Overhead Industrial Cranes

Overhead industrial cranes are among the most versatile and cost effective mechanisms that can be installed in a factory or other facility. Such cranes can help an organization maximize the use of its space, speed up production and reduce costs.

The main advantage to overhead industrial cranes is obvious: they provide a transportation system and a lifting mechanism that doesn’t put any more machinery on the floor. This can obviously save space which can be used to add workers and machinery to the floor. It can give workers more room to do their jobs and even increase safety.

Get Vehicles off the Floor

A big benefit of overhead industrial cranes is that they get vehicles like forklifts off the floor. This can make the workplace safer because vehicles won’t be driving around the floor. Obviously moving vehicles on the floor can lead to accidents which can cause injuries or damage to machinery.

Moving vehicles on the floor can also interfere with work. Workers may have to interrupt what they are doing to move out of the way as a vehicle passes. A worker could also have to stop his work to go and get a vehicle to move something or lift something.

An overhead crane enables workers to lift loads and move loads around the work area without vehicles. This lowers the possibility of accidents and the amount of interruptions to the work.

Increase Efficiency

A system of traveling overhead cranes such as a materials handling system can smoothly move loads around the facility. This could enable workers to stay in one place and do their job rather than move around as loads move.

Overhead industrial cranes can be used to bring supplies and equipment right to workers on the floor. This can reduce the amount of time spent away from the work area fetching supplies or equipment. It can also limit the amount of equipment and items on the floor freeing up space for work.

There are other ways that overhead industrial cranes can increase efficiency. Such cranes can be used to load trucks or trains from overhead which is faster than using a forklift. They can also be used to move bulk loads very quickly and to pick up large items on the shop.

Installing Overhead Industrial Cranes

The variety of overhead industrial cranes available today is incredible. There are dozens of kinds of overhead cranes with all manner of capabilities. This means that a company could have a very hard time deciding which crane to buy and install.

The best way to evaluate overhead crane needs is to hire a professional crane company. Professional crane companies have staffs of experts including crane technicians and crane engineers that can evaluate your needs and tell you which crane you should purchase.

Such companies can even design, build and install custom cranes and crane systems for very specific needs. Overhead cranes can eliminate the need for workers to handle potentially hazardous or dangerous materials such chemicals. Overhead cranes can even be used in clean rooms and other environments where people can’t go.

There are now overhead industrial cranes to meet virtually every need. A professional crane company should be able to help a company find the crane or crane system that will meet its needs.

Hand Signals for Overhead Bridge Cranes

There are quite a few hand singles for overhead bridge cranes. These signals are used for both safety and day to day work purposes.
It is vital that a workplace that uses an overhead bridge crane develop and adopt a uniform set of hand signals for overhead bridge cranes. These signals let the overhead bridge crane operator know what is going which ensures safety in the workplace. Such signals enable workers to communicate effectively and safely with the bridge crane operator.
If an effective set of hand signals for overhead bridge cranes is not adopted and implemented. Workers and the bridge crane operator may not be able to understand each other. This can lead to some very tragic consequences including accidents, injuries and even deaths.

The Signaler

The best way to ensure safety is to have only one person in the work area make signals to the operator at once. There should only be one signaler in the work area to prevent mixed signals and confusion.
Having one signaler enables the crane operator to know who to pay attention to and who to ignore. It also ensures that only individuals who know what they are doing will be sending signals to the overhead crane operator. One way to make sure that the crane operator knows who the signaler is to have the signaler always wear a specific piece of clothing such as an orange vest.
Signalers should also be as familiar with the operation of the crane as possible. The best way to ensure familiarity with the crane is to have the signaler operate the crane. Having the signaler and the crane operator trade places occasionally will make sure that both the signaler and the crane operator are familiar with each other’s jobs.
Designating a few signalers who are familiar with crane operation and hand signals for overhead cranes is the first step in crane safety. The next step is to never allow anybody but the signalers to signal the crane.

