How to Choose an Overhead Crane for Your Workshop? (Complete Buyer’s Guide)
Overhead cranes are the workhorses of the workshop, whether it's moving raw materials, assembling machine tools or transferring finished products. Choose a suitable workshop overhead crane, can save a lot of things; but if you choose the wrong, trouble will ensue.
I do in Henan Mine Crane workshop crane sales and technical support for almost ten years, I have seen too many customers stepping on the pit: some cheap to buy the load is not enough equipment, just use half a year on the failure; some did not calculate the workshop span, half of the area after the installation of cranes can not be hoisted; there are also ignored the working environment, in the high temperature workshop with ordinary cranes, less than a year on the aging of the components.
Today combined with my years of front-line experience, step by step to teach you to choose the right workshop overhead crane. whether you are a small processing plant, standard manufacturing plant, or heavy industrial plant, read this can find the right model for you.
Define Your Lifting Needs
1. Load capacity
When choosing a crane, the first step is to calculate your maximum lifting weight, which is called rated lifting capacity (SWL) in the industry. This step can not be estimated to come, the difference may be a problem.
1-5 tons of cranes, suitable for light workshops, such as small hardware factories, electronic processing plants, usually mainly hanging some small parts, tools or light raw materials, enough and economical.
5-20 tons is the most commonly used range, most standard manufacturing workshop, such as machining, automotive parts production, with this tonnage crane is enough, both lifting machine tool parts, but also the transfer of semi-finished products, the most adaptable.
Above 20 tons belongs to heavy duty cranes, specifically for heavy industrial workshops, such as metallurgical plants, large machinery manufacturing plants, used to hoist heavy machine tools, large castings and forgings, the structure and stability of the equipment requires more.
Here is a practical advice: no matter how much you calculate the maximum load, leave 10-20% more safety margin.
2. Span and coverage
Crane span, to put it simply is the width of your workshop, it directly determines the crane can cover the operating area. The common range of workshop span is from 5 meters to more than 30 meters, and the span demand is different for different sizes of workshops.
Small workshop span is generally 5-10 meters, choose the corresponding span of the crane on the line; medium-sized workshop span of 10-20 meters, according to the actual width of the workshop needs to be accurately matched; large and heavy workshop, the span can reach 20-30 meters or even larger, you have to choose a large span of special cranes.
Choose a small span, there will be operational blind spots, such as the workshop on both sides of the material can not be lifted, only frequent movement of materials, both time-consuming and labor intensive; choose a large span, the cost of equipment will increase, and the stability of the operation will be reduced, but also a waste of space in the workshop.
3. Lifting height
Lifting height is easy to be ignored, but it directly affects whether the operation can be carried out normally. It depends on two factors: the ceiling height of the workshop, and the equipment clearance required for the operation.
If your workshop needs to lift large machine tools, tall semi-finished products, the lifting height must be enough to set aside the maximum height of the material plus the height of the spreader, but also to leave at least 500mm of safety clearance, to avoid collision with the ceiling or other equipment when lifting.
For example, in the machinery assembly workshop, it is often necessary to lift tall machine parts, the lifting height should be at least 8 meters or more; if it is only lifting small parts, the lifting height of 5-8 meters is enough.
Another point to note, if there are beams and pipes on the ceiling of the workshop, the height of these obstacles should also be deducted to ensure that the crane's hook can be lifted and lowered properly without being interfered with.
4. Load Characteristics
Different workshop lifting loads, shape, weight distribution are different, which will directly affect the configuration of the crane, can not be generalized.
Some loads are irregular, such as large castings, shaped parts, the center of gravity is not stable, which requires the crane to have a more accurate positioning ability, but also with a special spreader, to prevent shaking when lifting; some loads are very long, such as steel, pipe, the need for cranes to crane more reasonably designed lifting point, to avoid tilting of the load.
There are also more fragile loads, such as precision instruments, fragile parts, lifting needs to be smooth, can not have violent shaking, which requires cranes equipped with frequency conversion speed control system, to achieve smooth start and stop.
