserve energy and reduce power consumption.

 

Learn more about DC drive crane control upgrades.

 

Our method of modernizing your crane also:

  • Requires significantly less engineering and installation labor costs
  • Gives you the option to keep your existing crane control system components
  • Will fit within the framework and enclosure of your existing system
  • Is supported by on-call tech drive support and maintenance personnel

Get a crane performance assessment.

PAR's Specialty Cranes at Work

Specialty crane with extra safety and monitoring lifting the Artemis SLS space launch vehicle during manufacturing

NASA Artemis I Production with Bridge Cranes

PAR was proud to support the production of the Artemis 1 spacecraft by designing custom material handling crane systems. Multiple cranes were including a unique 2 trolley, 2 hook configuration on a bridge crane that has a 200-ton capacity to move extremely critical solid rocket boosters, and 2 primary cranes that have a 75-ton capacity and can lift rocket components 172 feet high.

Olmstead dam crane lifting large concrete structures into place

Olmsted Dam Rolling Gantry Crane

Construction of the Oldsted Dam on the Ohio River involved lifting and placing 5,304 capacity crane in the riverbed to form the dam’s foundation. The United States Army Corps of Engineers worked with PAR Systems to design and build the world’s largest rolling gantry crane in order to achieve this task.

 

The crane was designed so that the two uppermost beams, known as strand jack beams, could be hydraulically adjusted to adapt to various lifting frame configurations. The concrete shells, while extremely heavy, were also very thin and fragile, so a specialty steel frame was built to handle them with care.

Henry M. Shreve Barge crane traveling down the Mississippi

Henry M. Shreve Barge Crane

The Henry S. Shreve barge crane was designed by PAR in partnership with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. With a lifting capacity of 550 tons, this crane plays an integral role in the construction and maintenance of ports, barges, and dams. The crane has been used for:

  • Port operations: loading and unloading cargo
  • Bridge construction: position large structural components
  • Offshore operations: Installation and maintenance of oil & gas platforms
  • Dredging operations: Remove sediment or debris from waterways

Nuclear Cranes and Related Equipment

Nuclear crane and related radiation handling equipment is a PAR area of expertise.

 

Learn more about nuclear industry solutions and related equipment.

The PAR Advantage

 

Innovation, Dependability, and Partnership

  • PAR has been in business for over 60 years–since 1961.
  • We design, manufacture, test, install, and support all of our machines and equipment for their entire usable life. Our long history in innovative technology has helped us earn the trust of customers who return for second or third time replacement.
  • Our unique specialized crane systems and technology make it easier than ever to perform the most critical crane applications.
  • Through our worldwide service organization, we offer dedicated support from a team of local field service engineers, and our global consulting team can resolve the most complex engineering challenges.