Hand Signals for Overhead Cranes

The hand signals for overhead cranes are pretty simple and very basic. Generally pointing a finger up indicates that they want to move something up. Pointing down means that the workers want something lowered. Two raised fingers will usually indicate a need for multiple crane trolleys.
Other common signals include pointing the thumb up for bridge travel and making the hitchhiker’s signal for trolley travel. A flat outstretched arm usually indicates stop. Moving a flat outstretched arm back and forth usually indicates emergency stop. Holding hands together on the front of the chest indicates that an operator should “dog” everything while both arms outstretched means the magnet is disconnected or turned off.
Even though hand signals for overhead cranes can be a very effective means of communication they do have their limits. It is always a very good idea to have another means of direct communication between an overhead crane operator and the workers on the floor available. Radio telephones and walky talkies are ideal for this purpose. Headsets that workers can put under their helmets and wear at all times will make communication even easier.

Dos and Don’ts of Overhead Cranes

There are many dos and don’ts of overhead cranes which organizations that use overhead cranes should be aware of. These rules are important because of them involve safety and not following these rules can get workers injured or killed.

Education in the operation of overhead cranes is vital for safety. Every operator and every worker who works with or around the crane should be aware of its limitations and potential dangers. A little basic education about cranes and crane safety can prevent accidents and potentially save lives.

Dos and Don’ts of Overhead Cranes:

1. Do know the load limit or load capacity of every crane on the premises. The load limit is the maximum amount the crane can lift. Lifting more than the load limit can damage the crane and in worst case scenarios cause loads to come crashing down resulting in damage or injuries.
2. Don’t ever lift a load that is larger than the load limit with any crane. Even loads that are slightly over the limit can be dangerous. If there is any doubt about a crane’s ability to lift a load, don’t lift that load.
3. Do have trained crane operators running cranes. Every crane operator should be trained and experienced and know what they are doing. Have designated crane operators who know what they are doing.
4. Don’t let people who know little or nothing about the crane operate it. An inexperienced operator will be more likely to make a mistake that will lead to an accident. Don’t let workers who don’t know how to operate the crane run it.
5. Do have designated signalers whose job it is to communicate with the crane operator via hand signals, radio or other means. Preferably signalers should be experienced crane operators.
6. Don’t let anybody communicate with the crane operator including those who don’t know what they’re doing. This can lead to mixed signals which will cause accidents.
7. Do have a means of communication that allows workers on the floor or the ground to talk directly to the crane operator. This can avoid miscommunication and help workers alert the operator of an emergency or potential emergency.
8. Don’t only rely on hand signals to communicate with the crane operator. These can be too slow or easily misconstrued. New or inexperienced workers may not understand hand signals or know how to use them in an emergency.
9. Don’t let workers “ride” on the crane unless it has attachments or devices designed specifically to lift or transport people. Workers hanging from the crane could easily fall and get injured.
10. Do discipline workers who use the crane in any improper or potentially dangerous manner. Let repeat offenders know that if they keep it up they can start looking for another job.
11. Do educate workers, especially foremen and supervisors in proper crane safety and operation.
12. Don’t ignore crane safety and proper crane operation until somebody gets hurt or killed.

Cantilever Overhead Cranes

A cantilever overhead crane looks like a typical overhead crane supported by a beam. The usual difference between a typical overhead crane and a cantilever crane is that the cantilever crane is usually held by its own frame or gantry. Most overhead cranes on the other hand are supported by the building or its roof.

Overhead cantilever cranes generally work best in buildings where the roof or ceiling isn’t strong enough to support a traditional overhead crane. They are also often used in structures that are too high for an overhead crane mechanism.

