Exelon’s LaSalle Nuclear Generating Station

EC&MW, Inc. engineered this custom 3,000-pound-capacity aluminum gantry crane for use at the LaSalle County Nuclear Generating Station, an Exelon facility located in LaSalle County, Illinois. To ensure the crane would perform exactly as intended, EC&MW designed and constructed a dedicated test platform that accurately simulated the customer’s operating environment before the crane was shipped.

Project Requirements

The customer required a custom lifting solution that could:

• Safely lift up to 3,000 pounds.
• Provide a maximum 14-foot Height Under Beam (HUB).
• Utilize a 20-foot aluminum I-beam.
• Operate safely across two different floor elevations.
• Maintain portability without excessive size or weight.
• Be thoroughly tested under simulated field conditions prior to delivery.

Custom Design Features

The gantry was designed with a maximum Height Under Beam (HUB) of 14 feet and featured a 20-foot-long aluminum I-beam. Because of the beam’s considerable length, EC&MW incorporated a capped I-beam design to provide the additional strength and rigidity required while preserving the lightweight advantages of aluminum construction.

Since the customer had no restrictions regarding the base configuration, a standard A-frame gantry design was selected as the foundation for the crane.

Custom Lifting Solution

One of the most unique engineering challenges involved the crane’s need to operate on two different floor elevations. The required elevation difference exceeded the normal adjustment range of a conventional adjustable-height gantry crane. Simply increasing the adjustment range would have resulted in a larger, heavier crane that was less practical to transport and use.

Instead, EC&MW developed a custom solution by designing one end of the gantry with a specially manufactured shortened base assembly equipped with fixed casters rather than swivel casters. These fixed casters allowed that end of the crane to travel only side-to-side, exactly as required by the customer’s application. The opposite end retained standard four-position locking swivel casters for maneuverability.

This unique configuration accurately duplicated the customer’s operating environment and allowed the crane to function safely across two different floor elevations without increasing its overall size or weight.

Testing & Validation

To verify the design, EC&MW constructed a dedicated test platform that replicated the customer’s operating conditions. This allowed engineers to evaluate the crane’s movement, stability, and performance under realistic field conditions before shipment.

By testing the crane in a controlled environment, EC&MW ensured the finished product would perform exactly as intended once installed at the nuclear facility.

Two Cranes in One

To provide additional versatility, the customer also purchased a second full-length upright column and a standard base assembly. By replacing the shortened base assembly and upright with the standard components, the crane could quickly be converted into a conventional adjustable-height aluminum gantry crane with a maximum 14-foot Height Under Beam and a 3,000-pound lifting capacity.

In effect, the customer received two lifting solutions in one system:

• A specialized configuration engineered to operate across two different floor elevations within the nuclear facility.
• A standard adjustable-height aluminum gantry crane for conventional lifting applications.

This innovative approach provided maximum flexibility while eliminating the cost and maintenance associated with purchasing two separate cranes.

Project Summary

This project highlights EC&MW’s ability to engineer custom aluminum gantry cranes for highly specialized applications where standard equipment cannot meet operational requirements. By combining custom structural design, simulated field testing, and interchangeable components, EC&MW delivered a versatile lifting solution that maximized functionality, safety, and long-term value for one of the nation’s leading nuclear power facilities.