With the development of the construction industry, people have been trying to come up with the most suitable tools to complete certain tasks. This is why today we have a tool for pretty much any type of work. Construction cranes are not an exception and a number of them have been developed to serve different purposes and help in different situations. We have two major groups, static cranes and mobile cranes and a variety within each group.
Rough Terrain Crane
A rough terrain crane is a type of mobile crane specially designed to operate on uneven surfaces and attached to the vehicle which can move across dirt and somewhat wild terrains. Vertical and horizontal outriggers stabilize the crane and make it safe for use. Both the vehicle and the crane operator as a single machine powered by a single engine.
Crawler Crane
This is another crane from the group of mobile cranes. It does not use outriggers but relies on tracks called crawlers to move across any type of surface and maintain the balance. Its boom can be both telescopic and lattice, depending on the purpose.
Truck-mounted crane
Just as its name explains, this is a type of crane which is mobile due to a vehicle it is connected to. Both, the crane and the undercarriage are powered by the same engine. It is particularly suitable for loading and unloading and some models can rotate the full 360 degrees. It is particularly handy since it can freely travel on the highway.
Flying Crane
A Flying Crane is, in fact, a helicopter. The greatest perk of this type of helicopter, or this type of crane, is that it can reach remote areas and quickly cross great distances. However, they are very inconveniently priced and used for special purposes only.
Floating Crane
Similarly to the above, this is a special type of crane used for special purposes. This is actually a ship with a crane. Their main purpose is bridge-building or any other type of construction work which takes place offshore. The type of “surface” They operate on is their major advantage. Unfortunately, they cannot be rotated which limits their functionality to an extent.
Railroad Crane
This type of crane is used for very specific purposes, all of which are railroad related. They are used for loading and unloading but also for construction of the railroads and their maintenance. It is attached to the rails and thus it is quite safe. However, this is also one of its major faults, it can only travel on the railroads.
Tower Cranes
We are slowly moving onto the static cranes. Tower cranes are everyone’s first thought upon hearing the word “crane”. They are the superlative of cranes and seem to only lack mobility. They are the tallest, the most stable, and have the largest capacity in the world of cranes. To add to their superiority, one of the world’s largest crane manufacturers, Raimondi cranes, came up with the revolutionary LR330 luffing jib crane and increased the maximum capacity of tower cranes, without jeopardizing safety.
Level Luffing Crane
What level luffing cranes are known for is that they have a hook which is always at the same level and the jib arm which moves away and toward the base. It is known to be very precise and safe for those around it.
Telescopic Cranes in Construction
As you would assume, telescopic cranes have adjustable height. The adjustment happens with the help of a hydraulic mechanism and a system of tubes fitted inside each other. They are used in construction, though they are also often used in ports for cargo loading and unloading.
As mentioned above, the purposes and the circumstances are varied and so are the types of cranes used in construction. Some use what they have available, while others use those cranes which are the best fit for the purpose they should serve. We are sure that as engineering moves forward, some of these cranes will become obsolete, while new ones will become a part of this list.
