What are the different types of cranes?

Cranes are the workhorses of modern industry, essential for lifting, движущийся, and positioning heavy loads with precision and efficiency. From manufacturing floors to bustling ports and massive construction sites, different types of cranes are designed for specific tasks and environments. Understanding these variations is key to selecting the right equipment for the job. This guide explores the main types of industrial and logistical cranes, their unique features, and their primary applications.

What are the different types of cranes?

Мостовые краны (Bridge Cranes)

Overhead cranes are ubiquitous in factories, склады, and workshops. They consist of a hoist that moves along a horizontal beam (мост), which itself moves on elevated runways along the building’s length.

Однобалочный мостовой кран

• Однобалочный мостовой кран: Features a single bridge beam. They are cost-effective, lighter, and require less headroom. Идеально подходит для более легких нагрузок (up to ~20 tons) and applications with lower duty cycles.
  • Приложение: Machine shops, Сборка, storage areas.

Двухбалочный мостовой кран

• Двухбалочный мостовой кран: Utilizes two bridge beams for superior strength and stability. They can handle much heavier loads (often over 20 tons and up to several hundred tons), accommodate auxiliary hoists, and provide better hook height.
  • Приложение: Сталелитейные заводы, heavy fabrication facilities, электростанции, paper mills.

Козловые краны

Gantry cranes are similar to overhead cranes but are supported by freestanding legs that move on wheels or rails along the ground, eliminating the need for a building’s roof structure. They are highly versatile for both indoor and outdoor use.

Портальный на резиновых колесах (РТГ) Кран

• Портальный на резиновых колесах (РТГ) Кран: A mobile gantry crane used primarily in container terminals. It runs on rubber tires, making it highly flexible for stacking containers in yard operations.

  • Приложение: Container yard stacking and handling.

Рельсовый портал (РМГ) Кран

• Рельсовый портал (РМГ) Кран: Similar to an RTG but runs on fixed rail tracks. This allows for more precise positioning, higher stacking capabilities, and is better suited for automated operations.

  • Приложение: High-density, organized container storage yards, often in intermodal terminals.

Port Cranes (Marine & Обработка контейнеров)

These are heavy-duty giants designed specifically for the rapid loading and unloading of ships.

Доставка на берег (Стр) Кран

• Доставка на берег (Стр) Кран / Контейнерный козловой кран: These are the iconic, colossal cranes seen at container terminals. They straddle a ship at berth, moving containers directly between the vessel and the quay. They are essential for modern containerized shipping.

  • Приложение: Loading and unloading container ships at port terminals.

Контейнерный козловой кран

• Mobile Harbor Crane: A versatile, wheeled or rail-mounted crane that can perform multiple tasks, including handling containers, bulk materials, and general cargo. It offers great flexibility for multi-purpose ports.

  • Приложение: General cargo ports, bulk terminals, and smaller container facilities.

Portal / Козловые краны (in heavy lifting)

Often referred to as “Goliath” cranes, these are heavy-duty, large-capacity gantry cranes used for massive lifts.

• Описание: They feature a fixed or movable structure with one or two beams supported by large, rigid legs on rails. They are engineered for extreme loads.
  • Приложение: Судостроение (lifting ship sections), heavy industry (lifting reactors, турбины), large-scale construction projects (bridge segment installation).

Часто задаваемые вопросы: Types of Cranes

1 квартал: What is the most common type of crane inside a factory?

А: The Overhead Bridge Crane is the most common, with single girder cranes for lighter work and double girder cranes for heavy manufacturing.

2 квартал: What’s the main difference between an RTG and an RMG?

А: RTGs (Портальный на резиновых колесах) are mobile and flexible, moving freely in a yard. RMGs (Рельсовый портал) run on fixed tracks, offering greater precision, stability for higher stacking, and are easier to automate.

Q3: Which crane is specifically designed for unloading container ships?

А: The Ship-to-Shore (Стр) Container Gantry Crane is specifically engineered for this high-speed, high-capacity task.

Q4: What type of crane would be used to build a large ship?

А: Massive Portal/Gantry Cranes (often called Goliath or shipbuilding gantries) are used to lift and position large prefabricated sections of a ship’s hull and superstructure.

Q5: How do I choose the right type of crane?

А: Ключевые факторы включают в себя: Weight and size of loads, required span and lifting height, рабочий цикл (frequency of use), available space (крытый/открытый), потребности в мобильности, and budget. Consulting with a crane specialist is always recommended.

Заключение

From the precision of a workshop’s overhead crane to the raw power of a port’s STS crane, each type of crane plays a vital role in global industry and infrastructure. Selecting the correct crane—whether it’s a versatile gantry, a specialized container handler, or a heavy-lift portal crane—is fundamental to achieving safety, эффективность, and productivity in any material handling operation.