Evaluate your workshop structure
Workshop building structure
The building structure of the workshop directly determines which kind of crane can be installed. At present, the workshop on the market is mainly divided into two kinds of steel structure and concrete structure, and the adaptability of the two varies greatly.
The roof of a steel structure workshop has a stronger load-bearing capacity, which is suitable for the installation of overhead cranes running on top without additional reinforcement of the roof, and it is easier to install and simple to maintain in the later stage. Most of the new standard workshops, which are of steel structure, have the best suitability.
Concrete structure workshop roof load-bearing is relatively weak, before installing the crane, you must first account for the load-bearing capacity of the roof to see if it can support the weight of the crane track beam. If the load bearing is not enough, you can not install the top running crane, you have to choose the self-supporting crane system.
Self-supporting crane with its own support structure, do not have to rely on the roof of the workshop, directly fixed to the ground, will not damage the original building structure, is the first choice for concrete workshop, old workshop. Our Henan Mine Crane's self-supporting workshop cranes are fully bolted, with a short installation cycle, no welding, and do not affect the normal production of the workshop.
Space and clearance limitations
In addition to the building structure, the space and clearance of the workshop is also very important, which directly affects the design and installation of the crane. Many customers just ignore this point, resulting in the crane can not be used normally after installation.
First of all, we should consider the ceiling height of the workshop, which directly determines the lifting height of the crane; secondly, the column spacing, the column is too dense will affect the crane's span selection, you need to adjust the track layout to avoid interference with the column; there are also obstacles in the workshop such as pipelines, lighting equipment, ventilation systems and other obstacles, but also to reserve a safe clearance for the operation of the crane.
Generally speaking, between the crane and the workshop columns, pipes, ceilings, at least 500mm safety gap should be reserved to prevent collision during operation. If the workshop space is relatively small, we can recommend smaller, lightweight cranes to maximize the use of workshop space.
New Workshop vs Existing Workshop
New workshop and existing machine shop, the selection of ideas are completely different, this point must be clear.
The advantage of the new workshop is that it can be planned in advance, we can cooperate with construction engineers, the crane track, support structure into the workshop design, to avoid the trouble of later remodeling. And the new workshop has no existing structural constraints, according to the lifting needs, free to choose the type of crane and configuration, but also optimize the use of space, reduce installation costs.
The same is not true for the existing machine shop, which needs to be adapted to the existing building structure and cannot damage the original facilities. In this case, the suspended (under running) crane is a good choice, it is installed under the roof, without taking up additional ground space, and the lower requirements for the roof load-bearing, the installation cycle is short, without having to stop work to transform, many of the existing locomotive room upgrades will choose this model.
Henan Mine Crane has a wealth of experience in the transformation of the existing locomotive room, we will first conduct a comprehensive survey of the workshop structure, and then according to the actual situation, recommend the most appropriate type of crane, to ensure that the installation does not affect the normal production of the workshop.
Choose the right type of crane
1. Single girder overhead crane
Single girder overhead crane is the most common model in the workshop, with high cost performance, suitable for light to medium load scenarios with load ≤ 20 tons, and the first choice for most workshops.
It has simple structure, light weight, low load-bearing requirements on the roof of the workshop, short installation period, usually 3-7 days to install and commissioning is completed, and the maintenance is also convenient, no need to specialize in maintenance personnel.
Small processing plants, electronic factories, small mechanical workshop, choose single girder overhead crane is enough, both to meet the lifting needs, but also to control costs. Our Henan Mine Crane single girder workshop cranes are made of Q345B high-strength steel, which has a more stable structure, and can be customized according to the size of the workshop in terms of span and lifting height, which is suitable for different scenarios.
In addition, single girder cranes run with low noise, which will not affect the production environment of the workshop, and is suitable for workshops with noise requirements, such as electronic workshops and precision machining workshops.
2. Double Girder Overhead Crane
Double girder overhead crane, mainly used for heavy load, continuous operation of the workshop, such as metallurgical plants, large-scale machinery manufacturing plants, heavy parts processing plants, the load is usually more than 20 tons.
Its advantages are higher lifting height, better stability, ability to withstand large load operation for a long time, and higher positioning accuracy, suitable for lifting heavy machine tools, large castings and forgings, heavy semi-finished products and so on. The design of double girder structure can also reserve more working space to avoid interference with workshop equipment.
