The construction industry uses a variety of different cranes depending on what’s needed for a specific task. Cranes have been used for centuries to lift objects that were too heavy for people to do safely. However, it’s not a one-size-fits-all situation.
Here are 6 different types of cranes in popular use today.
1. Crawler Crane
A crawler crane runs on tracks to effectively roll over uneven terrain without removing the ability for the equipment to prove effective. This type is best deployed in situations where access to the location where the crane is to be positioned is quite difficult and it cannot be easily lifted into place either.
This crane is heavy and takes time to set up. As such, it’s ideal for longer construction projects where leaving it in place once properly situated is often best.
2. Truck-mounted Crane
The truck-mounted crane never usually reaches great heights but that’s not it’s purpose. Instead, it’s intended to help lift materials from the front or either side onto the truck bed for transportation.
Lighter equipment or building materials can be loaded on, secured correctly, and then the truck can go to the secondary location. This avoids needing two separate pieces of equipment to accomplish the same task. It’s especially good for smaller operations with a lot of building materials to pick up from local suppliers and be transported back.
3. Commercial Fixed Cranes
Commercial fixed cranes are those that are moved onto the building site and placed in position. What they lack in mobility, they more than make up for it in pure lifting power and height or reach. Often, fixed cranes remain present until the last day of the construction project.
4. Industrial Cranes
Industrial cranes are specialized models that are often deployed by mining companies. These are designed to be workhorses that can provide the support needed for extremely busy mines that run for many hours each day (and some through the night too).
Kwik Logistics supplies industrial cranes, slewing cranes, and several other types around the Perth area. They’ve been working with cranes and hiring them out to companies for many years and comply with the highest standards too.
5. Hammerhead Crane
The hammerhead crane gets its name from the design. It sits overhead with a trolley at the top that can roll from one end to the other. It’s able to lift heavy cargo and move it around with ease. One of the heaviest cranes available, it’s popular but must be assembled on-site rather than transported to a site pre-assembled.
6. Stacker Crane
The stacker crane is mostly seen used in warehouses because it provides easy access to upper storage levels to maximize storage utilization. It operates in a manner that’s not unlike a forklift truck yet it’s vertical reach far exceeds that of a truck.
There’s virtually a crane for every work purpose you can think of. The important thing is to choose the right one for the necessary task. This makes life much easier than when trying to use an existing crane for a task that it’s not best suited to. That would be a mistake and leads to lower productivity.