What are the different types of gantry cranes?

What is a gantry crane?

Gantry crane is a gantry structure by the main beam and legs constitute the ground lifting equipment, for heavy lifting and moving, widely used in industrial production and logistics handling.

Many people will confuse the gantry crane and bridge crane, the core difference between the two is very clear: the bridge crane depends on the plant load-bearing structure installation, while the gantry crane with legs to the ground, without relying on the top of the plant, more flexible.

This unique structure allows the gantry crane to adapt to a variety of scenarios, outdoor venues, port logistics, precast concrete plant, steel manufacturing plant, etc., are indispensable to ensure smooth operation.

It can be adapted to the lifting needs of different scenes, whether it is prefabricated components handling, steel, large workpiece lifting, can be a flexible response.

Different scenes of operational needs vary greatly, so the gantry crane is not a single model, but a variety of types, each type is designed for specific scenes.

Henan Mine’s MG double girder gantry crane

 the classification of gantry crane

Make sense of the type of gantry crane, first clear its classification logic. The industry is usually divided from four core dimensions, clear and easy to understand, easy to quickly match their needs.

The four core dimensions are: structural design (the number and form of the main beam, determining load-bearing and stability), mobility (walking mode, affecting the flexibility of the operation), span and load (the core parameters, matching the load demand), the application environment (adaptable to indoor, outdoor or extreme scenes).

The following combination of these dimensions, a detailed description of the various types of gantry crane features, applicable scenes and advantages, to facilitate a comprehensive understanding.

single girder gantry crane

Core features

Single girder gantry crane only has a main beam, both ends supported by the legs, simple structure. Lifting mechanism is mostly electric hoist, installed below the main beam, flexible operation.

Because of its simple structure, light weight, manufacturing process is not complex, the cost is more advantageous, suitable for users with limited budget.

Typical parameters

Single girder gantry crane load usually 1-20 tons, can cover most of the small and medium-sized lifting needs; maximum span of about 30 meters, suitable for small workshops, warehouses and other sites.

The operating class is mostly A3-A5 (light to medium), suitable for infrequent, light to medium load scenarios, such as daily loading and unloading, small equipment maintenance.

Optimal Application Scenarios

Small workshops (e.g. hardware factories, small machinery factories) are the core application scenarios, where raw materials and small workpieces can be lifted to save space and meet the basic lifting requirements.

Small and medium-sized warehouses, it can be used with shelves to complete the transfer of goods, without the need to invest heavily in building complex lifting systems, cost-effective.

It is also commonly used in automobile workshops, small repair stations and other places to lift heavy parts, flexible operation, and can improve the maintenance efficiency.

Advantage

Cost control is its most prominent advantage, procurement, installation and maintenance costs are lower than large gantry cranes, very suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

It is easy to install, without complex foundation treatment, can be commissioned in a few days; wheel pressure is low, the existing site can be adapted without remodeling.

Single-girder gantry crane manufactured by Henan Mine

double girder gantry crane

Core features

Double girder gantry crane adopts two parallel main beam structure, strong rigidity, good stability. Lifting trolley running on the top of the main girder, can raise the lifting height and carry more load.

Compared with the single girder gantry crane, its structure is more complex, greater weight, manufacturing process requirements, designed for heavy-duty, high-intensity operations.

Typical parameters

Double girder gantry crane load far more than single girder, usually 20-1000 + tons (customized models can be higher), suitable for heavy cargo lifting; the maximum span of 50 meters or more, can meet the needs of large outdoor venues and workshops.

The operating class is A5-A8 (intermediate and advanced), which can be adapted to frequent and continuous heavy-duty operations, such as 24-hour non-stop lifting of steel in steel mills and other scenarios.

The best application scenario

Steel mills are the core application scenarios. Steel ladle transfer, billet lifting, finished product handling, etc., all require its heavy-duty capacity and stability to ensure safe and efficient operations.

Shipbuilding plant on the lifting requirements are extremely high, double girder gantry crane of large span, large load characteristics, can be adapted to the hull segments, engines and other super-heavy parts lifting needs.

Heavy equipment yard, large component prefabrication plant and other large outdoor sites, it is also commonly used to carry large machine tools, prefabricated bridge components and other heavy objects, adapted to the complex outdoor operating environment.

Advantages

Outstanding heavy-duty performance is its core advantage, it can stably carry hundreds of tons of heavy loads, and it is not easy to be deformed and malfunctioned under high-intensity operation, so as to ensure the safety of operation.

Its strong rigidity, lifting shaking small, accurate positioning, suitable for high-precision needs; at the same time can withstand frequent continuous operation, longer service life, suitable for long-term high-intensity production scenarios.

