ALATAS was invited to assess the damage to a boom foot section after an accidental impact which caused the boom foot section to bend backwards on a LeTourneu crane.

The assessment found that no cracks to the material or welding was caused, which would allow considering heat treatment with indirect mechanical force to straighten the boom. Depending on the type and dimension of the boom material such a repair can be considered. In this case a repair was preferred compared to changing the complete boom foot section, and was carried out some weeks after the initial suite survey. External heat treatment tests with an identical material were carried out in the ALATAS workshop, for selecting the process as well as the heating tools and volume of fuel required. At the same time an additional boom rest was designed, manufactured and installed on site which put the damaged boom foot section under stress supporting the heating process.

The heating process took 5 days and solved the bending and twisting of the boom and returned it to an almost original position. A load test was been conducted after completion of a full NDT on all repair areas.

The total number of man days spent by the ALATAS expert for the initial site survey and actual heat treatment was 14 days from start to finish providing a satisfactory repair to the crane.