Advantages of Electric Cranes

Cranes can be electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically or manually operated. When comparing electric cranes and hydraulic cranes, both are great tools to move loads in ways that are impossible for us to do on our own. Electric cranes offer more precision for shorter running cycles. A booster can be incorporated to add voltage while the battery is charging and discharging—more on this later. Hydraulic cranes are best for extended duty applications, Continue reading

Outdoor Industrial Cranes for Building and Re-building

With load capacities from 1 to 500 tons, industrial cranes provide the strength needed to lift, lower, carry and relocate what cannot be moved by smaller machinery or mere human power. Large outdoor cranes are mostly used in the construction of buildings and structures like bridges or highway systems, and in large lifting applications Continue reading

Crane Manufacturers from the Ancient Greeks to Today

Gorbel Crane ManufacturerCrane Manufacturer image courtesy of Gorbel Inc.

Humans have hungered for reaching far beyond what’s physically possible with our bodies alone. From the Tower of Babel to the modern Skyscraper, man devised ways to move loads greatly exceeding his normal capacity, creating Continue reading

We Can’t Live Without Overhead Cranes

The Pyramids or Stonehenge might seem like marvels to us even today, as modern architecture and construction relies on heavy duty material handling equipment to transport and maneuver beams and other weighty loads, and move them to the necessary heights. Where would society be without Continue reading

Mobile Cranes are All-Terrain

All cranes are in a sense mobile. Gantries and jibs can have mobile supports, and bridge cranes that are part of a building’s overhead structure still have track and trolley rail systems with moving parts. And, in the broad picture, all cranes are meant to move loads from one location to another. However, for the following, I will be referring to Continue reading

Gantry Cranes: Symbols of Strength

Brehob Overhead Crane

Overhead Crane image courtesy of Brehob Corporation.

At a time when Ireland’s troubles were raging, there came a great announcement from one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers, Harland & Wolff. They were going to build two enormous gantry cranes to further their reputation and reach as one of the largest shipbuilders in the world. The first was completed in 1969 and the second in 1974. Named after biblical figures symbolizing grand strength, Continue reading

Construction Cranes: The Birth of Professional Construction

Before cranes were invented, the primary means of vertical load motion was the use of ramps. Then, in the late 6th century BC, the Ancient Greeks introduced the winch and pulley hoist. The new lifting technique meant that instead of a few large stones being used, several smaller ones were more practical. This switch from the ramp to crane technology was favored by the Greeks because Continue reading

Bridge Cranes: A Trolley Trip

Otsego Crane & Hoist Company Bridge CraneBridge Crane image courtesy of Otsego Crane & Hoist Company.

I don’t know about you, but taking a trip on a trolley sounds pretty good to me. I envision a relaxing tour of something I’ve never seen in a different city or surrounded by nature. In this day and age, it seems almost whimsical to take a ride on a tram, cable car or streetcar Continue reading