A custom-engineered self-propelled mega-crane delivers 20-foot spans, 24-foot lift heights, and complete facility mobility transforming mold handling safety and throughput for a leading U.S. boat manufacturer.
At a Glance
| Industry | Marine / Recreational Boating Manufacturing |
| Application | Large-scale fiberglass boat mold handling & repositioning |
| ATI Solution | Point 5 Gantry Master Custom Self-Propelled Gantry Crane |
| Max Load Capacity | 60,000 lbs (30 U.S. tons) |
| Span | Up to 20 feet |
| Lift Height | Up to 24 feet |
| Mobility | Self-propelled no fixed runway required |
| Manufactured By | Air Technical Industries (ATI) Mentor, Ohio, USA |
Executive Summary
For boat manufacturers, the ability to reposition and maneuver enormous fiberglass molds efficiently is not a luxury it is a production imperative. Molds for mid-size and large recreational boats routinely weigh tens of thousands of pounds, span multiple body lengths, and require precise, controlled movement across busy factory floors.
When a U.S.-based marine manufacturing company faced an operational bottleneck caused by the sheer size and weight of its hull and deck molds, the company turned to Air Technical Industries (ATI) for a solution. ATI’s engineering team designed and manufactured the Point 5 Gantry Master a self-propelled mega-crane capable of handling up to 60,000 lbs with spans reaching 20 feet and lift heights up to 24 feet.
The result: a safer, faster, and far more flexible mold-handling operation achieved without the cost and disruption of installing overhead bridge cranes or permanent structural systems.
“This mega-crane can accommodate up to a 60,000 lb. load and achieve up to 20′ spans and 24′ heights. Its self-propelled capability makes maneuvering of even the largest loads simple.” Air Technical Industries
The Challenge: Moving Mountains of Fiberglass
The Hidden Complexity of Boat Mold Handling
Recreational boat manufacturing relies on large, precision-built fiberglass molds to shape hulls, decks, and interior surfaces. These molds are among the most valuable and physically demanding assets in any marine plant. A single hull mold for a 25-to-40-foot boat can weigh anywhere from 20,000 to 60,000 lbs or more, and measuring them in anything smaller than “enormous” feels like an understatement.
Moving these molds between gelcoat stations, laminating areas, curing zones, and storage positions is a constant, daily requirement. Any inefficiency in this process ripples through the entire production schedule.
Specific Operational Challenges
- Extreme load weights: Individual molds routinely exceed 30,000–60,000 lbs, ruling out standard floor cranes and forklifts.
- Inconsistent mold geometry: Boat molds vary widely in length, width, and height requiring flexible span and height adjustability rather than fixed-dimension equipment.
- Floor space constraints: Existing overhead crane coverage was limited or non-existent in key production zones, and installing a new fixed overhead bridge crane would have required expensive structural upgrades and extended downtime.
- Worker safety: Manual repositioning of multi-ton molds using chains, rollers, and improvised rigging posed serious ergonomic and safety risks.
- Production throughput: Slow, labor-intensive mold transfers created bottlenecks at the most critical stations on the manufacturing floor.
- Facility flexibility: The manufacturer needed a solution that could move with production demands not one bolted permanently to one location.
The fundamental challenge: how do you move a 60,000 lb fiberglass mold safely, repeatedly, and without disrupting the rest of the plant in a facility not originally designed for loads of this magnitude?
The ATI Solution: Point 5 Gantry Master
Engineering a Crane for the Real World
Air Technical Industries a USA-based OEM manufacturer with over 60 years of experience in ergonomic and heavy-duty material handling equipment accepted the challenge. ATI’s engineering team designed a solution from the ground up: the Point 5 Gantry Master, a self-propelled gantry crane purpose-built to handle the extreme demands of marine mold manufacturing.
Rather than recommending a fixed overhead crane system (which would have required significant structural investment and limited future flexibility), ATI proposed a free-standing, self-propelled mega-crane. This approach gave the manufacturer the load capacity of a permanent system with the versatility of a mobile one.
Key Engineering Features
- Self-Propelled Mobility: The Point 5 Gantry Master moves under its own power, eliminating the need for fixed runways, floor-mounted rails, or external power-tow systems. One operator can reposition the crane and load to any point on the facility floor.
- 60,000 lb Rated Capacity: Engineered to handle the heaviest molds in the manufacturer’s inventory up to 30 U.S. tons with appropriate safety factors built into the structural design.
- 20-Foot Adjustable Span: Wide enough to straddle the largest hull molds, the 20-foot span provides clearance for molds, support fixtures, and surrounding floor activity.
- 24-Foot Lift Height: Sufficient lift clearance to raise molds over production equipment, transport fixtures, and facility obstacles without disassembly or workaround.
- Heavy-Duty Structural Frame: Built using high-strength steel members and ATI’s precision manufacturing standards, the crane is designed for repeated heavy-cycle use not occasional lifts.
- Ergonomic Controls: Operator-friendly controls reduce fatigue and improve positioning accuracy, even with loads approaching the rated capacity.
- ISO 9001 Manufacturing Standards: Every ATI crane is designed and manufactured at ATI’s ISO 9001 certified facility near Cleveland, Ohio ensuring traceability, quality, and consistency.
