September 8th, 2010
Melbourne, FL – When the Tampa Electric Company (TECO) in Tampa, FL needed a solution for transporting personnel and materials in their power plant; they choose Beta Max Hoist to provide a temporary rack & pinion hoist as well as a permanent industrial elevator installation.
Beta Max engineered the Max Climber 6000P to be installed temporarily on an incredibly short lead time in order to accommodate a plant shut down and then converted the temporary hoist installation to a permanent industrial elevator.
The project involved different phases to accommodate TECO’s schedule and provide a professional installation:
- Remove old, non-operational elevator
- Install temporary hoist
- Permanently install industrial elevator
The first of many challenges was removing an old elevator system that was completely inoperable for at least four months. The Beta Max team had the dubious task of finding parts for the broken, outmoded elevator in order to get it running enough to dismantle it and remove it from the facility.
Another challenge associated with the removal process was that TECO had built a maze of mechanical piping and structural beams around the old elevator making the jobsite difficult to access.
According to Shanon Beekman, Beta Max Electrical Design & Installation Manager, “We developed rigging configurations that would safely lift and handle the weight of the unit and components. Then we created a dolly system to move the unit under piping to a location where it could be removed with a forklift that could handle the unusual height restrictions. Despite all of this, we were able to remove the old unit in record time-only 9 days.”
Once the old machinery was removed the site could be prepped for the temporary hoist.
In w ith the Temporary
The Max Climber 6000P temporarily installed at Tampa Electric was a rack & pinion personnel elevator capable of carrying 6000 lbs. or 34 people. For this installation, the 6000P reaches 190 feet and travels at a speed of 150 feet per minute, although its maximum reach height is 1000 feet and its maximum lift speed is 300 feet per minute. This system has a base footprint of 173” x 102” with its internal cabin dimensions being 157″ x 59″.
The new temporary hoist was carefully transported piece by piece and maneuvered into place using the rigging from the removal of the old elevator. This resulted in a shorter lead time allowing for the removal and installation process to be completed in less than a month.
The Max Climber 6000P created greater accessibility with the addition of a brand new landing location. The new lifting solution also provided an easier way to load the car through the side at the base level. This would allow for moving man and materials in a faster, more efficient manner. Once the temporary hoist was in place, TECO successfully conducted their shut down.
Permanent Elevator Install
The conversion from temporary to permanent unit was seamless as the permanent hoist utilized the components already in place. The permanent elevator takes advantage of the mast, concrete pad and base of the Max Climber 6000P, but showcases a variety of additional features.
“The installation of the permanent hoist really shows off what Beta Max has to offer. We replaced all landing gates, hoist way enclosures, and installed a permanent industrial elevator that meets all A17.1 and building code standards. This really showcased our attention to detail,” said Beekman.
The permanent rack & pinion personnel elevator installed is capable of carrying 6000 lbs. or 34 people, reach190 feet and travel at a speed of 150 feet per minute. This system has a base footprint of 173” x 102” with its internal cabin dimensions being 157″ x 59″.
From beginning to end, the TECO project showcased Beta Max’s ability to be flexible, strength in engineering a custom solution, and the capability to provide a smooth, phased installation of an elevator that will be used for years to come.
About Beta Max
Beta Max Inc., of Melbourne, Florida, has been providing construction hoist and permanent elevator solutions to the construction and industrial markets for over 25 years. With the introduction of the first high-speed, long lift wire rope hoist system in 1985, the current portable hoist line now has 7 models with lifting capacities ranging from 200-2000 lbs. Beta Max’s rack & pinion material/passenger systems carry up to 6000 lbs. at speeds of up to 300 feet per minute. For more information about our products, contact Beta Max Inc., P.O. Box 2750, Melbourne, FL 32902-2750. Call: 800-233-5112 or fax: 321-768-9517. Visit Beta Max, Inc. online at www.BetaMaxHoist.com.
Tags: beta max, Beta Max Hoist, elevator, industrial elevator, man hoist, tampa electric company, teco
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June 24th, 2010
Beta Max Helps Restore Historic Guardian Building in Detroit
Industry Leader Beta Max delivers equipment lifting solutions to local Detroit construction Company Tools/Sache, LLC for restoration of the giant historical skyscraper known as “The Guardian Building”.
Detroit, Michigan’s giant historical skyscraper “The Guardian”, gets facelift with state of the art lifting equipment from national industry giant Beta Max Hoists.
Local Detroit Company Tools/Sache LLC enlisted the help and use of Beta Max in its recent restoration project of the historical downtown skyscraper giant known today as “The Guardian Building”. Built in 1928 by architect Wirt C. Rowland of Smith, and located in the heart of downtown Detroit, this 36 floor landmark represented the finest of its time and has been described as one of the most exuberant art deco skyscrapers built in America.
