The different types of cranes in the market
Many different types of cranes get used in all kinds of construction work. A crane is a heavy machine that is a platform or a tower that comes equipped with pulleys and cables. Cranes are used to lift materials and lower them to the tops of buildings or the ground.
The most frequent use for cranes is in the heavy equipment manufacturing and construction industry.
Different types of cranes
The different types of cranes that are used in construction are generally temporary structures and can be mounted to a vehicle or fixed to the ground. The operator can control the crane from the inside cab, by radio controls or by button controls. Several types of cranes will be used in different environments and circumstances.
Here are a few crane types that get used within a construction site:
Telescopic Cranes
A telescopic crane has a boom that has many tubes which are fitted within one another. The hydraulic mechanisms will retract or extend the tubes to the required length or shorten the boom.
Mobile Cranes
Mobile cranes are a common type of crane that has a telescopic boom, or steel truss that gets mounted to a mobile platform. The platform can be a rail or a cat truck. The boom has a hinge at the bottom so it can be raised or lowered with the cables or hydraulic cylinders.
Bubble Cranes
A bubble crane is a smaller type of crane used in construction projects that are not as large and need lighter materials lifted to a smaller height.
Truck Mounted Cranes
A truck-mounted crane will come mounted on a tire truck which allows mobility. Some outriggers can extend horizontally or vertically which gets used to level the crane and stabilise it when hoisting a load of materials. Truck-mounted cranes are often used when tall buildings are being constructed.
Rough Terrain Crane
The crane has four rubber tires and gets mounted on an undercarriage. This type of crane is designed to be used off-road. The outriggers can be extended horizontally or vertically to stabilise and level out the crane when it is lifting large, heavy loads. Rough terrain cranes are single-engine machines, which means that the same engine gets used for the crane and the undercarriage.
Overhead Crane
Overhead cranes are also called suspended cranes. This type of crane is used in factories to lift heavy loads. The crane’s hoist is set up on a trolley that moves along a beam in one direction. These cranes can move at different angles along the ground level tracks or the elevated tracks.
Slab Cranes
A slab crane is a type of crane that was created to be able to easily change lifting devices. This is used for construction involving moving very heavy materials in a fast manner.
Loader Crane
A hydraulically powered crane comes with an articulated arm that gets fitted to a trailer. The loader crane gets used to load different equipment onto trailers and moving vans. The crane can be folded into many sections to allow it to fit into small spaces when it is not in use. The crane can be moved easily due to its feature of being foldable.
What crane you use will be determined by the type of job you need the crane for and whether you are doing high or low work and heavy or light work. Cranes can be purchased or rented if you don’t plan on using the crane often. You will also need to have someone who has a licence to drive and operate a crane before any work gets carried out.
