A construction site is filled with a wide variety of equipment and materials. When passing by a site, someone can witness the use of a broad range of equipment from an excavator to a bulldozer, and quite often, a crane. Construction jobs almost always require the movement of heavy materials, so having a crane on site is critical. Different cranes are used for various tasks, making it important to understand the distinction between them and know which type is best for a specific application.
This blog will take you through two different types of cranes used in a construction setting, how they are used, and what the differences are between using one over another.
Types of Construction Cranes: Stationary vs. Portable Cranes
Stationary Cranes
Two common types of construction cranes are stationary and portable cranes. Stationary cranes are permanent or semi-permanent structures fixed to either a building or the ground. In a construction setting, these types of cranes typically lift and lower loads along a predetermined path created on the job site.
Types of Stationary Cranes
- Tower cranes are durable, powerful cranes that are designed and manufactured for permanent installation. Often built with an adjustable boom length and height, these cranes provide the ability to clear obstacles and obstructions while working.
- Overhead cranes have a horizontal beam that travels up and down a set track. A hoist is used to move side to side along this beam to lift and lower loads. These are usually used in a construction site where a job includes a repetitive motion. There are several different kinds of overhead cranes, including a gantry, monorail, and bridge crane.
Portable Cranes
Construction sites have many different uses for portable construction cranes and winches. Contractors are often looking for a solution that allows the flexibility of lifting apparatus at multiple pick points within a job site. Portable cranes offer additional utility because they can be moved from one job site location to another. Their convenience and ability to lift and lower heavy loads make them a popular choice among contractors and millwrights.
Types of Portable Cranes
- Rooftop cranes are a perfect option for longer lift applications. By utilizing one crane and multiple bases these cranes can be moved to different locations along a rooftop to lift and lower equipment.
- Truck-mounted cranes are used to load and unload large equipment and heavy loads all from the deck of a truck. A perfect alternative to larger, more expensive hydraulic knuckle boom cranes, a truck-mounted davit using a pedestal mount in the bed of the truck, a wall mount installed against the rear bumper, or a hitch mount allows utility and flexibility at an affordable price.
Cranes used on construction sites need to be powerful, reliable, and at times, portable. Thern® understands this need and provides innovative and creative solutions that offer all the power needed to do the job. With a wide range of lightweight, effective cranes and winches, the experts at Thern have all the tools to help you choose the best type of construction crane for your application. A safer and more productive work environment is just a phone call, email, or click away!