Overhead Equipment: Benefits of Cranes & Hoists

19 Aug.,2024

 

Overhead Equipment: Benefits of Cranes & Hoists

Overhead Equipment: Benefits of Cranes & Hoists

There are many ways to move material in an industrial or manufacturing facility.

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From hand trucks to forklifts and other ride-on movers, the possibilities are almost endless. When choosing a material moving solution, there are various overhead equipment systems available with benefits that include improving efficiency, productivity and safety.

Material movers can be divided into two categories, on-floor and overhead. On-floor movers include industrial trucks and conveyors, while overhead movers include cranes, hoists and monorails.

On-Floor Movers

Industrial Trucks

Industrial trucks include hand trucks, walk-behind forklifts (commonly known as &#;walkies&#; or &#;walkers&#;), and forklifts and other ride-on movers.

Industrial trucks do have some benefits: They are relatively inexpensive and, because they are not fixed, they can move materials along any number of variable paths. But they have drawbacks, as well: The load capabilities of hand trucks are extremely limited, and walkies and forklifts require a great deal of space for maneuvering and storage when not in use.

Conveyors

Powered conveyor belts and gravity conveyors, such as skates, rollers and slides, are ideal for scenarios where a large volume of uniform material must be moved over a single fixed path. The primary drawback of conveyors is that they occupy a large amount of floor space. They require so much space that they can even interrupt the flow of employees, materials and other processes throughout your facility.

If you are concerned about either the load of the materials that you must move or the space constraints of your facility, you may want to consider any number of overhead lifting systems.

Overhead Lifting Systems

There are three primary types of overhead lifting systems:

  1. Cranes
  2. Hoists
  3. Monorails

Each method has individual operational capabilities and offer unique benefits to your business.

Cranes

Overhead cranes use hooks, hoists, magnets or other devices to lift, move and place loads within their operational range.

Bridge cranes and gantry cranes can move on three axes, two perpendicular axes and one vertical, for a versatile operational range. This range can span a narrow corridor and be used for one particular process, or it can span the entirety of your facility and be used for any material moving requirements for any process. More traditional jib cranes can operate with 360 degree rotation around a central locus.

Hoists

Hoists are simple yet versatile pieces of machinery similar to cranes. They are designed to lift and move freely suspended, or unguided, loads. In addition to in manufacturing facilities, overhead hoists are commonly found in construction and warehousing environments. Hoists use rope, wire or chain to lift materials and can be operated manually, electrically or with air power.

Monorails

Monorails are a unique overhead lifting solution. Monorail tracks, either a single circuit or a network of routes, are installed directly into the roof structure of a facility. One or more carriers traverse the tracks.

Unlike gantry cranes, bridge cranes and hoists, wherein the lifting mechanism has a wide range of movement; the lifting mechanism of a monorail system, is restricted to where track has been put in place. In this way, they are analogous to on-floor conveyors.

Like conveyors, monorails are ideal for use in scenarios where materials must be moved over a fixed path repeatedly. Because tracks are fixed, human error is largely eliminated from carrier movement control, which makes monorail systems excellent for use in dangerous and hard-to-reach areas.

Though fixed, monorails can be quite versatile. If they are used as part of a crane system, tracks can be repositioned periodically, as required.

Benefits

Overhead lifting systems carry a number of benefits compared to on-floor material movers.

Primary Benefits

As discussed previously, on-floor material movers require a great deal of floor space in a facility. Walkies, forklifts, and other ride-on movers are large, bulky machines that can be unwieldy to operate and require a lot of open space to turn and maneuver. Even when they are not being used, these machines take up space in storage. Stationary conveyors take a lot of space as well, often stretching long distances and blocking the movement of employees, materials and other processes.

Overhead lifting systems ease those space concerns. Though cranes and hoists often require floor-based support structures, their footprint is much smaller than the wide pathways and intersections required by ride-on movers. Additionally, they can usually be placed along the edges of a facility, further minimizing their effect on the space. Monorails, for which tracks are installed directly into the roof structure of our facility, do not have any floor space footprint at all.

Overhead lifting systems also tend to be stronger, with higher load capabilities, than on-floor movers. Additionally, with a number of different lifting mechanisms available, they can lift a wider variety of materials and containers.

Additional Benefits

Aside from load capacity and reduced floor space footprint, overhead moving systems offer your business numerous additional, often overlooked benefits.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates that back injuries alone cost industrial manufacturers up to 100 million work days and $14 billion in workers compensation per year. These numbers do not include other forms of injury, such as those caused by dangerous processes and forklift accidents.

By minimizing the physical labor required by employees, keeping them physically removed from potential sources of danger and reducing or eliminating the need for forklifts; overhead lifting systems can improve the health and safety of your workforce while saving the company money.

By increasing direct-path transportation over obstacles such as machinery, as opposed to moving around such obstacles with on-floor movers, overhead moving systems can increase the productivity and efficiency of your manufacturing processes. With reduced room for human error, overhead moving systems can also reduce product loss for your business.

More Information

There are even more benefits to introducing overhead moving systems to your enterprise. American Crane and Equipment Corporation has been providing dozens of industries with world-class overhead lifting systems since our founding in .

For more information on American Crane and how our wide range of overhead lifting systems can help your business thrive, submit a request for quote or call us at 1-877-877-.