Advantages of Overhead Cantilever Cranes

1. The biggest advantage to cantilever overhead cranes is that they are often mobile. The cantilever structure supporting the crane can be placed on wheels. This can allow workers to move it around the factory floor or other facility.
2. Another advantage to cantilevers is that they can be made portable. This means they can be broken down and moved from building to building. This means that overhead cantilever cranes would be a perfection lifting solution for a firm that is planning to move to a new building soon or from building to building.
3. Overhead cantilever cranes can also be taken outside and used in the yard and other work areas. This means that they are perfect for a large facility that needs a mobile overhead lifting solution.
4. Like other kinds of overhead cranes, overhead cantilevers can be purchased as monorail or traveling cranes. This makes them more versatile and particularly useful in manufacturing processes.
5. Another advantage to an overhead cantilever crane is that it can be used to lift items up and transport them around the facility. This makes them useful for moving items like engines and other potential heavy pieces of equipment.

Disadvantages to Overhead Cantilever Cranes

1. The biggest disadvantage to overhead cantilever cranes is that the frame work to such cranes takes up space on the factory floor. The frame work may block work ways and take up space that could be filled by workers and equipment. It can also be harder to move through the factory floor and in some cases could present a safety hazard.
2. In smaller facilities a monorail crane or other more traditional crane such as a built in bridge crane could be more useful. A traveling crane could fill the same purposes without taking up any space on the factory floor.
3. The lifting capacity of smaller overhead cantilever cranes can also be quite limited. They may not be able to the move the loads needed over the distances needed.
4. Another problem with overhead cantilever cranes is that they might be able to fit through doors and entranceways. This could limit their use particularly in older facilities and smaller facilities. In some cases a cantilever crane may have to be broken down in order to be moved around. This could cost time and money that could be better spent elsewhere.

In some cases a jib crane can be handier because it is smaller and more versatile.

140 Ton Overhead Bridge Cranes

Bridge cranes are some of the biggest and most powerful cranes in use today. Some of the most powerful cranes seen are the 140 ton overhead bridge cranes.

Most facilities won’t need that kind of lifting power but there are some industrial and transportation businesses and organizations that do. Railroads use such cranes to lift locomotives and railcars for maintenance and other purposes. In the shipping industry, 140 ton overhead bridge cranes are used to lift containers and cargo into and out of ships. Such cranes are also used to load trains in some rail yards.

There are also some manufacturing processes that involve 140 ton overhead bridge cranes. The building of prefabricated building and bridge components, shipbuilding, the construction of vehicles and heavy equipment and smelting are some of the manufacturing processes that might use such a crane.

It is not uncommon to see cranes with a lift capacity of 140 tons or more used in mining. Some mines will have such cranes equipped with a claw scoop bucket to move ore or gravel for processing.

Cost and Installation of 140 Ton Overhead Bridge Cranes

Not surprisingly the cost of an overhead bridge crane with a 140 ton lifting capacity is going to be quite high. Installing such a crane will involve the construction of the bridge and the installation of the crane itself.

Such a crane will have to be installed by qualified crane technicians and engineers. It will also have to be loaded tested and inspected for OSHA certifications by qualified crane technicians as well.

Another added expensive to a 140 ton overhead bridge crane will be the cost of custom design Most cranes of that size and lifting capacity will have to be custom designed and built. Custom design and build will add to the costs considerably.

Reducing Costs on 140 Ton Overhead Bridge Cranes

There are some ways to reduce the costs associated with the installation of a 140 ton bridge crane. One way to is to buy a used or refurbished crane, many crane companies do sell refurbished cranes.

A refurbished crane will have to be load tested and inspected for OSHA certification but it can quite a bit cheaper. In many cases the savings from a refurbished crane comes from the fact that a new hoist is used with an existing crane set.

Another way to save money on 140 ton overhead bridge cranes is to order a crane kit. A crane kit is a ready made crane assembly that will require no custom design or manufacturing. Some crane companies do have these available but it won’t possible to use such a crane kit in every facility.

Another good way of reducing the cost of installing a 140 ton overhead bridge crane is for an organization to do part of the crane installation work itself. A company that has workers trained in metal work and welding could put assemble the support structure for the crane itself and have the crane company install the hoist. Some crane companies will even provide supervisors and foremen to oversee the assembly and installation of 140 ton overhead bridge cranes. Such “do it yourself” projects can save an organization quite a bit of money.