An overhead gantry crane is a lifting device often employed in warehouses and factories to move heavy payloads safely. An ideal choice when building structures don’t permit for overhead bridge crane systems to do their work effectively, these lifting devices offer safe solutions.
Gantry cranes are typically portable and can easily be moved between sites. Furthermore, they can be customised to meet local specifications, like motor heaters or insulation for electrical panels that must withstand extreme temperatures.
Types
There are a wide variety of overhead gantry cranes designed to meet specific needs for various industries and facilities. Some designs may be ideal for construction sites, while others could be better used in shipping containers or rail yards. Each design can be distinguished based on load capacity and lifting ability; this also determines its height capacity.
Single- or double-girder gantry cranes are among the most frequently encountered gantry cranes, being utilised in shipyards, rail yards, warehouses, and construction sites alike. Available in various sizes and capacities, they are most capable of supporting medium- to heavy-duty loads.
These cranes don’t feature runways built directly into them; rather, they support themselves using wheels or rail systems to move. This makes them easily portable within your facility, enabling you to move them between locations as necessary. Some models even come equipped with modular features so that they can be disassembled and put back together as needed.
Design
The design of a gantry crane depends on its intended use. This will dictate its type, materials, and mobility status.
Homemade crane plans typically include two legs joined together by either a single or double beam at their tops, connected by a bridge between them, and an assembly trolley to pick up the payload and transport it across.
Single-leg gantry cranes feature a fixed height and are more cost-effective than other models, making them suitable for small to medium-sized workshops and garages.
Before installing or operating your gantry crane, it is crucial that you consider its safety. Heavy-duty pieces of equipment like these can pose serious hazards if misused improperly or damaged; to minimise risks and injuries, it’s vital that all safety protocols are strictly adhered to and structural integrity is considered when adding one to any building.
Installation
If a gantry crane will be moving along rails or tracks in a facility where other equipment or personnel are working nearby, or through any area where other work occurs nearby, manufacturers can create an innovative system of electrical panels, end trucks, and controls on its legs to protect it against potential impact damage from collision. This is also beneficial for portable gantry cranes, which must be navigated into and out of working spaces via foot or motor traffic.
As part of their installation assessment process, gantry crane installers will review any approved drawings or building prints to confirm measurements and load ratings, identify process lines or construction that might interfere with the crane installation timeline, and ensure all electrical work has been completed before the installation date. They’ll also make sure portable gantries have alignable or steerable trackless travel capabilities, depending on whether they’re portable.
Maintenance
Installing an overhead gantry crane is a considerable financial investment. To protect it and ensure the safety of your employees, it’s critical that you create a maintenance plan, including daily inspection protocols and preventative maintenance schedules.
Maintaining the condition of a gantry crane requires regular inspections with expert feedback, providing insights into failure to meet standards, components that are approaching their limit for wear, or other issues that need immediate correction.
An exhaustive inspection includes testing operating controls, verifying that lower and upper limit switches are operating appropriately, ensuring that all brakes are functioning, and testing the hook for damage (cracks, weld marks, bent shanks, etc.). A statutory LOLER report with all defects, observations, and comments will also be provided in both hard copy and electronic form.
