The resistor is wired into the motor secondary slip rings, where it dissipates torque energy in the form of heat. It also provides "soft starting" as resistance is removed in steps.
Initial information needed for sizing your motor and crane control
resistor:
Wye-delta is a reduced-inrush starting method in which 3 phase motor stator coils are initially connected in a wye configuration and switched to delta as the motor's speed increases. The resistor works as a reduced voltage starting resistor by starting a motor at 58% reduced voltage. Initial information needed for sizing your resistor: Application Horsepower Line voltage