Industrial cranes · General coverage systems

Map travel.
Set support.

Choose the crane from the working envelope and support path. Then define the load, duty, environment, controls and delivery boundary inside that format.

Multiple overhead cranes spanning an industrial production bay
General industrial coverage starts with geometryBay · Yard · Work cell · Radial zone
  1. 01
    Coverage
  2. 02
    Support
  3. 03
    Load & lift
  4. 04
    Duty & environment
  5. 05
    Control & delivery

01 · Choose the crane format

Four coverage formats.
Four different support paths.

Choose by working geometry and reaction path before comparing capacity. Process cranes and port, marine or infrastructure equipment are separate product groups because their operating requirements and system interfaces differ.

Two single-girder overhead cranes supported by elevated runways

01

Overhead & Bridge Cranes

Use elevated runways to provide rectangular bay coverage while keeping the working floor open.

  • Single-girder, double-girder and under-running formats
  • Top-running or suspended runway relationships
  • Full-bay production and storage coverage
Explore overhead cranes
Single-girder gantry cranes travelling on visible ground rails

02

Gantry & Portable Cranes

Carry the bridge through legs to ground level when the site cannot or should not support elevated runways.

  • Full, semi-gantry and rail-mounted arrangements
  • Outdoor yards and unsupported indoor bays
  • Portable formats for bounded or temporary work zones
Explore gantry cranes
Modular workstation crane tracks, bridge, hoist and roof suspension points

03

Workstation & Monorail Systems

Bring repeated lifting into a defined cell or route the load along a controlled linear path.

  • Freestanding or ceiling-supported workstation systems
  • Local rectangular coverage for repeated handling
  • Straight, curved or switched monorail paths
Define the local route
Freestanding pillar-mounted jib crane with mast, rotating boom, trolley and hoist

04

Jib Cranes

Serve one machine or work position through a controlled radial envelope and known mounting path.

  • Freestanding, wall-mounted and column-mounted formats
  • Outreach, rotation limits and hook approach
  • Dedicated machine, assembly or maintenance positions
Define the radial route

02 · Compare general formats

Compare only
what changes the route.

This table compares four general industrial formats. Capacity, duty, lifting mechanism, controls and protection are configured after the coverage and support relationship is credible.

General-format comparisonCoverage and support decide the first formatSwipe to compare all four format groups
DecisionOverhead / bridgeGantry / portableWorkstation / monorailJib
CoverageRectangular bayPortal route, yard or portable zoneLocal cell or defined pathRadial workstation
Support pathElevated top- or under-running runwayLegs to rail, floor or wheelsCeiling, beam or freestanding frameColumn, wall or freestanding mast
Floor relationshipWorking floor stays openGround route or portable footprint stays clearPosts may frame the cellMast and swing occupy a zone
Typical fitFull-bay productionYard, unsupported bay or temporary taskRepeated line-side or routed handlingOne machine or service point
Next evidenceBuilding sectionYard, floor or route layoutWork-cell and support planMachine and swing layout

03 · Define the connected system

Three evidence groups.
One connected crane system.

These inputs accumulate; no single stage selects another product. The format cards own navigation, while this sequence shows what must be resolved around the selected crane.

  1. Industrial crane runway and building columns showing the retained structural interface
    01 · Coverage & supportConnect the working envelope to a credible support path.
    01Coverage & support

    Where must the load travel—and where can the reactions go?

    Pick, travel and release points define the useful envelope. Building runways, dedicated steelwork, ground rails, frames, columns and foundations then decide which crane formats remain credible.

    • Envelope
    • Approach
    • Runway
    • Foundation
  2. Industrial lifting equipment serving a controlled food-production environment
    02 · Load, duty & environmentConfigure the chosen format around the real operating demand.
    02Load, duty & environment

    What changes during the lift and operating cycle?

    Load geometry, centre of gravity, engagement, lift, starts, speeds, utilisation and exposure determine the mechanism, duty and protection requirements inside the selected crane format.

    • Load state
    • Duty
    • Exposure
    • Protection
  3. Technician verifying an installed crane system during commissioning
    03 · Control, delivery & acceptanceMake interfaces and responsibilities visible before procurement.
    03Control, delivery & acceptance

    How will the crane be controlled, installed and accepted?

    Power, controls, access, logistics, installation, commissioning, documentation and acceptance roles form one delivery boundary around the selected equipment and retained site.

    • Control
    • Access
    • Installation
    • Acceptance

04 · Decision FAQ

Questions that change
the crane format.

These answers stop at the general-format decision. Detailed configuration, performance and delivery questions continue inside the selected product page and project brief.

01Should I choose an industrial crane by capacity first?

Capacity is necessary, but it does not define the coverage pattern, support path or hook approaches. Choose the credible crane format first, then size its lifting mechanism, duty, controls and supporting interfaces.

02When does an overhead crane make more sense than a gantry crane?

An overhead crane is the stronger route when elevated runways can provide the required bay coverage while keeping the floor open. A gantry becomes relevant when reactions need to travel through legs to ground level, the site lacks a suitable runway or the work is outdoors.

03How do top-running and under-running overhead cranes differ?

A top-running bridge travels on rails above the runway beams; an under-running bridge is suspended from the lower flange of its runway. The building section, available headroom, spans, reactions and hook approaches decide whether either arrangement is credible.

04How do I separate workstation, monorail and jib coverage?

Use workstation tracks for repeated handling across a local rectangular cell, a monorail for a defined linear or routed path, and a jib when one radial envelope around a machine or service point connects the required positions.

05What if the existing building cannot carry an overhead-crane runway?

That changes the format rather than ending the project. A dedicated freestanding runway, gantry arrangement or smaller local system may remain credible after the floor, foundation, access and working-area evidence is reviewed.

05 · Start the project

Send the area.
Not a finished specification.

For a new facility, a layout and intended route are enough to begin. For an existing site or replacement, add the photos, nameplates and drawings you have. The first review identifies credible crane formats, missing site evidence and the next useful equipment decision.

Map your crane requirement
  1. Area / routePick, travel and release points across the working envelope
  2. Load / liftWeight, geometry, attachment and lifting condition
  3. Support / civil evidenceBuilding, runway, floor, rail or foundation information
  4. Duty / environmentCycles, utilisation, exposure and protection requirements
  5. Control / delivery boundaryPower, controls, access, installation and acceptance scope
  6. New / replacement / retrofitExisting equipment, retained interfaces and intended change