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August 30, 2022
Designing & fabricating an innovative gantry solution to help MIT move large equipment into tight spaces

The MIT Laboratory for Nuclear Science was updating its Central Machine Shop and needed to replace older machines with two new 5,000 lb. lathes. First, the old equipment needed to be removed. Then, the new machinery needed to be lifted from a lower to a higher floor through a very tight opening while keeping the workspace and hallways open for traffic and workflow.

To address these substantial challenges, Rob Randolph and the Meyer rigging crew designed and presented to the MIT team an innovative travelling beam hoist system. With the MIT team’s approval, Meyer’s Rigging team fabricated and load tested the gantry unit in Meyer’s facility before transporting it to MIT.


Over the course of two days, the system was installed at MIT and the old equipment was lifted out. The new machines were partially disassembled to fit into the tight space, the gantry system was reconfigured to accommodate the size of the new machines, and the installation proceeded without a hitch.

This successful project helped establish an ongoing relationship at MIT and was a quintessential example of Meyer’s ability to find solutions to the most technically demanding industrial rigging challenges.

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