Mission Critical Generator Set

The Challenge – Rigging in Tight Spaces 

The MEI Rigging & Crating team in Dallas, TX was brought on to set a generator for a complex project with the absolute minimum tolerances of working space to perform. Due to tight spaces and exact setting of the generator, weeks of measurements, calculations, and critical design decisions took place by the MEI Dallas team. It took every inch of space from overhead room, gantry set up and even the MEI platform to make the plan work. Critical design decisions made by the MEI Rigging Operations Manager, Superintendent, and the field team from rigging, lift points, pick plan, crane and the customer made this job possible.  

The MEI Solution 

The MEI team offloaded and set the 50’ x12’ subframe onto an MEI platform, then rigged and secured the generator onto it. The MEI crew rigged and set the enclosure and married together all 3 pieces to be moved as one, weighing 126,000 lbs. With precision, using 8 trail skates along with the winches, the team skated the assembled generator under the customer’s steel structure. Once in place, the team then rigged the 3-piece generator to the 250ton gantry set using the (8) 10ton chain hoists. MEI then hoisted the generator within ¼” of the overhead steel structure and placed maroon blocks under for safeties. The next step was to rig, offload and pin roll (2) 25’L x 12’W steel tanks (25,000lbs each) using the MEI platform, 1” pin rollers and winches. The MEI team carefully pin rolled each tank under the generator with only ½” clearance between the tank stub ups and the bottom of the subframe. Once both tanks were set in place and married together, the team then used the 250ton gantry to carefully lower the 3-piece generator onto the tanks making sure all bolt holes, exhaust and fuel lines lined up and married together to complete the scope.