What Is a Jib Crane | Pros & Cons | Its Uses

What Is a Jib Crane | Pros & Cons | Its Uses

Jib cranes are one of the most commonly used overhead cranes. They are also known as wall-mounted cranes since they are mounted on the wall or on a column. Jib cranes offer many advantages and can be used in a variety of applications, making them a versatile option for material handling.

 

What Is a Jib Crane

A jib crane is an overhead crane that consists of a horizontal beam (the jib) that is supported by a wall-mounted bracket or pillar. The jib can be rotated, allowing the load to be moved in a circular arc.

Jib cranes are available in a variety of sizes and capacities, and can be customised to suit the specific needs of the application.

 

The Advantages of Jib Cranes

There are many advantages to using a jib crane, including:

&#; They make it possible to move heavy loads without the need for a large overhead crane, saving on space and installation costs.

&#; Jib cranes can be used in a variety of applications, including manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance.

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&#; Jib cranes can be operated manually or electrically, making them suitable for both light and heavy loads.

 

Disadvantages of Jib Cranes

There are a few disadvantages to using a jib crane, including:

&#; Jib cranes can be more expensive than other types of crane, such as an overhead crane.

&#; They require regular maintenance to ensure smooth operation and to prevent wear and tear.

&#; Jib cranes can be dangerous if not used properly, so it is important to follow all safety instructions when using one.

&#; They require a solid wall or column to be mounted on, which may not be possible in some workspaces.

If you are considering using a jib crane in your workplace, it is important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages to decide if it is the right choice for you.

 

Uses of Jib Cranes

Jib cranes are most commonly used in factories and warehouses to move heavy materials around. They can also be used in construction sites, garages, and other industrial settings. Jib cranes offer a number of advantages over other types of crane, making them a popular choice for many businesses.

 

Shipping

Robust cranes with heavy lifting capacities have always been a part of the shipping industry for booting and unloading purposes. Jib cranes, in particular, are efficient at loading boats and moving materials from docks or trucks.

 

Construction

Jib cranes are also used in construction settings, often for lifting and moving heavy materials like bricks or concrete blocks. They can also be used to lower materials down from high buildings under construction.

 

Manufacturing

Jib cranes are commonly found in manufacturing settings, where they are used for tasks such as moving heavy machinery or large pieces of equipment. They can also be used for lifting and moving raw materials or finished products around a factory floor.

 

Warehousing

Jib cranes are also used in many warehousing applications, often for loading and unloading trucks or for moving materials around a warehouse. They can also be used to load and unload ships at dockside.

There are many other potential uses for jib cranes in both commercial and industrial settings. They are frequently used in automotive assembly plants, for example, and can be found in a variety of other manufacturing facilities. Jib cranes can also be used in construction applications, such as for hoisting materials to upper floors of a building under construction.

In general, jib cranes are versatile pieces of equipment that can be used in a wide range of settings.

 

Types of Jib Cranes

There are several different types of jib cranes, each of which is designed for specific applications.

Freestanding Jib Crane

Jib cranes are the most common type of crane, and they can be used indoors or outdoors. They often work with bridge cranes. These standalone machines have a lifting capacity of a few pounds to several tons, depending on where they&#;re installed.

 

Articulating Jib Cranes

An articulating jib crane is different than a standard jib crane because it has an arm that rotating along with the boom. This allows for easy movement and positioning of loads, even around corners or other obstacles. Articulating jib cranes can be mounted on walls, floors, ceilings, or bridges.

 

Wall Mounted Jib Cranes

Wall mounted jib cranes, also called wall pillar or cantilever jib cranes, do not need floor or foundation space and are more compact than other types of jib cranes . They can supplement a monorail or overhead bridge crane , take up less room, and be installed close to the bottom of a building so there is maximum clearance under and above the boom.

 

Mast Jib Cranes

Mast type jib cranes are floor supported and top stabilised. They don&#;t require foundation supports or base plates, and they take up very little floor space. This makes them a very economical lifting method, much like tie rod supported jib cranes.

 

Portable Jib Cranes

Portable jib cranes look almost like freestanding or articulating jib cranes, just that they are installed on a mobile base that can be wheeled or fork lifted have a capacity of less than half ton. The design of portable jib cranes means that one person can move large amounts materials without the need for other resources.

 

Hydraulic Jib Crane

A hydraulic jib crane is a portable jib crane with a hydraulic cylinder that lowers and raises the arm of the crane. The lifting system uses a hydraulic cylinder attached to the boom of the crane which lifts and lowers loads. The hydraulic mechanism can either be powered by battery or hand pump, depending on design.

 

Workstation Jib Crane

Workstation jib cranes are a tool that allows for both productivity and safety in the workplace. By being easy to manipulate, they make it possible for workers to place or move a workpiece with ease. These types of cranes also come in every mounting configuration you could need to specifically meet the needs of any application.

 

Truck Mounted Jib Cranes

Truck mounted jib cranes are a specialised type of crane that is designed to be used in conjunction with a truck or other vehicle. These cranes are typically used in construction or other industrial applications where a large amount of lifting and moving needs to be done.

 

All in all, jib cranes offer a versatile and convenient solution for many different lifting needs. If you think that a jib crane could be the right solution for your business, be sure to reach out to us.

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