Overhead cranes have been a staple for a variety of industries. There are four primary configurations of cranes. When choosing a crane type you need to know a couple of things like its capacity, its class as well as its lifting height. Here is a rundown of the four common overhead configurations.
Top-running and Under-running cranes
The two most common configurations for crane design is top or under running. Top-running cranes have their end truck riding on top of a runway beam. Under-running crane configurations have an end truck running on the low runway beam. The advantage of using a top-running crane is that it can lift heavy loads and it will have a greater head clearance than an under-running crane.
Under-running cranes allow the hoists to get nearer to the end truck which is something that’s not possible with a top-running crane. Under-running cranes are cheaper compared to top-running cranes.
Single and Double Girder overhead cranes
Double Girder cranes are designed to withstand higher capacities. They allow for greater height because of the fact that the hoists can be mounted at the top of the crane bridge. Double Girder cranes are expensive.
Single Girder cranes have low capacities. The hoists of these cranes ride at the bottom. This creates more space within which the hoist can move. This works well when used in situations where there is no limitation of the headroom.
Knowing the different crane configurations is one thing; the next major consideration is whether the new crane will be used on an existing building or a new building. For a building that already exists, you can only choose a crane that will fit the height clearance of the building. A new building allows some flexibility. If you are going to need a crane on your premises you can save yourself a bundle by incorporating the crane in the building design.
New crane innovations
Crane design and technology has evolved over the years, we now have smart design worked into the overhead cranes being manufactured. Not only do we have the four standard configurations but cranes are now more modular and adaptable. We have new intelligent cranes that will eventually legacy crane systems obsolete.
The good thing about new technology is that it has created cranes that can be changed and modified to suit specific needs meaning that overhead crane users are limited to the old archaic designs. New crane technologies offer features like automated positioning, remote diagnostics and much more.
New cranes have intelligent panels that allow operators to see and correct faults more quickly. Smart cranes can also recommend preventative measures which help businesses make maintenance decisions that are smarter and ones that could help extend the life of the crane. Early fault detection and correction can help avoid costly downtime Smart systems also detect the condition of ropes that cranes use.
Another feature of smart cranes is that they are smaller which means which means they can fit into tighter spaces, they also consume less energy making them more environmentally friendly. These new innovations for cranes, companies can increase their productivity, save on maintenance as well as energy and get a good return for investment on an overhead crane.