Henan Mine’s MG double girder gantry crane

 half gantry crane

Core features

Half gantry crane structure is special, one side of the legs fall to the ground track, the other side of the wheels run on the factory elevated runway beam, fusion of gantry cranes and bridge cranes, taking into account the advantages of flexibility and space utilization.

The height and span of the main girder can be adjusted according to the needs, without the need of independent ground foundation on both sides, which is more adaptable to the site.

Best Application Scenario

It is most suitable for workshops with limited space (e.g. old narrow workshop). Under the premise that the top structure of the workshop can bear the load, it can make full use of the existing space to complete the lifting of heavy loads without the need to install a full gantry crane.

It is also suitable for indoor and outdoor combined working areas (e.g. workshop entrances and exits), seamlessly connecting indoor workpiece handling with outdoor cargo loading and unloading, without the need for frequent replacement of lifting equipment.

Advantages

One of the core advantages is that it saves space, eliminating the need for ground foundations on both sides of the crane, and enabling a wide range of lifting coverage in confined areas.

At the same time, the civil construction cost is lower, only need to lay one side of the ground track, the other side of the reuse of plant elevated runway beams; flexible layout, according to the site can be adjusted to run the route, adapted to the different operating procedures.

The MGB semi-gantry crane manufactured by Henan Mine

portable gantry crane

Core features

Portable gantry crane core features are lightweight and movable, the frame adopts lightweight materials, light weight, easy to carry and assemble; Legs at the bottom of the more universal casters, no track restrictions, mobile and flexible.

Its structure can be dismantled and adjustable, part of the model height of the main beam, span can be manually adjusted without professional tools, easy to operate, suitable for temporary work scenes.

Best Application Scenario

Equipment maintenance is the core application scenario, equipment failure can be quickly transported to the scene assembly, lifting parts without relying on fixed lifting equipment, effectively improve the maintenance efficiency.

Small factories, workshops lifting demand is infrequent and light load, without investing heavily in the purchase of fixed gantry cranes, which can meet the basic lifting needs of workpiece handling, raw material loading and unloading.

Site temporary transfer, exhibition equipment construction, warehouse temporary inventory and other scenarios, it can be quickly deployed, dismantled after operation storage, does not take up storage space.

Advantage

Strong mobility is its biggest advantage, can be moved to the operating position at any time, no site, track restrictions, especially suitable for decentralized temporary lifting tasks.

Build fast, 1-2 people can be completed within half an hour assembly and commissioning and put into use; no permanent foundation, without laying tracks, pouring foundations, site selection and equipment migration are very flexible.

Single-girder gantry crane manufactured by Henan Mine

rail type gantry crane (RMG)

Core features

Rail-type gantry crane (RMG for short) relying on the ground to run on a fixed track, the scope of work is clear, suitable for efficient lifting operations in a fixed area.

It mostly uses electric power drive, energy saving and environmental protection, low noise, suitable for sites with high environmental requirements; and automation potential, after adding control system can realize unmanned operation.

Optimal Application Scenarios

Container yard is the core application scenario of RMG, which can accurately locate containers along a fixed track and efficiently complete the loading, unloading and transshipment of large quantities of containers.

In intermodal transportation hubs, RMG can stably connect railroad, road and waterway transportation, efficiently complete cargo transshipment and ensure smooth intermodal links.

Railroad freight stations often use RMG to lift and transfer containers, large equipment and other heavy objects, which is suitable for the efficient throughput demand of railroad freight and ensures the rapid flow of goods.

Advantages

High operational efficiency is one of its core advantages. Fixed track operation without frequent adjustment of direction can quickly and continuously handle large quantities of goods.

Accurate positioning of rail operation, can reduce the risk of damage to the goods, suitable for high-precision operations; at the same time compatible with automation systems, can realize remote control, unmanned operation, reduce labor costs and improve safety.

The MGC Slurry-Discharging Gantry Crane manufactured by Henan Mine

tire gantry crane (RTG)

Core features

Tire gantry crane (RTG) and RMG core area is the use of rubber tires to walk, get rid of track restrictions, can be flexible on the ground, a wider range of operations.

Power for diesel or diesel-electric hybrid power, diesel drive power suitable for outdoor complex scenes, hybrid more energy-saving and environmentally friendly, reduce energy consumption and emissions.

Best Application Scenario

Container terminals are the core application scenarios, which can flexibly adjust the operation area according to the cargo throughput, without relying on the rail, and adapt to the dynamic operation needs of the terminal.