Although the initial cost of double girder cranes is higher than that of single girder, the stability and durability of the later stage is more guaranteed for workshops that require long-term continuous operation. For example, in metallurgical workshops, where high-temperature steel needs to be lifted continuously every day, the high-temperature-resistant performance and load-bearing capacity of double girder cranes can effectively minimize failures and reduce downtime costs.
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3. Top running vs suspended
Whether it is a single girder or double girder crane, there are two types of operation: top running (top running) and suspended (under running), both of which have different adaptability scenarios, so choose according to need.
Top running crane is the most common way of operation, the track is installed on the top of the roof of the workshop, higher carrying capacity, stable operation, easy maintenance, and can realize the whole workshop coverage, suitable for new large-scale workshop, heavy-duty scenarios. Most heavy industrial workshops, will choose the top running crane.
Suspension cranes, rail mounted below the roof of the workshop, also known as underslung cranes, suitable for low headroom workshop, or existing locomotive room remodeling. It does not take up ground space, and the roof load-bearing requirements are lower, the installation is more flexible, without destroying the original structure.
Simply put, for new large workshops and heavy load demand, choose top running; for existing locomotive rooms and low headroom scenarios, choose suspended.
Determine the working level
Classification of working level (ISO / FEM / CMAA)
Many customers choose cranes, only look at the load and span, ignoring the working level, which is one of the easiest potholes to step on. The working level determines the durability and service life of the crane, and if you don't choose the right one, the equipment will be easily damaged in advance.
Workshop crane working level, mainly follow the ISO, FEM, CMAA three international standards, from light to heavy is divided into different levels. Different standards have different grade correspondences, such as FEM's 1Bm corresponds to CMAA's Class A, FEM's 2m corresponds to CMAA's Class C. Our Henan Mine Crane engineers will help you accurately match to ensure that the equipment meets your frequency of use needs.
For light load use, such as small workshop, which is used for less than 1 hour per day and lifting materials occasionally, class A3/M3 is enough; for medium frequency use, such as standard manufacturing workshop, which operates for 3-6 hours per day, class A4-A5 is chosen; for heavy workshop with continuous operation, which operates for more than 8 hours per day, you need to choose class A6-A8.
The working level is mainly determined by the load spectrum and the average daily operating equivalent time, for example, a workshop crane load spectrum for the intermediate level, the average daily operating equivalent time of 1.6 hours, corresponding to the working level of the ISO M5 class, equivalent to the FEM 2m class, we will recommend the appropriate models and configurations based on this data.
Frequency of use and model recommendation
Frequency of use directly determines the working level and model selection, do not blindly pursue a high level, nor can you choose too low a level of equipment, otherwise it will affect the service life.
Occasional use, such as a few times a month, choose a single girder overhead crane, working class A3-A4, low cost, but also to meet the demand; daily use, such as daily production of material transfer, choose a medium working class (A4-A5) single girder or double girder crane, taking into account the cost and durability.
Continuous use, such as assembly line type production workshop, continuous operation for more than 8 hours a day, you must choose heavy duty double girder cranes, working class A6-A8. In this scenario, the stability and durability of the equipment is more important than the cost, which can effectively reduce failures and avoid downtime affecting production.
Henan Mine Crane will accurately match the working level according to the usage frequency of your workshop, which will not waste the investment but also ensure the long-term stable operation of the equipment.
Selection of Key Components and Configurations
Hoist selection
Hoist is the core component of the crane, equivalent to the “heart” of the crane, which directly affects the stability and safety of lifting, the workshop scene mainly choose two kinds of hoists: wire rope hoists and chain hoists.
Wire rope hoist is suitable for heavy-duty scenarios, such as lifting heavy machine tools, large parts, strong carrying capacity, high lifting height, and smooth operation, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, suitable for long-term use. Our Henan Mine Crane workshop cranes are equipped with high quality wire rope hoists by default, which can be adapted to the working conditions of different workshops.
