Schedule
8–10 June 2026 • Sheraton Pittsburgh Hotel at Station Square • Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Monday, 8 June 2026 | |
| 4–6 p.m. | Registration |
| 5–6 p.m. | Reception |
Tuesday, 9 June 2026 | |
| 8 a.m. | Opening Remarks |
| 8:15 a.m. | Crane Safety Reimagined: AI-Powered Risk Detection in the Steel Industry Rob Hruskoci, Advanced Industrial Marketing Inc. |
| 8:45 a.m. | Measuring What Matters: Geometric Studies for Overhead Cranes, Runways and Buildings Noah Smithwick and Nathan Bomba, Smithwick Engineering LLC An overview of the different ways to measure runway systems and overhead cranes to solve unique issues. From the very basic rail alignment survey to complex wheel studies and building surveys, this presentation shows how to match the investigation scope and accuracy to the symptom using real-world scenarios to guide what to request, what the results mean and which corrective actions they support. Operators will leave with a practical playbook for selecting the right survey when dealing with tracking, skew, binding, abnormal wear or recurring structural damage. |
| 9:15 a.m. | Applications for Artificial Intelligence for Overhead Cranes Ed LaBruna, Janus Automation |
| 9:45 a.m. | Load Cells 101: How to Properly Select and Spec the Proper Load Cell for Your Application Kevin Perkins, Rugged Controls This presentation will explain what a load cell is and how it works, as well as what is needed to properly spec per application. |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break |
| 10:30 a.m. | Condition Monitoring for Gearboxes — Well-Thought-Out Conceptual Design and Economic Retrofit Options Thomas Azig, Eisenbeiss GmbH Condition monitoring systems (CMS) for crane gearboxes, especially hoists, are becoming increasingly important in new projects to make operation safer and maintenance more efficient. However, due to the long service life of crane gearboxes — often up to 30 years — a large number of gearboxes are still in operation without condition monitoring. Based on case studies, this presentation addresses options for retrofit from a resource-efficient stand-alone oil condition sensor to the retrofit of a complete CMS on crane gearboxes by using a modular system concept. The aforementioned options allow the operator to retrofit existing crane gearboxes already in use into comprehensive predictive maintenance concepts. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Understanding Data Communication Technologies for Material Handling Brian Roberts, Conductix Wampfler Discover how secure, reliable data communication is transforming the modernization of overhead crane systems. Attendees will gain an overview of proven and emerging communication technologies used in overhead cranes, transfer cars and below-the-hook devices. This session is ideal for professionals seeking practical insights into upgrading legacy equipment and deploying communication solutions that support safer, smarter and more efficient material handling systems. |
| 11:30 a.m. | Overhead Crane Safety: Technological Upgrades and Preventive Culture for Safe Operations Tomás Abad, Miguel Abad s.a. By analyzing the incidence of fatalities in maintenance tasks from AIST reports, this presentation proposes an intermediate modernization stage based on high-reliability component engineering and technical training, achieving a feasible, low-cost solution that breaks the cycle of hazardous personnel exposure and ensures safe operational continuity. |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1 p.m. | Practical Inspection and Structural Assessment for Capacity Increase of Existing Overhead Crane Runway Structures Mostafa Nasr, Globex Corp. Aging overhead crane runways are often desired to support higher capacities and/or higher duty cycles, while original design data are incomplete or inconsistent. This presentation outlines a practical workflow for assessing and upgrading existing crane runways, including targeted field inspection and structural checks of runway girders, columns, and key connections using AIST TR-13, AISC 360, CISC crane-supporting guidance, and CMAA 70. Project examples highlight typical defects, common analysis errors, and practical reinforcement or operational controls that allow owners to safely extend service life while planning future upgrades. |
| 1:30 p.m. | From Reactive to Intelligent: How AI Is Expanding What Crane Teams Can Achieve Dan Simkins, ATiiD Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept; it is actively transforming how industrial operations run today. This session explores how AI is reshaping crane operations by shifting teams from reactive work to predictive, data-driven performance. Attendees will learn how AI improves uptime, safety and throughput while evolving roles toward higher-value decision-making and problem-solving. This session will cover why successful AI adoption isn’t about adding new tools but redesigning workflows to unlock measurable ROI and create stronger, more resilient operations. |
| 2 p.m. | Break |
| 2:15 p.m. | Regular Crane Inspection: Don’t Overlook the Operator Controls Fred Wells, Spohn + Burkhardt North America Corp. Regular crane inspection is critical to maintaining safe and efficient operations. While attention is often given to structural, mechanical and electrical crane components, the operator interfaces — the joysticks, master switches and chairs — are often neglected. These components serve as the operator’s direct connection to the machine and play a vital role in precision control and overall safety. By integrating control component checks into maintenance schedules and encouraging operator awareness, facilities can minimize downtime and enhance safety. This presentation highlights best practices and inspection guidelines to help maintenance teams stay ahead of potential issues and ensure optimal crane performance. |
| 2:45 p.m. | State-of-the-Art ASRS Integration for Vertical Storage and AGV Operations Ed LaBruna, Janus Automation |
| 3:15 p.m. | Break |
| 3:30 p.m. | Overhead Crane Monitoring: How to Deal With Potential Interface Between Multiple Cranes on the Same Runway |
| 4 p.m. | Beyond Paper: What Your Digital Crane Inspection Data Can Really Tell You Jarrod Glasgow, crewOS Crane inspections have traditionally been treated as a compliance task, but when captured digitally and connected to asset data, they become a powerful source of operational insight. Structured inspection data can reveal trends, identify recurring issues, support proactive maintenance, reduce downtime and help justify equipment investments. By turning everyday inspection reporting into a connected, data-driven system, companies can improve safety, reliability and long-term performance while making smarter, evidence-based decisions. |
| 4:30 p.m. | Group Discussion |
| 5:15 p.m. | End of Day Wrap-Up |
| 5:30 p.m. | Conference Adjourn |
| 6:30 p.m. | Group Outing |
Wednesday, 10 June 2026 | |
| 8 a.m. | Opening Remarks |
| 8:15 a.m. | Remote Operation Pulpits: Transforming Metals Industry Safety, Efficiency and Operator Ergonomics |
| 8:45 a.m. | Radar Positioning Technology for Harsh Environments in Steel Plants Alonso Castro, Kymati GmbH Safety solutions for overhead cranes. |
| 9:15 a.m. | Is Disassembly Required for Crane Inspection? A Discussion on the Specific Rules and Laws Tad Dunville, Lifting Partners/Unique Group, and Larry Dunville, Overhead Crane Consulting |
| 9:45 a.m. | Crane Inspections: What’s Required Dave Hallow, Qualified Crane Training |
| 10:15 a.m. | Break |
| 10:30 a.m. | Case Study of Developing a Crane Simulator for Hot Metal Handling at the BOF |
| 11 a.m. | Advanced Safety Controls for Lifting Long Products With Overhead Mill Cranes |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1 p.m. | Selecting Encoders for Crane Automation |
| 1:30 p.m. | Runaway Discussion |
| 2:15 p.m. | Break |
| 2:30 p.m. | From Hook to High-Tech: Mastering Below-the-Hook Smart Lifting Devices Brooks Nunley, Innovative Lifting |
| 3 p.m. | Wire Ropes |
| 4:15 p.m. | Overhead Crane Market Changes |
| 4:45 p.m. | Conference Wrap-Up |
| 5 p.m. | Conference Adjourn |