For ports and logistics parks that require high flexibility in layout, RTG can quickly relocate the operation area without the need for track modification, which greatly improves the utilization rate of the site.

For small and medium-sized ports and inland container yards with small cargo throughput and limited space, RTG does not need to lay rails, with low infrastructure cost and better adaptability.

Advantages

The core advantage of RTG is that it is flexible in mobility, free from track constraints, and can be freely adjusted to the operating position and change the area, so that it is suitable for diversified operation layouts.

No need for track foundation, compared with RMG to save a lot of infrastructure costs, adapted to the site transformation is difficult, limited budget scenarios; and easy to relocate, equipment utilization rate is higher.

 adjustable and customized gantry crane

In addition to the standardized gantry crane mentioned above, there is a special category of gantry crane, is adjustable and customized gantry crane, they are mainly for some special operational needs, can not be satisfied with standardized equipment.

Adjustable gantry crane

Adjustable gantry crane is mainly divided into height adjustable and span adjustable two categories. Height adjustable models can be adjusted according to the height of the main beam, adapted to the height of the workshop is limited, lifting cargo height of different scenes, to avoid space constraints.

Span adjustable models can flexibly adjust the width of the main beam, suitable for site width changes, need to work across multiple areas of the scene, without the need to replace the equipment to meet the demand.

MC Electromagnetic Gantry Crane

Customized Gantry Crane

Customized gantry cranes are tailor-made for special needs, and the core adaptive scenes include special load lifting, extreme environmental operations and non-standard workshop adaptive.

For ultra-long, ultra-wide and other special shapes of the workpiece, or fragile, precision equipment, standardized equipment can not be adapted to the need to customize the special spreader and the main beam structure.

High temperature, high salt spray and other extreme environments, need to customize equipment materials and protective measures to ensure that the gantry crane in the harsh conditions of stable operation.

Workshop shape is irregular, there are obstacles or ground bearing special, need to customize the outrigger structure and running route, adapt to the site layout and make full use of space.

We have a wealth of experience in manufacturing customized gantry cranes, can be combined with the user’s operational needs, site conditions and budget, to provide one-stop service from design, production to installation and commissioning, to ensure that the equipment accurately match the actual needs.

Henan Mine MZ Grab Double-Girder Gantry Crane

how to choose the right type of gantry crane?

Choose the gantry crane should not blindly follow the trend or only look at the price, need to combine their own operational needs of a variety of factors, in order to choose the right equipment. The following comb core decision-making factors to help you clear your mind.

1. Lifting capacity

Lifting capacity is the core factor, you need to clarify the maximum weight of the lifting load, and then match the corresponding model: daily 1-20 tons of lifting selection of single girder gantry crane, 20 tons above the heavy load is considered double girder gantry crane.

Need to reserve a certain amount of load capacity (such as the actual maximum load of 20 tons, it is recommended to choose more than 25 tons of equipment), to avoid long-term full-load operation affects the life and safety of equipment.

2. Span and lifting height

The span should match the width of the working place to ensure that the whole working area is covered; the lifting height should meet the height requirement of goods stacking or transferring.

Example: workshop width of 20 meters need to choose span ≥ 20 meters of equipment; lifting goods to 5 meters high shelves, lifting height ≥ 5 meters (including the height of the goods themselves).

3. Indoor vs. outdoor use

Indoor use need to consider the workshop height, width, etc., the height is limited can choose single girder or half gantry crane; outdoor need to cope with the wind and rain, temperature and humidity and other environments, it is recommended to choose the good protection of the double girder gantry crane, RMG or RTG.

Combination of indoor and outdoor work, half gantry crane or RTG is more adaptable, can be flexible to switch the operating environment.

4. Frequency of operation

Frequency of operation determines the level of equipment operation: occasional lifting (daily operating time is short) choose A3-A5 light intermediate single girder gantry crane; continuous and frequent operation (more than 8 hours a day) need to choose A5-A8 intermediate and advanced double girder gantry cranes or RMG, to ensure the ability of high-intensity operation.

5. Budget and installation conditions

Budget, single girder, portable gantry crane cost is low, double girder, customized equipment cost is high, need to choose according to need. At the same time, we need to consider the installation conditions, such as site load-bearing, infrastructure space and the feasibility of large installation equipment into the site.

 the conclusion: for your project to choose the most suitable gantry crane

Gantry crane types, each type is suitable for specific scenes. The key to selecting the type is to clarify their operational needs, and combined with the budget and installation conditions.

If the needs of special, customized gantry crane is more suitable. Whether you choose a standardized or customized model, please contact us directly for a precise selection plan.