The Crane Module

Although useful for modeling any crane, the Crane Module is especially helpful where a large crane with multiple hooks and capacity tables is mounted on a barge or ship. It will produce reports showing the results of given lifts, including data from a range of swing angles.

Load Editor with windows (LEw) works interactively with the Crane Module, and is required in order to take advantage of its interactive features. When LEw employs the Crane Module, a crane input window appears within the main LEw window for input of hook load, azimuth and elevation angles; and a crane data window reports the response in terms of crane trim and list, effective elevation, effective radius and load percentage of capacity. This can also be provided in a GLM (GHS Load Monitor for use on board).

Crane barge in LEw.
Crane ship.

Multi-Body (MB) is another module that is needed in order to take full advantage of the Crane Module. It allows for additional geometry files to be involved that enhance the screen display. One of these is a boom azimuth graphic that responds to the boom azimuth angle.

Note: If you are concerned only with ship stability, and all you need is "simple" crane calculations, you do not need the Crane module. The BOOM command, which is always present in GHS and BHS, provides a convenient alternative to the ADD command for locating a hook load as well as boom and rotating structure weights.