Gantry cranes consist of vertical steel supports with a horizontal rail and a trolley to lift and move large objects. They can be anchored or mounted on wheels or tracks and operated from a cab or control panel. They are used in shipyards, steel yards, bridge construction, and mining. They are cost-effective and self-supporting, eliminating the need for additional building structures. Single and double track gantry cranes are available.
A gantry crane is a heavy machine used to lift very large objects such as containers and cars. Each gantry crane consists of a pair of vertical steel supports with a long horizontal rail connected to the top of each support. A steel car, or trolley, travels along the upper rail from one end to the other. Workers use a hoist attached to the base of the cart to lift or move items to different locations. These cranes, also known as gantry cranes or goliaths, operate using advanced electric or hydraulic operating systems.
The vertical support elements on a gantry crane can be anchored to the ground, or mounted on wheels or tracks which allow the crane to move throughout the area. Some units feature a cantilevered jib crane that allows workers to pick up items located on either side of the tracks, while others only allow hoisting along a limited area. Several types of gantry cranes require workers to operate the crane from a cab built into the top of the supports, while others can be operated from a ground-based control panel. Most gantry crane companies provide safety training to new workers to reduce the risk of accidents and minimize liability.
Many different types of structures can benefit from installing a gantry crane. Shipyards use these cranes to load and unload ships, or even to build and repair ships. Steel yards and other material distributors can use a gantry crane to move material during the manufacturing process. These cranes are also used for bridge construction and mining applications.
Gantry cranes provide a cost-effective solution for facilities that need to maintain lifting operations outdoors, but don’t want to construct a building to support a standard jib crane. These self-supporting units do not need to be fitted to an existing structure like many other types of cranes. They can also be used indoors when the building framing is not sufficient to support an overhead lift system. Instead of adding more steel, which could impact the existing floor plan, building managers add a gantry crane and eliminate the need for more steel.
Both single and double track gantry cranes are available, depending on the application. Double rail units use two separate top rails to support two independent hoists. This allows workers to move twice as much material or move material in different directions at the same time. In some cases the two hoists can be hooked to a single object and used to lift extra heavy loads.
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