Many companies need to use various construction equipment configurations. When you come up with your business model, you can look at the space you have available and what you are creating, and you can buy the tools you need based on your specs. Hopefully, everything will work just as you had envisioned.
A crane is one of the things you might need. We’ll break down exactly what a jib crane is, and we’ll also talk a little about how to pick the proper one for the job.
What Exactly is a Jib Crane?
The industry sometimes calls a jib crane a boom crane. Most construction companies use the terms interchangeably. The two components of this crane are:
- The vertical support
- The horizontal main lifting arm, which some operators call “the boom”
You have a horizontal beam or post that connects to a floor mounting system, or sometimes a wall. The horizontal post or boom arm ably supports the hoist mechanism.
What Does a Jib Crane Do?
With a jib crane, you can transport materials or lift them. These are great for:
- Construction sites
- Loading docks
You can use one to lift materials and swing them around in a full circle (360 degrees) or a semi-circle (200 degrees). The support structure allows you to swing the materials in a controlled motion.
You might use one to pick materials up and move them from one work station to another. You can also utilize one to load a truck or ship.
You can use below-the-hook devices like balancers, manipulators, or hoists to ensure the materials get to where they’re going securely. Jib cranes can move in three directions. They can move vertically, in a traversing motion, where the trolley moves along the jib, or rotationally, along the axis.
You can set one up to be manually or “push” operated, or you can motorize it.
What Are Some Common Crane Types?
If you want to have a jib crane on your worksite, there are several kinds you can peruse till you figure out which option makes sense based on your needs. For instance, there are workstation cranes. These are small and manual. If you need to do repetitive lifting throughout the day, you might have several of them.
There’s the articulating crane, which you can mount on a floor, wall, or even the ceiling. Its arm can reach into or under machinery. You can easily retrieve or move loads with it.
There’s the mast-type crane, which you can fasten to a building’s floor. This is ideal if you need that full
360-degree rotational capability. This is perhaps the most versatile crane setup you might purchase.
There are also floor and wall-mounted cranes. You secure the wall-mounted one to a convenient wall with an upper and a lower rail. The floor-mounted one can be foundationless or freestanding.
How Do You Select the Right One for You?
If you feel like you need a worksite crane, or more than one, you’ll have to look at several factors. For one thing, you’ll have to think about installation. Different cranes have various installation requirements. You’ll need to look at what you want to do with the jib system and what your overall process is.
You will need to look at the rotation area. Can you fit a full 360-degree crane, or do you not have the space for one? If you can’t do a freestanding crane, then a wall-mounted one that only gives you 180-degree rotation is probably your best bet.
Your power requirements will be next. Look at your manufacturing needs to determine these. You might need a trolley, motor drive, or hoist. It’s possible you could even need enough power for all three of them.
You’ll need to think about both working height and span. The span is how far out you need the crane to reach. The operational span is your boom length minus half the trolley length at each end. You get the height by measuring the underside of the boom to the working-space floor.
Last, you’ll need to look at your capacity. Your crew can get this by weighing the materials you will carry and adding the below-the-hook lifting device’s weight.
There are few construction or manufacturing companies that don’t need cranes. You also need to be sure you hire skilled individuals who know how to operate them. Make sure they have their license, if applicable, or can demonstrate they have received the proper training.