The footprint of this historical monument encompasses a full city block and sits on a granite base. The building also includes a north tower and smaller octagonal south tower that are connected with a nave-like block as those used in the plans of a cathedral, and in fact, was promoted as the Cathedral of Finance. The Grisold Street entrance is crowned with a semi-dome that is lined with custom symbolic tiles by Mary Chase Stratton’s Pewabic Pottery of Detroit.
No expense was spared to create this stunning and unconventional monument to the roaring twenties. The interiors are lavishly constructed with Italian Travertine marble and Numidian African marble. Its rich grandeur continued to include interiors with stained glass, ornate mosaics and hand painted murals. The National Park Service has bestowed the Guardian building as a National Historic Landmark, the highest honor given by the National Park Service. Preservation and restoration of the building required equipment that would stand up to the challenge, deliver equipment, and remove debris in a safe and expedient manner.
During renovation and restoration of the building, it was necessary to find a safe, secure, and portable means of transporting and lifting both man and materials. Detroit construction company Tooles/Saches LLC turned to Beta Max Hoists for help.
The complex architecture and construction of the building presented many specific challenges during the restoration project. Tooles/Saches purchased the Max Climber 3300. The Max Climber 3300 has one of the largest platform sizes in the industry and provided an efficient, simple, and safe means of removing debris and elevating equipment and materials throughout the duration of the project.
In addition to the hoist, Tooles/Saches worked with Beta Max to engineer and accommodate several roller tables that were set up on each floor of the building. The tables made laborious heavy work a lighter safer job cutting down on time and minimizing injury. Some of the features of the equipment used made the Max Climber an invaluable jobsite partner.
Materials were fork-lifted onto the elevator platform which delivered materials and removed debris from over 16 floors spread across a 32 story range with an impressive speed of 70’ ft. per minute. The Max Climber hoist system stopped precisely at each floor using landing sensors that ensured accurate deliveries every time.
Safety is at the forefront of every detail in the Max Climber’s design. The 3300lb. capacity lift includes overload sensors that alert the operator as soon as payload capacity is reached, and is outfitted with saloon style doors for easy loading, and all Beta Max equipment meets and/or exceeds ANSI and OSHA requirements.
It is without a doubt that timely completion and safety of the crew during the restoration of The Guardian Building is attributed to the superior quality and servicing of Beta Max Hoists, and its team of expert professionals.
About Beta Max
Beta Max Inc., of Melbourne, Florida, has been providing the construction and restoration industries with alternate methods for lifting building materials for over 20 years. For more information on Hoists for the Construction and Renovation Industry, contact Beta Max Inc., P.O. Box 2750, Melbourne, FL 32902-2750.
Call: 800-644-6478 or fax: 321-768-9517. Visit Beta Max Inc. on the World Wide Web at http://www.BetaMaxHoist.com
Tags: Guardian Building
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April 5th, 2010
Max Climber 6000P Installed as Temporary- to-Permanent Fixture
 TECO received a new permanent hoist for moving man and materials Melbourne, FL – Beta Max, Inc., a leading provider of customized rack & pinion personnel and material lifting solutions, has recently completed the first phase of what will be a permanent elevator installation of its Max Climber 6000P, for Tampa Electric Company in Tampa, FL. The Max Climber 6000P proves to be a critical piece of equipment needed for the plant’s scheduled maintenance shut-down.
Tampa Electric needed an immediate lifting solution to move personnel into positions necessary for this maintenance outage, but also needed to have a permanent elevator installed to transport personnel on a regular basis. Due to time constraints with the electric company’s maintenance schedule, Beta Max proposed a custom installation whereby the use of a temporary elevator can be operated, while a permanent solution can be custom manufactured at a later date. This unique situation led Beta Max to engineer an installation comprised of a majority of permanent components, such as the base and mast, while still being able to maintain the flexibility of installing a temporary elevator for immediate use.
As the maze of mechanical piping and structural conditions at the electric plant posed limited access to the area of installation, the components of the Max Climber 6000P were transported piece by piece to the installation site. Once in their designated area, the components were assembled and the temporary elevator installation was completed. The versatility of the Max Climber’s design continuously proves to be a valuable feature when jobsites pose unique installation and operational settings.
