Cranes Explained

A crane, which is equipped with a derrick oris known as railroad crane. Mobile cranes are the
tower, is used to lower and lift materials with themost basic and common type of crane, which as
use of pulleys and cable. Heavy equipmentthe name implies, can be carried easily to any
manufacturers and the construction industry useplace.
cranes in various activities connected with theirTower cranes are fixed to the ground. These are
process. Cranes used in the construction industrymostly used in buildings for the best combination
are mostly temporary structures either mountedof lifting capacity and height. A telescopic crane is
on a vehicle which is built for the specific purposecapable of lifting lower capacity but can reach
of carrying the crane, or fixed to the ground.greater heights.
Cranes may be controlled by various methodsTo provide greater mobility, a crane will be
such as radio control, infrared control or a built inmounted on a carrier truck and is known as a
control station using a push button pendant or bytruck-mounted crane. Whereas the rough terrain
an operator sitting in the cab of the vehicle.cranes, which are mounted on four rubber tires,
A standardized hand signal is used between theare capable of pick and carry operations in rough
person operating the controls and the workers interrain. Crawler cranes are mounted on a set of
the ground. Bigger installations use radiotracks with an undercarriage and have better
communication for this purpose. Loads can bestability and mobility.
positioned with great precision using such signalsA suspended crane or overhead crane is used
by experienced crew of the crane. Crane vesselsmostly inside factories and they are capable of
or ships often carry the largest revolving cranes.carrying very heavy loads. In automated and
For more info visitcomputer controlled warehouses, a stacker crane
It is a surprise to note from the carved stonewith a forklift is used.
relief in Haterii's tomb of 1st century Rome, whichDuring bridge or port construction, floating cranes
depicts a monument being built with a sort ofare used. To load or offload awkward or heavy
crane, that cranes were used in medievalmachinery floating cranes are ideal. They are also
shipyards and ports in Poland.used in offshore work. Aerial cranes, which are
The various types of cranes in common use areextended from helicopters, are used to lift large
railroad cranes, mobile cranes, telescopic cranes,loads.
tower cranes, truck-mounted cranes, roughThe design of cranes is based on two major
terrain cranes, crawler cranes, loader cranes,considerations. First is to lift specified mass, the
floating cranes, gantry cranes and aerial cranes.second is its stability, and it should not topple over
A crane mounted on a railroad car or on a flatcarwhile performing lifting operations.