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Gantry cranes refer to the overhead crane, which is also supported by freestanding legs, which move on wheels or on fixed rails that are fixed on the floor. Gantry cranes are not supported by a building as opposed to the traditional bridge crane that runs on a high runway system connected to the building. This is the important aspect that enables them to be used in all the applications either indoor or outdoor because they do not need to have the available building support columns.
The simplest one is a horizontal beam (the bridge) which is extended between two legs creating a gantry or portal frame. This bridge has a hoist and trolley system that travels over the bridge and lifts, lowers, and carries heavy items across a specific square space.
TYPES OF GANTRY CRANES
Gantry cranes vary in design and capacity to suit different operational needs.
- Full Gantry Cranes: It is characterised by legs that are mounted on rails or wheels on either side of the building. They are used when the object of lifting is heavy and repetitive along a specific route and often used in shipyards, steel mills, and large outdoor storage yards.
- Semi-Gantry Cranes: The crane is supported on one side by a leg that moves on a ground rail and supported on the other side by a runway system connected to a column or wall of a building. This is a hybrid design that maximises the use of floor space and is affordable.
- Portable Gantry Cranes: These Cranes are designed with mobility and flexibility and are lightweight, adjustable in height and span, and are usually mounted on casters. They are applied to the light- to medium-weight lifting in the maintenance areas, machine shops, and loading/unloading operations.
- Rubber-Tyre Gantry (RTG) Cranes: RTG are large cranes that are mobile and operate on rubber tyres, and are mostly used in container terminals. They are applied to stack and move shipping containers in yard operations, which have a great mobility without fixed rail conditions.
Within the above types, the bridge can be a single beam or a double beam, depending on the scope of the application.
PRIMARY USES AND APPLICATIONS
This three-axis rotation enables effective working with materials in a large working area with a minimum manual interference.
An EOT crane consists of a number of essential parts, which act in harmony with each other:
- Bridge Girders: This is the main horizontal structure, and could be either single or double girders.
- End Carriages: Take place on the ends of the bridge, with a travel of length.
- Hoist Unit: This contains the motor, the drum, the wire rope or the chain, and the hook.
- Runway Rails: These are attached to the columns or building structures.
- Electrical System: Controls motors, limit switches and safety devices.
- Control System: Pendant operation, radio remote or cabin operation.
All components are made to support massive loads in a manner that is safe and easy to operate.
TYPES OF EOT CRANES
The independence from building structures grants gantry cranes a wide range of uses:
- Manufacturing & Fabrication: Positioning of bulk components, installation of production equipment, and movement of partially finished goods.
- Shipping/Logistics: loading and unloading of ships, loading containers in ports, and sorting through cargo in freight yards.
- Construction: Prefabricated structures, concrete movement, and undercarriage of bridge and dam constructions.
- Aerospace and Automotive: Lifting engines, fuselage parts and vehicle parts on production lines.
- General Industry and Warehousing: In sawmills and any other case where a permanent overhead crane does not work.
MANUFACTURING DETAILS AND CONSIDERATIONS
The manufacturing of gantry cranes is a precise engineering process focused on safety, durability, and performance.
- Choice of Material: High-grade steel is also chosen as primary structural elements because it has a huge strength to weight ratio. Steel can be hardened on critical wear components, such as wheel and rail surfaces.
- Design and Engineering: This is done based on the specific client requirement like lifting capacity, span, lift height and the duty cycle. Engineers use the CAD software to design the structure and simulates the stress and gives the structural integrity.
- Assembly & Machining: Trial fitting of all parts is done once they are made. Other crucial interfaces like those of the connection of the leg with the bridge or the mounting points of the wheels are machined to enable alignment of the interface to be flawless, which is quite crucial in making the interface work well and to distribute the load equally.
- Testing and Certification: Before the delivery of any crane, the crane is subjected to intensive tests. This is a combination of visual and dimensional test, no-load test and load test. The user is provided with documentation and a test certificate.
- Fabrication: CNC laser cutters cut steel parts by cutting them with a high degree of accuracy. Automated welding ensures that all the parts have been fully joined into one. The parts are also pre-chambered in order to achieve a perfect fit.
FAQ'S:
A gantry crane is a lifting crane supported by legs that move on rails or wheels on the ground, while an EOT crane is mounted on runways attached to a building structure.
Common types include full gantry cranes, semi-gantry cranes, portable gantry cranes, and rubber-tyred gantry (RTG) cranes. Each type varies based on mobility, span, and load capacity.
Gantry cranes are widely used in shipyards, construction sites, warehouses, steel plants, and container yards. They are ideal for handling heavy loads in outdoor or large open spaces.
They are manufactured using high-strength structural steel, precision machining, and controlled welding processes. Quality standards typically include ISO, FEM, CMAA, and IS standards, along with load testing and safety inspections.