Industrial Pump Impeller Lifting Jig

Designed a steel lifting jig as part of a university capstone project sponsored by an industrial pump manufacturer, aimed at safely installing large pump impellers weighing up to 3,400 lbs. The original method had real safety issues: load instability and pinch-point hazards during crane operation. My team engineered a redesigned steel lifting beam with a center hinge, adjustable clamping jaws, a spring-loaded locking mechanism, and a dual-chain pick point, allowing an operator to rotate the impeller from horizontal to vertical mid-lift without detaching the crane. The design was validated through CAD modeling, finite element analysis (stress tested at double the expected load), and a 1/3-scale steel physical prototype that confirmed the required safety factors and reduced securement time versus the existing method.