How Omega Flex Added Crane Capacity Without Losing Floor Space

Since 1975, Omega Flex, Inc. has been a leading manufacturer of flexible metal hose for piping products in applications such as fuel gases in construction, semi-rigid automotive piping for liquid fuels, marina and back-up generation, flexible tubing for medical, healthcare, pharmaceutical, and pure gases, and flexible hoses for applications that carry corrosive substances at extreme temperatures.

At its main manufacturing site in Exton, Pennsylvania, the company uses a lot of cranes to handle the process of creating all of this large-diameter piping. But, due to an increase in the amount of large piping it was manufacturing, they needed a better long-term solution.

Specifically, Omega Flex needed a solution that could handle its corrugation process for industrial pipe that ranges in size from 6 to 16 inches (15 to 41 cm) in diameter.

Corrugation takes smooth metal tubing and turns it into a flexible structure that can absorb movement and pressure. As pipe length increases, weight also increases. So the company was looking for a solution that could adequately handle the increased weight and size without taking up any more floor space. Not compromising floor space is typically one of the bigger challenges at facilities, and Omega Flex's facility already had ceiling-supporting steel with a compound pitch in two directions. Because of this, Omega needed to find something that would easily integrate without fully rearranging its layout.

The solution that met all of its requirements was Demag's KBK ceiling-mounted overhead workstation crane. The KBK crane system uses articulating suspension hangers that were able to fit into the slope of the roof during installation because the threaded rods they're attached to allow for adjustment.

Ryan Galer, Light Lifting Regional Sales Manager for the Northeast Region at Demag Cranes & Components Corp., explained that the roof sloped down from one end of the runway to the other, and also sloped across the span of the crane. "We accommodated this by using our articulating suspension hangers with threaded suspension rods of various lengths," he said.

The installation included 100 ft (30.5 m) of runway across three bridges, 20-ft (6.1 m) spans, and a 16-ft (4.9 m) lifting height. Each KBK bridge has a two-speed, 500-lb (227 kg) capacity electric chain hoist that gives operators precise load control. The system also uses Demag's DC-Com electric chain hoist, selected for its reliability and how easily it integrates with KBK workstation cranes.

Part of what made the KBK the right call beyond its fit with the facility was that it could be operated manually. Omega Flex had initially been considering a motorized system, but George Hoagland, PA Crane Co.'s Lead Technician on the project, pushed back on that.

"The industry-leading ergonomic features of the Demag KBK system allowed us to offer a manual system, which also represented a cost-effective and easy-to-install solution, since there aren't any expensive motors or controls involved," Hoagland said. "Many competitors would have recommended motorizing their bridges at such spans and capacities. Due to the nature of their design, such bridges are heavier, and their trolleys have the tendency to bind, so manual bridge movement becomes much less feasible."

The low rolling resistance of the KBK system is what makes that manual operation practical—loads move more easily, reducing physical strain on operators compared to what Omega Flex had been working with before.

The installation was completed by Pennsylvania Crane, Hoist, and Rigging Company (PA Crane Co.) and was fully operational by the end of December 2025. It marks the fifth crane PA Crane Co. has installed at the Omega Flex facility.

"We couldn't be doing what we are in the corrugation or manufacturing process without this crane," said Brian Breitinger, Engineering Manager at Omega Flex.