Cranes are heavy machinery tools that are used for lifting heavy loads off the ground and for shifting the same to another location. A crane is operated with the help of strong cables and a pulley system that can be manually handled from the cabs attached behind it. The cranes of latest models can also be operated with remote control’s which have wireless radio control system or may be started simply by pressing a definite switch button on the machine. There are different types of cranes available in the market, all of which are generally used for construction work.
Varieties of Crane Available for Constructional Purposes
- Telescopic crane – It is mainly used for transporting heavy loads to a higher spot, with the help of a very long boom and multiple tubes that are fitted one inside another. The hydraulic mechanism of these tubes can alter the height of the boom whenever required. This type of crane is also used in many risky rescue operations.
- Mobile crane – It is the most widely used crane especially in industries, as it can be transferred from place to place. It is mounted on a cat truck or a wheeled platform, at the lower side of which a telescopic boom lift is attached. This mechanical lift can be moved in all directions with the help of strong cables or hydraulic cylinders.
- Tower crane – It is mainly used for constructing very tall high-rises, as this crane can lift heavy loads up to the height of 1000 meters. It has the capacity of carrying up to 20 tons of load, which is unloaded on high towers with the help of radio signals.
- Truck mounted crane – It is usually mounted on the trucks that run on thick rubber tyres and a single engine is used by both the crane and its carrier. It is mobile due to the vertically and horizontally extended frameworks that makes it more stable during the operations. It does not need any extra transportation and easily runs over highways. In fact, it is very affordable. Most of these hydraulic truck cranes can be rotated to 180 degrees and a few can be rotated up to 360 degrees.
- Floating crane –As the name suggests it is used for loading heavy goods in the ships and large water vessels. In cases of accidents, it can be utilized for lifting up a ship that might have sunk down the seawater. It has the capacity to lift up to 9000 tons of weight.
- Overhead crane – It is mostly used in shifting heavy goods in factories of manufacturing and shipping industries. It is also termed as the suspended crane, which is attached on a heavy trolley containing one or multiple beams that are fixed at definite angles. It can be moved above the ground over a large area for shifting factory materials.
- Crawler crane – It is so named because the track on which it runs is termed as crawlers. It is very heavy and can be transported only on trucks. However, the most amazing feature of a crawler crane is is that it can be stationed on any type of surface, be it soft soil or a rugged terrain on which other cranes cannot operate smoothly.
There are many more varieties of cranes used in the construction, manufacturing and other industries, as per the requirements and the quantity of load. There are rough terrain cranes, aerial cranes, all terrain cranes, harbour cranes and loader cranes for making all difficult jobs much easier.
