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Used to lift, lower, and move heavy materials, a crane is a type of machine that has a hoist rope, wire ropes or chains, and sheaves. Cranes are used for the loading and unloading of freight, for the movement of materials, and the assembling of heavy equipment. Cranes exist in a wide variety of forms and sizes depending on their purpose. This article looks at eight of the more common types of cranes.

Image credit: Oleg Totskyi/Shutterstock.com

Tower cranes are secured to the ground on concrete slabs. This concrete slab base is then attached to a  mast, which gives the crane its height. The mast attaches to the slewing unit, made of the gears and the motor, that lets the crane rotate. On top of the slewing unit are the three key parts: the long horizontal jib, a shorter counter-jib, and the operator's cab. The horizontal jib attaches to the load, while the counter-jib holds a counterweight. Because of their height, tower cranes are used in the construction of tall buildings.

Hammerhead cranes, also known as giant cantilever cranes, are fixed-jib cranes. The main feature of these cranes is the precious horizontal movement they are capable of through motion called “racking.” This means the lifting trolley, with the load suspended, can be moved in and out along the jib, with its load suspended but without altering the level of the load. They are very difficult to set up, so they are often only used for very large construction projects.

A telescopic crane has a boom comprised of multiple tubes fitted one inside the other. A hydraulic cylinder extends and retracts the tubes, increasing and decreasing the boom’s total length. Telescopic cranes are often used for short term construction projects, lifting boats in and out of the water, and rescue operations. The relative compactness of telescopic cranes makes them adaptable for mobile applications.  Not all telescopic cranes are mobile cranes, but many of them are truck-mounted. Tower cranes can be telescopic, with a telescopic mast and sometimes a telescopic jib.

Mobile cranes are the most commonly used type of crane in construction. They consist of a steel truss or telescopic boom attached to a mobile platform, such as on a cat truck or a rail. The boom has hinges at the bottom so that it can be either raised or lowered by cables or hydraulic cylinders. Mobile cranes are more versatile than other types of cranes because of their mobility and adaptability.

Truck and trailer-mounted cranes, or crane trucks, are a type of mobile crane. They have two main parts: the carrier, or the “lower,” and the lifting component, including the boom, or the “upper.” The two parts are attached through a turntable, which lets the upper swing from side to side. Truck mounted cranes are usually able to travel on highways, eliminating the need for special equipment to transport it.

Crawler cranes have booms mounted on an undercarriage that is fitted with a set of tracks, called crawlers, that provide stability and mobility. Their main advantage is their mobility since crawler cranes can operate on many different surfaces, including sites that may be unprepared for the weight of a crane, because the tracks distribute the weight of the load into a wider area. The tracks are also better than wheels at traveling over soft ground without sinking in. Crawler cranes are also capable of traveling while carrying a load. Their main disadvantage is their weight, as the heavy machines are difficult and expensive to transport between sites. Generally, a large crawler must be disassembled before transporting it, moving the boom and cab in separate cars or trucks.  

Floating cranes are mounted on ships, barges, or pontoons. They are used mainly for offshore construction projects, such as bridge building and port construction, but are also occasionally used for loading and unloading of especially heavy or awkward loads on and off ships. Floating cranes have also been used in the salvaging of sunken ships.

Overhead cranes, also known as bridge cranes or suspended cranes have a hoist that is set on a trolley which moves along one or two beams. The beams move at angles along elevated or ground level tracks, often mounted along the side walls of a factory or assembly area. In a long factory building, they run along rails mounted against the building's two long walls. They are usually used for factory work, most often in the steel industry, and can lift very heavy loads. Overhead cranes generally have either a single or double beam construction. In many instances, the cost of installing an overhead crane is offset with the savings from not renting mobile cranes to move heavy process equipment.

This article presented an understanding of the types of cranes. For more information on related products, consult our other guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform to locate potential sources of supply or view details on specific products.

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