About
LiftPlanner is a specialized 3D crane and rigging lift planning software designed for industrial engineers, crane operators, and rigging professionals who need to plan, document, and safely execute critical lifts. The software is custom-built to include the cranes in a user's specific fleet, allowing for highly accurate and site-specific planning scenarios. The platform features an extensive library of pre-built 3D crane models with routines to manipulate crane configurations, retrieve load charts, and trigger warnings for two-blocking and angle limit violations. Users can create detailed lift environments that include vessels, exchangers, towers, steel structures, supports, lugs, trunnions, lifting beams, and piping. A built-in library includes 275 pre-built chokers with weight and rating data, a shackle library ranging from 6 to 700 tons, and a rigging weight summation program. LiftPlanner integrates with AutoCAD 2020 through 2026 and runs on Windows 10/11 Professional. It supports both metric and Imperial unit systems, making it suitable for global projects. The software produces detailed drawings used to plan and document every aspect of a critical lift. In use since 1995 and featured on the cover of International Cranes magazine, LiftPlanner is a well-established tool for heavy lift planning in oil & gas, petrochemical, construction, and industrial sectors. It is ideal for rigging contractors, crane service companies, and plant engineering teams managing complex and safety-critical lifting operations.
Key Features
- Custom Crane Fleet Models: Pre-built 3D models of your specific crane fleet with multiple manipulation routines for accurate, site-specific lift planning.
- Load Chart Retrieval & Safety Warnings: Automatically retrieves crane load charts and issues warnings for two-blocking and angle limit violations to enforce safety compliance.
- Comprehensive Rigging Library: Includes 275 pre-built chokers with weight and rating data, a shackle library from 6 to 700 tons, and a rigging weight summation program.
- Lift Environment Creators: Create detailed 3D lift environments including vessels, towers, exchangers, beams, columns, piping, supports, lugs, and trunnions.
- AutoCAD Integration & Technical Drawings: Works seamlessly with AutoCAD 2020–2026 to generate precise drawings that plan and document every critical lift for compliance and safety records.
Use Cases
- Planning and documenting critical crane lifts on oil & gas or petrochemical job sites to meet safety and compliance requirements.
- Visualizing rigging configurations in 3D before execution to identify potential hazards such as two-blocking or angle limit violations.
- Generating technical lift drawings for engineering review and regulatory documentation using AutoCAD integration.
- Managing and querying crane load charts for a company's specific fleet to verify lift feasibility under real-world conditions.
- Selecting and summing rigging gear weights — including chokers, shackles, and lifting beams — for accurate load calculations.
Pros
- Industry-Proven Since 1995: Over 30 years of use in heavy lift and industrial construction gives LiftPlanner deep domain credibility and a mature, reliable feature set.
- Fleet-Specific Customization: The software is tailored to include the user's actual crane fleet, resulting in highly accurate and realistic lift planning scenarios.
- All-in-One Rigging Toolkit: Combines 3D modeling, load chart data, rigging libraries, and technical drawing generation in a single platform, reducing the need for multiple tools.
Cons
- Windows and AutoCAD Dependency: Requires Windows 10/11 Professional and AutoCAD 2020–2026, limiting accessibility for users on other operating systems or without AutoCAD licenses.
- Niche Use Case: Designed exclusively for crane and rigging professionals, making it unsuitable for general engineering or broader construction planning workflows.
Frequently Asked Questions
What software does LiftPlanner work with?
LiftPlanner integrates with AutoCAD 2020 through 2026 and requires Windows 10 or 11 Professional to run.
Can LiftPlanner be customized for my crane fleet?
Yes. LiftPlanner is custom-built to include the cranes in your specific fleet, allowing for accurate and fleet-specific 3D lift planning.
Does LiftPlanner support metric and Imperial units?
Yes, LiftPlanner is available in both metric and Imperial units, making it suitable for international projects.
What rigging components are included in LiftPlanner?
LiftPlanner includes 275 pre-built chokers with weight and rating data, a shackle library ranging from 6 to 700 tons, and tools to create vessels, beams, columns, piping, supports, lugs, and trunnions.
How long has LiftPlanner been available?
LiftPlanner has been a lift planning software solution since 1995 and was even featured on the cover of International Cranes magazine in December 2003.
