Why Grab Crane Reliability is Critical to Plant Performance — And How Targeted Engineering Makes the Difference

In energy-from-waste plants, the grab crane that feeds waste into the furnace is one of the most critical — and often under-appreciated — pieces of equipment.

When it runs smoothly, the plant runs smoothly.

When it suffers reliability issues, the entire plant suffers:

• Furnace starvation

• Feed rate fluctuations

• Increased risk of shutdowns

• Higher operator stress and workload

At BIA Engineering Ltd, we’ve seen first-hand how grab crane reliability impacts plant performance — and how targeted engineering interventions can deliver major gains.

The Typical Problems

In many plants, grab crane reliability suffers due to a combination of factors:

• OEM designs that don’t reflect real-world operating conditions

• Cumulative wear on mechanical systems not properly addressed

• Control system logic that doesn’t fully account for grab behaviour or failure modes

• Instrumentation that is either missing or poorly maintained

• Maintenance practices that focus on firefighting, not prevention

A Case in Point

In one plant, we were engaged to address chronic electrical cable failures on the grab crane — detailed in our previous post.

But beyond that specific issue, we applied a systems thinking approach to the wider crane reliability challenges:

• Reviewed control system sequencing for smoother grab operation

• Improved fault diagnostics to allow faster troubleshooting

• Provided guidance on mechanical maintenance practices to extend component life

• Advised on simple modifications to improve operator feedback and control

• Helped the client prioritise crane reliability improvements as a plant performance lever — not just a maintenance headache

The Outcome

• Major reduction in unplanned crane downtime

• Improved feed consistency to the furnace

• Increased operator confidence and smoother shifts

• Better alignment between crane performance and overall plant throughput targets

Why This Matters

Too often, grab cranes are treated as standalone assets — with little focus on how their reliability directly impacts plant-wide performance.

In reality, they are part of the critical path:

• Poor crane reliability drives furnace instability

• Furnace instability drives poor steam production

• Poor steam production drives lost revenue and higher costs

At BIA Engineering Ltd, we help clients look beyond isolated fixes — applying systems thinking to ensure that reliability improvements in one area deliver value across the plant.

Engineering solutions beyond expectations means understanding the connections between assets — and helping our clients optimise not just equipment, but entire process outcomes.

If your plant needs a fresh perspective on grab crane reliability — or critical path performance more broadly — we can help.