Technical Specifications
| Metric | Specification | Operational Benefit |
| Maximum Load Capacity | 60,000 lbs (30 U.S. tons) | Handles the full range of marine hull and deck molds |
| Span | Up to 20 feet | Straddles wide molds without repositioning side supports |
| Lift Height | Up to 24 feet | Clears tall production equipment and transport fixtures |
| Drive System | Self-propelled | Single-operator mobility across any flat facility floor |
| Configuration | Point 5 Gantry Master | Purpose-designed for heavy-cycle industrial applications |
| Manufacturing Standard | ISO 9001 Certified (ATI plant) | Quality-assured, documented production process |
| Origin | USA Mentor, Ohio | American-made, domestically supported |
How the Point 5 Gantry Master Works
The Point 5 Gantry Master operates as a self-contained lifting and transport system. Unlike fixed bridge cranes, which are restricted to the area beneath their runway beams, a self-propelled gantry crane travels on its own wheels allowing it to serve multiple production zones with a single piece of equipment.
1. Positioning: The crane is driven to the mold location under its own power. Its wide stance and low-speed precision controls allow operators to align the lifting hoist directly over the mold’s pick points.
2. Rigging: Using appropriate slings, spreader bars, or custom below-the-hook devices, the mold is rigged to the crane’s hoist. ATI also manufactures a range of below-the-hook lifting devices suited to irregular or oversized loads.
3. Lifting: The hoist raises the mold to the required height up to 24 feet clearing any floor-level obstructions.
4. Transport: With the mold suspended, the self-propelled crane travels to the destination whether a gelcoat booth, laminating station, curing area, or storage position under full operator control.
5. Placement: The mold is lowered precisely into position, the rigging is released, and the crane is free to serve the next task.
This process, which previously required multiple workers, improvised rigging, and hours of careful maneuvering, is reduced to a controlled, repeatable operation managed by a single trained operator.
Results & Operational Impact
Safety
The removal of manual rigging, chain pulling, and improvised lifting equipment from daily mold-handling operations directly reduces the risk of crush injuries, dropped loads, and musculoskeletal strain among production workers. With the Point 5 Gantry Master, load control is maintained by engineered equipment not human strength.
Productivity
Mold transfers that previously required extended setup times and multiple personnel are now handled by one operator in a fraction of the time. Faster mold turnaround between stations directly improves production throughput and reduces schedule delays caused by mold-handling bottlenecks.
Flexibility
Because the Point 5 Gantry Master is self-propelled and requires no fixed infrastructure, it can be repositioned as the plant layout evolves. When production priorities shift, the crane moves with them an advantage no fixed overhead crane system can offer.
Cost Efficiency
The capital cost of a self-propelled gantry crane is a fraction of installing a new overhead bridge crane system which requires structural engineering, building modifications, installation contractors, and extended downtime. ATI’s Point 5 Gantry Master delivers comparable load capacity with significantly lower total investment and zero structural disruption.
Why ATI? The Manufacturer Behind the Solution
Founded in 1964 and headquartered near Cleveland, Ohio, Air Technical Industries (ATI) is a U.S.-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) specializing in ergonomic, heavy-duty material handling equipment. ATI designs and manufactures its full product line in-house at its ISO 9001 certified facility including cranes, lift tables, upenders, and specialty equipment.
ATI’s engineering team has solved material handling challenges across some of the most demanding industries and environments in the world from recreational boat manufacturing and wind turbine assembly to nuclear power plants and the International Space Station. This breadth of application experience means that when a customer brings an unusual or extreme challenge, ATI has likely encountered something comparable and engineered a solution.
What Sets ATI Apart
- 60+ Years of Engineering Experience: Decades of solving heavy-lift challenges across industrial, marine, energy, aerospace, and defense sectors.
- In-House OEM Manufacturing: Every product is designed and built by ATI no third-party manufacturing or quality ambiguity.
- ISO 9001 Certification: Documented quality management system ensuring consistent, traceable manufacturing standards.
- Custom Engineering Capability: If a standard product doesn’t fit the challenge, ATI engineers a custom solution and has done so across hundreds of unique projects.
- U.S.-Based Design & Support: American-made equipment with domestic engineering and customer support.
- 2,500+ Standard Product Models: A deep catalog means ATI often has a near-fit solution that can be adapted, rather than starting from scratch.
Industries & Applications Beyond Marine Manufacturing
While this case study focuses on the boating industry, the Point 5 Gantry Master and ATI’s heavy-duty gantry crane lineup serve a broad range of industries where large, heavy, or awkward loads must be moved without permanent overhead infrastructure:
- Wind Energy: Maneuvering nacelles, gearboxes, and blade assemblies within manufacturing and service facilities.
- Aerospace & Defense: Repositioning fuselage sections, engine assemblies, and large tooling.
- Oil & Gas / Power Generation: Lifting and positioning heavy valves, pressure vessels, and generator components.
- Construction & Precast: Moving large precast concrete panels, steel assemblies, and structural components.
- Transportation Manufacturing: Rail car, bus body, and truck cab assembly and positioning.
- General Heavy Industry: Any environment where loads exceed the capacity of forklifts and floor cranes but permanent overhead infrastructure isn’t justified.
If you’re moving loads that other equipment can’t handle or handling loads the way your facility has always done it ATI wants to hear your challenge.
Ready to Solve Your Heavy-Lift Challenge?
ATI engineers purpose-built material handling solutions for loads, environments, and challenges that standard equipment can’t address. Whether you need to move a 60,000 lb boat mold, a wind turbine component, or something we’ve never seen before challenge us.
Request a Quote | Challenge Us | airtechnical.com
About Air Technical Industries (ATI)
Air Technical Industries is a U.S.-based original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of ergonomic and heavy-duty material handling equipment, headquartered near Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 1964, ATI designs and manufactures all products in-house at its ISO 9001 certified facility. ATI’s product line includes gantry cranes, floor cranes, beam cranes, truck-mounted cranes, lift tables, upenders, and specialty equipment over 2,500 standard models, plus custom-engineered solutions. ATI’s equipment has served customers across marine manufacturing, aerospace, energy, defense, healthcare, and beyond.