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In modular industrial construction, prefabricated modules are usually lifted with mobile cranes. Development of reliable heavy lift plans using conventional planning tools, however, remains a challenging and time-consuming task. This article presents an Auction-based Simulation for Industrial Crane Operations (ASICO)—a powerful and flexible auction protocol-based simulation model designed to facilitate heavy lift plan development. Employing this powerful approach enables lift planners to select the best types of cranes, to schedule multiple heavy lifts while satisfying system constraints, and to determine proper configurations, crane locations, and pick-points. Specifically, AISCO reads data from a comprehensive database to allocate cranes, with appropriate configurations and locations, to modules (known as agents). ASICO then holds a number of regular auctions (e.g., every working day), where agents bid for various combinations of resources (e.g., cranes, space). In this system, an auctioneer is designed to solve the Winner Determination Problem (WDP) based on combinatorial optimizations by maximizing the social welfare of the entire system. ASICO also provides suitable scheduling data for a 4D (3D plus time) animation tool to demonstrate the lifting process throughout the entire construction phase. Implementation of this system on a real case study was found to improve the cost, schedule, and safety of the project. • This study develops an automated system to plan and schedule heavy lift problems for modular construction projects. • The system assigns cranes with proper configuration and location to lifts through Simulation-based Auction Protocol (SBAP). • The system minimizes total cost and duration of the entire project employing a discrete event simulation model. • The system is implemented in an industrial modular project in Alberta, Canada successfully. • The system enhances the multiple crane heavy lift planning by reducing installation cost considerably (e.g. over 20% saving). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]