Lifting Insert Design Calculator

Determine lifting insert count, capacity, crane size, and verify minimum stripping strength (2,500 psi) for precast panels.

Panel weight

lbs

Panel length

Panel width

Panel thickness

f'c at stripping

psi

Rated insert capacity

lbs

Stripping safety factor

Erection safety factor

Tab to move between fields

Required lifting inserts

Total stripping force15,000 lbs

Total erection force12,500 lbs

Effective insert capacity7,071 lbs

Load per insert3,750 lbs

Insert utilization53%

Required crane capacity13,125 lbs

Recommended crane size30 tons

Meets min 2500 psi?Yes

Min embedment depth3 in

Approximate insert spacing10 ft

Edge Distance6

How to Use This Calculator

Enter panel weight, length, width, and thickness to define the piece being lifted.
Set the concrete strength at stripping in psi — PCI minimum is 2,500 psi before lifting.
Enter the manufacturer's rated insert capacity in lbs at the design concrete strength.
Set stripping safety factor (1.5 per PCI) and erection safety factor (1.25 per PCI).
Read Required Lifting Inserts and verify Meets Min 2500 psi (1=safe to strip, 0=wait).
Use Required Crane Capacity (lbs) and Recommended Crane Size (tons) to select the correct crane for erection.

How the result changes with Panel weight

Panel weight: Total panel weight.
Panel length: Longest panel dimension.
Panel width: Shorter panel dimension.
Panel thickness: Panel thickness.
f'c at stripping: Concrete compressive strength at time of stripping (min 2,500 psi).
Rated insert capacity: Manufacturer rated capacity per insert (at design f'c = 5,000 psi).
Stripping safety factor: Safety factor for form stripping suction (PCI recommends 1.5).
Erection safety factor: Dynamic safety factor for crane erection (PCI recommends 1.25).

Required lifting inserts: Minimum number of lifting inserts (even number for balance).
Total stripping force: Panel weight multiplied by stripping safety factor.
Total erection force: Panel weight multiplied by erection safety factor.
Effective insert capacity: Insert capacity adjusted for actual concrete strength at stripping.
Load per insert: Stripping force divided by number of inserts.
Insert utilization: Load per insert as percentage of effective capacity.
Required crane capacity: Minimum crane capacity including rigging and dynamic factor.
Recommended crane size: Standard crane size rounded up from required capacity.
Meets min 2500 psi?: Whether concrete has reached minimum 2,500 psi strength for safe stripping.
Min embedment depth: Minimum insert embedment depth for pullout capacity.
Approximate insert spacing: Spacing between lifting inserts along panel length.

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Panel weight = 10000, Panel length = 20, Panel width = 10, Panel thickness = 6 = 8 input(s) provided
Calculate Required lifting inserts
4 = 4
Calculate Total stripping force
Total stripping force = panelWeight * strippingSF
15000 = 15000
Calculate Total erection force
Total erection force = panelWeight * erectionSF
12500 = 12500