Chain hoist is suitable for light load scenarios, such as small workshops, auxiliary lifting, simple structure, easy to operate, and lower cost, and small size, does not take up too much space, suitable for small space workshop.
In addition, the quality of the hoist is very important, poor quality hoists are prone to broken rope, rope jamming and other faults, there are security risks. Our Henan Mine Crane hoist, after strict quality testing, long service life, and sufficient spare parts, the later replacement is convenient.
Control system
Workshop crane control system, there are mainly three kinds, each with adaptable scenes, do not blindly pursue complex, suitable for their own is the best.
Push-button control (pendant control) is the most basic, low-cost, simple operation, suitable for small workshops, simple lifting operations, such as small hardware factories, usually only lifting small parts and components, with the button control is enough. But its control line length is limited, the operator's moving range is restricted, not suitable for complex lifting scenes.
Remote control is the recommended choice for workshops, and it is also the most mainstream control method at present. The operator can take the remote control, observe the load and the surrounding environment in the best position, move flexibly, and also support multi-person collaboration, and there are multiple safety protections to avoid misuse.
Henan Mine Crane's workshop cranes, most of them are equipped with remote control, operating distance is far, signal is stable, and there is an anti-touch design, even if accidentally pressed the wrong button, it will not start the equipment, so the safety is higher.
Cabin control (cabin control) is seldom used in the workshop scene, only super-large heavy-duty workshops, which require long-term continuous operation, need to be equipped. It has high cost, complicated installation, and limited vision, not as flexible as remote control, generally not recommended for workshop use.
Speed control system
The speed control system directly affects the lifting precision, and different workshop scenes have different requirements for speed control.
Single-speed speed control is low cost, simple operation, suitable for simple lifting operations, such as handling raw materials, finished products, not high precision requirements, single-speed speed control is enough. However, it is not smooth enough to start and stop, easy to cause load shaking, not suitable for lifting fragile, precision parts.
Variable-frequency speed control (VFD) is the first choice for workshops, especially for scenarios that require lifting precision, such as precision machining workshops and mechanical assembly workshops. It can realize smooth start and stop to avoid load shaking, and it can control the speed finely to realize millimeter-level positioning, which is essential for lifting precision parts, machine tool assembly and other operations.
Although the cost of frequency conversion speed control is 15-20% higher than single speed, it can effectively protect materials and equipment, reduce safety hazards, and is more cost-effective for long-term use. Henan Mine Crane's workshop cranes can be equipped with variable frequency speed control system according to customer's needs to meet the precision requirements of different scenarios.
Safety and Compliance Standards
Necessary safety devices
Workshop operation, safety first. Crane safety devices are indispensable, which are directly related to the safety of operators and equipment, and can also avoid the loss of downtime due to failure.
Overload protection is necessary to prevent the crane from carrying more than the rated load, to avoid equipment damage and safety accidents; limit switches, including lifting height limit and running stroke limit, can prevent the crane from exceeding the operating range, collision to the workshop equipment or walls.
Emergency stop button is also very critical, in any position can quickly stop the equipment, to deal with unexpected situations, such as load shaking, equipment failure, can be stopped in a timely manner; Anti-collision system, can detect the distance between the crane or with the obstacles, automatic deceleration or stop, to avoid collision.
Henan Mine Crane's workshop cranes, all safety devices comply with international standards, and will be regularly tested to ensure the safety of equipment operation. In addition, we will also add additional safety protection devices according to customer needs, such as windproof device, rainproof device, adapted to different workshop environments.
International Standard Requirements
No matter which country you are in, no matter which type of workshop you have, cranes must meet the corresponding international standards, and compliance is a prerequisite. Workshop cranes mainly follow the ISO, FEM, CMAA three major international standards, of which ISO is the global standard, FEM is the European standard, CMAA is the U.S. standard.
If your workshop is located in the European region, you need to comply with the FEM standard; located in the U.S. region, you need to comply with the CMAA standard; if it is a multinational operation of the enterprise, it is recommended to choose the equipment that meets the globally applicable ISO standard, to avoid compliance problems.