The Max Climber 6000P installed at Tampa Electric is a rack & pinion
 Beta Max Hoist manufactured and installed permanent hoist at TECO personnel elevator capable of carrying 6000 lbs. or 35 people. For this installation, the 6000P will reach 190 feet and travel at a low speed of 150 feet per minute, although its maximum reach height is 1000 feet and its maximum lift speed is 300 feet per minute. This system has a base footprint of 173” x 102” with its internal cabin dimensions being 157″ x 59″. At the completion of the planned five month outage, the Max Climber 6000P will then be converted to a permanent elevator. This conversion will be seamless as the completed custom permanent cabin will arrive and ride the system components already in place.
Tags: beta max, Beta Max Hoist, construction, construction lift, elevator, high speed wire rope hoist, hoist, material lift, rack and pinion, Rack and Pinion Hoist, scaffolding, winch
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April 5th, 2010
Beta Max brings power to the people
 Progress Energy is embarking on a 300 million dollar overhaul of the Crystal River nuclear power plant in Central Florida—one of the most ambitious outages in U.S. history—and they have turned to Beta Max Hoists to see the project done safely and efficiently.
Nuclear power plants typically refuel every two years, forcing the reactor to shut down. But there is nothing typical about the Crystal River shut down—this is major surgery. And as with any operation of this size, scope and delicacy, only the best materials and service providers are employed.
Key to the success of the outage is access to upper level areas. Progress Energy called on Beta Max Hoists to overcome the challenge of delivering men and materials into these high spaces, where vital work was to be performed.
Workers will have to tackle a number of intensive, daunting tasks, including sawing through concrete slabs, carving through steel plates and cutting re-bar as thick as a policeman’s flashlight. A steam generator, with its 15,000 tubes, will be extracted and replaced, better electronics will be installed throughout the facility, and high efficiency turbine blades will be put to work.
One task in particular, though, was perfectly suited to the breadth of the Beta Max offering. Access was needed to an upper level that allowed only minimal space for any type of construction elevator. The area in question was a small space between a cooling containment building and pump house.
Among the Beta Max suite of products—which include everything from high speed wire rope hoists to material hoists to permanent elevators—is the Max Climber 2000PMB. A rack and pinion personnel hoist, the Max Climber’s footprint is among the smallest currently available in a construction elevator.
Most temporary construction elevator providers rely on a standard 6000 lb/35 passenger capacity unit.
These units have much larger cabins, measuring 13 ft. x 5 ft. or more. In contrast, the Max Climber has a capacity of 2000 lbs/7 passengers, and measures 6.5 ft. x 4 ft—the perfect size to slip the workers into the high tight space between containment building and pump house.
Not only is the Max Climber 2000PMB the perfect size, it also incorporates all the safety features found in larger construction elevators, including fully interlocked doors and landings, an emergency over-speed brake and a landing call box.
But this particular challenge required more than the right size and safety. To accommodate the specific placement required by Progress Energy, Beta Max modified the unit to allow cabin access using either door depending on where the workers and loads were needed.
Once restarted, the Crystal River Plant will produce more power and have its lifespan extended by decades. With the Max Climber 2000PMB contributing to the project’s completion, the plant will increase production from 838 megawatts to 1018 megawatts and will deliver more power to 110,000 additional homes every day.
Tags: beta max, Beta Max Hoist, construction, construction lift, elevator, high speed wire rope hoist, hoist, industrial elevator, material lift, rack and pinion, Rack and Pinion Hoist, scaffolding, winch
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April 5th, 2010
Minimizes Waiting Time and Increases Productivity
Beta Max Inc., a leading provider of affordable lifting solutions, introduces its Max Climber™ 6000 Passenger Hoist System. The Max Climber 6000P is ideal for projects that require lifting personnel and various materials in industries including masonry, scaffolding, drywall, glazing and restoration and renovation. The Max Climber 6000P minimizes waiting time and increases productivity on the jobsite.
The Max Climber 6000P has a lifting capacity of 6000 pounds and can hold 35 passengers. The cabin is 156 inches long and 59 inches wide by 96 inches high. In addition to a spacious cabin design, the Max Climber 6000P is available in single or dual cabin configurations. This lift can travel up to 1000 feet high at speeds up to 300 fpm. To ensure passenger safety, the lift has an overload sensing system that notifies the operator when the maximum weight has been breached.
This Beta Max lift comes equipped with a variable frequency drive controller and programmable control systems. Optional equipment for the Max Climber 6000P includes various mast and tie systems to meet the needs of the customer; manual or automatic cabin and landing gate doors; and cabin door installations that are available in special positions.
All Beta Max Hoist systems meet or exceed ANSI and OSHA specifications.
Tags: beta max, Beta Max Hoist, construction, construction lift, elevator, high speed wire rope hoist, hoist, industrial elevator, material lift, rack and pinion, Rack and Pinion Hoist, scaffolding, winch
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