The Ideal Cranes: Gantry And Jib Cranes

Gantry and jib cranes are very popular free-standing cranes, most commonly found in small industrial facilities or warehouses. With compact size and small weight, the jib crane is ideal for lighter tasks on a daily basis, while the gantry crane is a larger crane which is suitable for heavy-duty lifting applications. Although they are similar cranes, they have different specifications and configuration. However, the one thing they have in common is that both crane types are ideal for the applications they are designed for. Find out what do you need to know about the gantry and the jib crane.

Jib Crane

The jib crane is one of the most efficient lifting machines you can find on the market. A compact-sized, free-standing crane, the jib crane is ideal for workshops, industrial facilities, warehouses and anywhere else where light lifting is needed. The jib crane is consisted of a vertical mast and an arm, known as rotating boom which is mounted on a hoist at the end. Today, the jib crane comes in few different configurations, including: wall-mounted, floor-mounted and wall-traveling jib crane. All three configurations are extensively used where overhead cranes can not be installed. Regardless of which jib crane you choose, you will see how your work-flow production will be significantly increased, as well as the efficiency of the material handling operations.

A special lifting mechanism provides enough lifting power for the rotating boom. The wire ropes are directly attached to the loads and allow the jib crane to lift vertically. For efficient vertical lifts, the jib crane can be equipped with a jib pivot for moving the loads from side to side. The main advantage of the jib crane is its free structure, which is easy to move. Also, the jib crane is a small machine and requires little place for operation, allowing you to organize your free space in the best possible way.

Gantry Crane

Just like the overhead crane, the gantry crane lifts objects by using a hoist fitted on a hoist trolley while moving horizontally on a rail or pair of rails under a beam. It is very similar to the jib crane, because the small versions are widely used in workshops, warehouses and smaller industrial facilities. The gantry crane is ideal for lifting extremely heavy objects, while the larger gantry crane is suitable for ship-building projects, allowing the huge ship parts to be lifted and moved quickly and efficiently. Unlike the traditional gantry cranes, the gantry crane that is used today is mobile and can be easily moved from one place to another. Because of that, these cranes can be dismantled and transported by using a special vehicle. The gantry crane provides higher loading capacity than the jib crane, but it requires a lot of space for installation and operation.