Henan Mine Crane's workshop cranes, all products have passed ISO, CE, SGS certification, comply with international standards such as FEM, CMAA, etc. They are exported to many countries and regions, including Russia, Pakistan, Congo, etc., which can meet the compliance requirements of different regions around the world, so you don't have to worry about compliance issues.
Environmental Considerations
Special Environment Adaptation
Different workshop environments have different requirements for cranes, especially for special environments, which must be targeted selection, otherwise the equipment will be easily damaged, affecting the service life, but also increase maintenance costs.
High-temperature environments, such as metallurgical workshop, foundry, high temperature, high loss of crane parts, need to use metallurgical special cranes, equipped with high-temperature resistant parts, good heat insulation to avoid motor, hoist damage due to high temperature. Our Henan Mine Crane metallurgical workshop cranes can work stably under the environment of -40℃ to 80℃, which is suitable for extreme high temperature or high cold scenes.
Workshops with explosion risk, such as chemical workshop and paint workshop, need to use explosion-proof cranes, the electrical system adopts explosion-proof design to avoid sparks triggering explosions, and all the components should comply with explosion-proof standards to ensure the safety of operation.
Dusty, high humidity environment, such as mining workshops, workshops in coastal areas, you need to seal the crane motor, electrical cabinet, good dust, moisture, corrosion measures. We Henan Mine Crane will use triple anti-corrosion process, effectively extend the life of the equipment to adapt to the high dust, high humidity environment.
Environmental impact on cost
Special environment will increase the design and manufacturing costs of cranes, such as explosion-proof cranes cost about 30% more than ordinary cranes, high temperature, anti-corrosion treatment will also increase the cost, but this part of the investment is necessary.
If the environmental factors are ignored and ordinary cranes are chosen, the maintenance frequency of the equipment will be greatly increased in special environments, the service life will be shortened, and the maintenance cost and downtime cost in the later period will be much higher than the initial investment. For example, the workshop in coastal areas, do not do anti-corrosion treatment, the crane may be 3-5 years on the rust and corrosion, and do a good job of anti-corrosion treatment, can be used for more than 10 years.
Henan Mine Crane will recommend the right model and treatment program according to your workshop environment, and try to control the cost while ensuring the adaptability of the equipment, so that you can get a higher cost-effective.
Life cycle cost (not just initial price)
Cost Composition (CAPEX + OPEX)
Many customers choose cranes and only look at the initial purchase price, which is the most common misconception. The total cost of the crane, including the initial investment (CAPEX) and operating costs (OPEX) two parts, can not just focus on the initial price, to calculate the long-term account.
Initial investment includes the price of the equipment itself, transportation costs, installation and commissioning fees, which is the most intuitive part; operating costs including routine maintenance fees, energy consumption, spare parts replacement, labor costs, etc. This part of the cost is easy to be ignored, but in the long run, the proportion is not low.
Why cheap is not necessarily good
Workshop downtime costs are very high, especially the production-oriented workshop, a piece of equipment stopped for a day, the loss may be up to tens of thousands of dollars. The poor quality crane, although the initial price is cheap, but the quality is not reliable, easy to frequent failures, resulting in downtime, this part of the loss is much higher than the difference in the price of the crane.
Our Henan Mine Crane, although the initial investment is a little higher than the small manufacturers, but the quality of the equipment is reliable, the use of high-quality components, low maintenance frequency, spare parts global supply, can be quickly replaced to reduce downtime. And our equipment has lower energy consumption, long-term use, energy costs can also save a lot.
For example, a mechanical processing customers, before the selection of a cheap single girder crane, annual maintenance fee of more than 20,000, but also frequent downtime; later replaced with our Henan Mine Crane equipment, annual maintenance fee of less than 10,000, and almost no downtime, two years to recover the difference in price.
Therefore, the selection of cranes, do not just look at the initial price, to comprehensively consider the full life cycle costs, choose cost-effective, reliable quality equipment, is the most cost-effective.
Common mistakes to avoid when selecting cranes
Combined with these years of experience, I summarized a few customers are most likely to step on the pit, we must avoid when selecting the type, you can take a lot less detours.
Only look at the price, ignoring the quality and after-sales. Many customers figure cheap, buy the equipment of small manufacturers, later failure, can not find after-sales, can only spend their own money to repair, and downtime losses. We Henan Mine Crane has a global after-sales team, no matter which country you are in, we can provide timely maintenance services.
