Crane Terminology Explained

Every industry has its own unique set of terms that only mean something to those in the business and if you are set to have some involvement in heavy lifting, it makes sense to brush up on common terms that are used when talking cranes.

• All Terrain Crane – A mobile crane with huge wheels that can operate on rough and uneven terrain.
• Boom – The long arm that extends is called the boom; some are telescopic and some are not. The longer the book, the further the crane can be from the load.
• Drum – The steel cables run on a drum, which could be very big and there might be more than one. If you are looking for Franna crane hire in Perth and surrounding areas, a Google search would help you find the right provider.
• EOTC – This means Electrical Overhead Travelling Crane, which are typically found in ports and are used to load and unload ships.
• Floating Crane – Large floating platforms can form the base for lifting operations on or near water. You will see many along rivers in Canada, where logging is popular, while they are sometimes used in ports.
• Gantry Crane – A type of crane that is attached to a gantry.
• Hoist – The hoist is the part of the crane that lifts and lowers the load.
• Jib – The jib is a horizontal arm that supports the hoist, which can move along the job to position directly above of the load.
• Lift Angle – The lift angle affects the lifting capability and it must be calculated precisely with certain heavy lifts.
• Load – The items the crane is going to lift.
• Load Block – This contains the pulleys and the hook.
• Max Load – The maximum weight a crane can lift.
• MPM – Metres per Minute refers to the speed the hoist moves along the jib.
• NWL – Normal Working Load is the weight the crane can comfortably work with.
• Outrigger – Outriggers provide essential support for the crane, which are hydraulically powered, each can be individually adjusted to form a level platform for safe lifting.
• Point Load – The measure of a point of the load.
• Pulley Block – This feeds the steel cables into the hoist.
• Rail Crane – A crane that runs on rails, much like a railway carriage.
• Running Pulley – This pulley rotates during lifting and lowering.
• Safe Contractor – A safe contractor is a company that is industry approved by a governing body such as a federation or association.

Once you make contact with a mobile crane hire company, they have the expertise to plan the project safely and the provider will work to your schedule.