What is a Gantry Crane?

What is a Gantry Crane?

A gantry crane is a tool used to lift objects. Typically these are used within manufacturing facilities, warehouses and automotive shops. The rigidity of these tools lend themselves to both light duty and heavy duty applications. Even though these cranes are designed to lift heavy objects, the tools themselves are lightweight. This means that they are mobile and portable enough for the most part and can be equipped with wheels to move objects around easily within the work area. Gantry cranes are selected in applications that don't have an overhead runway system. In other cases, a gantry crane can be put below an already existing overhead bridge crane system or when the building has no preexisting building support structures, such as support columns and runaway beams. Gantry Cranes are mainly used in outdoor settings, they allow for material to be moved in bulk and can be utilized to adapt and be versatile to move loads using its main beam. Different types of gantries are used for different applications, a portable or adjustable gantry crane will be used for smaller and more practical services that a full and semi gantry crane because of its flexibility in the warehouse or workshop.

Types of Gantry Cranes

Full-Gantry Crane

A full-gantry crane system is the most popular configuration on the market. A full gantry crane is designed with a rail system that holds and moves the two legs at ground level. Sometimes called double leg gantry cranes, these cranes allow for a complete flexibility of your application. Capacities up to 50,000 lbs. in either outdoor or indoor locations. Full gantries are ideal for really heavy loads such as boats, ships, engines, and other work areas using motorized equipment.

Semi-Gantry Crane

A semi-gantry crane is a type of crane that runs one side of the crane on an elevated runway. The other side of the crane is on ground level and is the best solution when you are not required to cover the whole width of the facility. Semi-Gantry cranes systems account for the loading of material using the structure as a leg to support the container. The ceiling or wall supported the span that site runs under. These light duty cranes are perfect for when you need to use another side of your warehouse.

Portable Gantry Cranes

Portable gantry crane systems are much lighter versions of a overhead crane compared to other gantry cranes and equipment. A portable gantry crane moves on rubber wheels, allowing the equipment to be rolled around the workplace. Portable gantry cranes are limited to less heavy machinery because they are mounted on swivel casters instead of the legs running permanent runway beams. The wheels or casters can be easily moved from location to location but have less capacities available. These models are setup and assembled with adjustable height models if casters and versatility are not enough. When a portable gantry is not being used, it can easily be stored in the facility to create more floor-space for your employees. Portable gantry cranes are easy to stored from the disassembly of adjustable height gantries which lower the beam and whatever materials are mounted over the span. Some portable gantries are used in HVAC and widely used in machinery moving and installation industries.

Portable Gantry cranes are sometimes called a-frame hoists, rolling cranes, or gantries because of the "A" components of their legs, making a triangle.

Adjustable Gantry Cranes

Adjustable gantry cranes are designed with highly adjustable heights and spans. This flexibility allows the end user to easily transport an adjustable gantry crane throughout the facility or change heights on the crane when necessary. These gantry cranes are useful when moving objects that have different weights and sizes. The height, base width, and beam length can be adjusted to fit the requirements on the load. The product will be able to have adjustable height, span, tread, and caster frame spread for usage.

 

Options and Components

Fixed Height

A fixed height gantries stay at a particular height. The range for a gantry crane begins as low as just under 6' and goes about as high as 20'. As a business, you need to make the decision whether or not the requirement from your gantry is to move from day to day. Fixed height gantries can be in the form of walls or the ceiling of the building, which attaches a movable hoist fixed along rails or beams.

Adjustable Height

An adjustable height gantries allow you to adjust how high or low the crane can go. This is ideal for applications that change on a daily or weekly basis. Motors

Steel Gantry Crane

Typically the steel gantry is going to be used in those heavy duty applications. Lean towards the purchase of a gantry crane that is going to be able to withstand the heavy lifts and abuse. Keep in mind that it's going to weigh a lot more than the aluminum. If the crane is going to remain in one place or move very seldom then the weight of the crane is not a factor.

Aluminum Gantry Crane

The aluminum gantry is going to be the choice of those where mobility is a top requirement. Moving a gantry or any tool for that matter is going to take effort. With that said, if the requirement of the gantry is to be moved while the load is hoisted in the air, then being as light as possible is preferred. Generally, the load is going to be rather heavy. If the gantry is required to lift a load and then be relocated to another spot within the work area. You are going to want the lightest gantry possible.

Capacity Range

The load capacity of a gantry crane can vary depending upon the needs of the application. At the minimum, the capacity is going to be 250 pounds with the max capacity around 10 tons. It all goes back to the requirement of the job. However, when selecting a capacity you need to consider whether the requirements of the job are going to change. Therefore, you might want to go with a higher capacity gantry crane to ensure it can be utilized in the future if needs change.

One and Two ton gantry cranes

These gantry cranes should be used in small garages, workshops, and warehouses where light lifting is required. Most one and two ton gantry cranes are only single girder and include portable options.

Five ton gantry cranes

These gantry crane capacities should be used in light duty applications for cargo yards, freight, ports, medium sized workshops and warehouses.

Ten to fifteen ton gantry cranes

Medium to large lifting applications where the building will not support overhead cranes, come in both single and double girder designs and are capable of configurations depending on the use of the crane.

Choosing the right Gantry Crane

Selecting the right gantry crane is going to come down to the application. The questions you need to ask yourself when buying a gantry are:

Capacity

What is the heaviest load that this gantry crane will be required to lift?

Span

What is the size of the work area that this crane needs to cover?

Height

How high will the load need to be raised in order to clear any obstructions within the work area?

Lift Frequency

Is this gantry crane going to be used every day?

Stationary or Mobile

Will this be placed in a permanent spot within your facility?

Will you need to load to be moved from one area to another while the load is lifted?

Service

Will the time periods between lifts be long or short?

Will the gantry crane be lifting frequently per use cycle?

Gantry cranes are classified depending on their severity of service and weight of the load. A, B, C, D, E and F class depending on the usage and the rate of speed of application. A Standby is slow in speed and has long periods of inactivity between lifts. A class B light service has occasional lifts of two to five average lifts per hour and has an average lift height of ten feet.

Manufacturers of Gantry Cranes

Manufacturers of Gantry Crane Hoist

Gantries on there own are not able to lift an object. You'll need an electric hoist or manual hoist in order to lift the load, using the gantry crane as a lifting point, shop our equipment for different lifting options. Here is a list of popular hoists to use.

Electric Chain Hoist

For heavy loads on a gantry system, high operation and production times should operate an electric hoist. Workers should incorporate running a electric hoist when in assembly lines or lifting materials repeatedly.

Lever Hoist

Hand Chain Hoist

Industries That Use Gantry Cranes:

  • Steel
  • Power Plants
  • Manufacturing
  • Scrap Yards
  • Ship Builders
  • Ship Yards
  • Cement & Precast
  • Rail Yards
  • Fabrication Plants
  • Service Centers

 

Back to blog