Neglecting the working level, light-loaded workshop chooses low-level equipment, or heavy-loaded workshop chooses high-level equipment, which will either be damaged in advance or waste the investment. The working level must be selected in combination with the frequency of use, and accurate matching is the best.
Blind selection without checking the structure of the workshop leads to the crane can not be installed, or need to dismantle the building, increasing costs. Before installation, you must first survey the workshop structure, check the load bearing, and then select the model.
Underestimation of the lifting height, resulting in the crane and the workshop ceiling, equipment interference, can not work properly; do not take into account the future expansion, such as the later increase in lifting load, expanding the size of the workshop, the equipment can not be adapted to the workshop, can only be replaced.
Quick Selection Checklist
Finally, we will organize a simple checklist for you to check against when selecting, so that you can quickly clarify the requirements, avoid missing key parameters and save selection time:
✔ What is the maximum lifting load? (including spreader weight)
✔ What is the span and lifting height of the workshop? (accurate to centimeters)
✔ Is the lifting of raw materials, semi-finished products, or heavy equipment?
✔ How long is the crane used per day? (Frequency of use)
✔ Do you need high-precision positioning? (e.g. precision parts lifting, machine tool assembly)
✔ Is it a new workshop or a remodeling of an existing machine shop?
✔ Is there any special environment in the workshop? (high temperature, explosion-proof, dust, high humidity, etc.)
✔ What is the budget range? (including initial investment and long-term maintenance costs)
FAQ
What is the best crane for a workshop?
There is no absolute best, only the most suitable. Light load, small workshop, choose single girder overhead crane, cost-effective, easy to operate; heavy load, continuous operation of the workshop, choose double girder overhead crane, good stability, strong carrying capacity; existing locomotive room, low headroom scenario, choose the suspension crane, installation flexibility, without destroying the original structure.
What is the approximate price of workshop overhead cranes?
There is no fixed standard for the price, which mainly depends on the load, span, lifting height, configuration and environmental requirements. You can tell us the workshop parameters and requirements, we give you an accurate quotation.
Can a crane be installed in an existing locomotive workshop?
Yes, you can. As long as a load-bearing assessment of the workshop structure is done first to confirm that the roof or floor can withstand the load of the crane, it can be installed. Most of the existing locomotive room remodeling, we will recommend suspension cranes or self-supporting cranes, do not have to destroy the original structure, the installation cycle is short, does not affect the normal production of the workshop. We Henan Mine Crane have rich experience in existing locomotive room remodeling, can provide one-stop survey, design, installation services.
How long can the workshop crane be used?
Under normal maintenance, single girder cranes can be used for 10-15 years, and double girder cranes can be used for more than 15-20 years. The key is to choose the right type and daily maintenance in place, we Henan Mine Crane will provide regular maintenance guidance, but also provide global spare parts supply to extend the service life of the equipment. For example, our cranes exported to Russia can still operate stably under the extreme cold environment of -40℃, and their service life can be more than 20 years.
Henan Mine Crane Factory Custom
Choosing an overhead crane is not just buying a piece of equipment, but also buying long-term peace of mind, efficiency and safety. It is not simply “the bigger the better” “the cheaper the better”, but to combine your lifting needs, workshop structure, frequency of use and environment, accurate matching.
Henan Mine Crane has been in the crane field for decades, focusing on the research, development, production and sales of overhead cranes for workshop use. All of our products comply with international standards such as ISO, FEM, CMAA, etc., and support customized design, so that they can be adapted to the needs of different regions and types of workshops around the world.
Regardless of which country you are in the world, whether it is a new workshop or the renovation of an existing machine shop, whether you need a 1-ton light crane or a 500-ton heavy crane, we can provide free on-site survey, selection consultation, layout design, as well as global installation and commissioning and after-sales guarantee.
Send your workshop drawings and needs, we will provide you with free technical solutions and quotations within 24 hours, to help you avoid selection mistakes, choose the most suitable workshop overhead crane, help your production work efficiently and safely.
