An agricultural processing facility in Iowa reached out to Barnhart with a project to replace three existing smaller vertical processing vessels with a single, larger horizontal one. The team mobilized a Liebherr LR 11000 heavy lift crane to the site to lift and install the new vessel. The pick took place over a railroad, so Barnhart worked closely with the client and rail representatives to fit within the limited timeframe for the vessel pick.
Additionally, the new vessel was 51' long and 13' in diameter and the roof opening was only 47.5' long. To fit the vessel through the opening it would have to be rotated to a 25-degree angle relative to the horizontal orientation, with the inlet end down. Barnhart attached the 251,000-pound vessel to its 300-kip Tip Stick. This beamlike tool adjusted the position of the lift point to tip the load.
Once the vessel entered the building, it needed to be rotated back in the opposite direction to its final operating orientation, with the inlet end up. With the Tip Stick, it only took minutes to achieve the precise final set angle.
Due to the planning and coordination by the Barnhart team, the project was completed faster than scheduled. This enabled the customer to increase production by mitigating an area of critical path.