Crane Wheel Integrity: Inspecting Flanges, Treads & Heat Treatment

Are you having trouble inspecting your wheel flanges? Perhaps you know nothing about material hardness and heat treatment. 

Flanges that undergo poor heat treatment can break when undergoing excessive weight. Therefore, inspect them routinely to avoid costly repairs and serious injuries.

This article will provide an in-depth look into wheel flanges and the right inspection methods. Let’s explore. 

Hardness and Treads

Above all, purchase crane wheels from a company that heat treats the treads properly. Improper heat treatment methods can cause deformities and a lack of hardness.

With that, a quality flange must strike a balance between hardness and flexibility. The wheel itself must be flexible.

The flange shouldn’t be too hard, as it needs bendability to prevent breaking. The bending ability allows the flanges to withstand intense pressures. 

On the other hand, the treads must undergo extensive hardening to withstand spalling. Spalling occurs when the surface begins to chip away. 

Overall, inspect the wheeler flange’s thickness level to assess the level of wear. 

The Role of Carbon Steel

Carbon steel is the primary agent that hardens crane wheel treads. Due to heat treatment advances, manufacturers incorporate carbon steel in crane wheels more than ever before. Carbon steel enhances durability and prolongs the wheel’s lifespan. 

Hardness Testing

The best way to test flanges is through non-destructive testing (NDT). NDT will help you assess the following issues in crane wheels:

• Hardness 
• Thickness
• Wear

Measuring the hardness of the wheel tread is a simple task. However, measuring the hardness depth is a difficult task, but some NDT instruments are tailor-made for depth testing.

NDT allows maintenance crews to address deformities early before the wheel breaks down.  

You can even apply NDT measures while the crane is in operation. Destructive testing (DT) requires the breaking down of materials to commence a viable inspection. Conversely, NDT equipment requires minimal contact with the flanges to pinpoint flaws.

Within the NDT field, the two most vital inspection methods for flanged track wheels include:

• Ultrasonic testing (UT): UT implements sound waves to root out cracks and other forms of wear. 
• Eddy current testing (ECT): ECT uses electromagnetic fields to find flaws and thickness variations. 

ECT is appropriate for the detection of surface and near-surface deviations. UT is more suitable for sub-surface inspections at a deeper level. 

• Example: UT would be more appropriate on double flanged rail wheels, which are thicker than the single variety. 

When dealing with depth hardness, ECT offers the best equipment. Specific forms of ECT instrumentation allow you to inspect the flanges without contacting the surface. Moreover, the ECT field offers automated hardness testing on a mass scale.  

Enhanced Inspection of Wheel Flanges

NDT methods can assess the hardness of wheel flanges. Additionally, NDT can also help you determine if manufacturers heat treated the wheel effectively. 

Flanged wheels contain carbon steel for added durability. However, the wheel’s flexibility is a critical factor in quality weight support. 

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