What Is a Crawler Crane? A Quick Guide

As metropolitan areas boom in this country, the crane market continues to grow. Valued at $19 billion in 2018, experts expect the crane market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of six percent through 2025. Global shipments could exceed 35 thousand units by 2025.

Cranes serve various purposes depending upon the construction project. Different types of cranes are used to transport materials, haul timber, and even make home deliveries. And among the most popular types of construction cranes is the crawler crane.

Here’s a look at everything you need to know about crawler cranes.

What Is a Crawler Crane?

This distinguishing characteristic of a crawler crane is the tracks it’s mounted on. That’s where the name “crawler” comes from. The tracks provide the crane with mobility and stability, without the need for outriggers.

These crane types are valuable material load lifters and come in handy when working in smaller areas. Crawler cranes sport a wide range of lifting capabilities and often come with a lattice boom, which has an optional extension. The Carbody connects the deck, which can rotate 360 degrees, to the crawler assemblies.

Crawler cranes are sometimes referred to as “pick and carry” cranes. This nickname comes from the machine’s ability to lift and relocate loads to other worksites. They offer strength and stability over long distances, making them ideal for heavy-lifting applications.

Operators often have a spacious and quiet cab from which to work. The cabs feature excellent visibility.

Advantages of a Crawler Crane

A crawler crane can move large and heavy loads with ease. These cranes stand out as an efficient option for large-scale construction projects. This versatile machine also sports a wire rope with a grapple, hook, or other attachment at the end of the boom.

Perhaps the main advantage of a crawler crane is its mobility. These machines can move about a worksite and perform lifts. They are ideal for moving building materials, heavy-duty foundation jobs, and much more.

The crawler tracks allow the crane to work on softer surfaces since its weight is evenly distributed along the treads.

Drawbacks

The main downside of the crawler crane is its size. These machines usually need to be assembled at a given construction site. But once built, they can handle almost any load.

While these crane types are excellent on rough terrain, they cannot be maneuvered on regular roads. If you’re using a crawler crane for multiple job sites, it will have to be dismantled and transported with trucks. Sometimes, a crawler crane needs an assist crane for unloading at certain jobs.

Crane Solutions and More

HIAB USA stands as an unquestioned leader among load-handling equipment providers and has been for 75 years. Be it a crawler crane or something else, HIAB knows the safe and efficient machinery you need to help build a better world.

Check out our website for more on cranes and crane safety.

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How Do Cranes Get Built on Skyscrapers?

New York is famous for its skyscrapers, and the 10 tallest NYC buildings all stand over 1,000 feet.

Cranes are one of the most important components of building skyscrapers, but you may find yourself wondering “how do cranes get built?”. For tall buildings such as skyscrapers, standard cranes don’t quite cut it.

Other types of cranes, such as knuckle boom cranes, are far more versatile. They’re also easier to set up but are limited in ways tower cranes are not (i.e. size and load capacity).

This crane building guide gives an overview of how tower cranes are built on top of skyscrapers.

How do Cranes Get Built on Top of Skyscrapers?

Cranes have several purposes such as forestry, railway construction, and waste management. The place they are most commonly seen, however, is in built-up urban areas.

There are specific types of cranes and methods for building skyscrapers. There are three main methods that make today’s tallest buildings possible.

External Climbing

This involves building a crane using its own hoisting power. The base is initially secured in a concrete slab in the ground, and it is then assembled using smaller mobile cranes. It stays at this point until the building reaches about 180 feet in height.

Steel collars are then used to attach the crane to the outside of the building. A special climbing section allows workers to attach new segments. This is a sheath on the outside of the crane tower that raises and supports the arm above the highest vertebra.

A new tower segment is then placed in the sheath where workers can secure it properly. This process is repeated roughly every 180 feet to fully construct the building.

This is the most common method, as it allows construction to continue inside the building while the external structure is still being completed. Removing parts is also a simpler process as the crane can move back down on the outside of the bending and secure itself to the ground anchor.

Internal Climbing

Internal climbing involves the crane being in the center and constructing the building around itself.

A hydraulic cylinder sits at the base of the crane and allows it to be raised whenever needed. Steel beams are then slid beneath it to keep it securely placed.

For this method, the crane needs to be raised roughly every 100 feet.

Skycrane

This third method is somewhat different from the other two methods of crane building. A heavy-lift helicopter flies the crane, piece by piece, to the top of the construction site.

There are some notable downsides to this:

• Individual segments can weigh anywhere between 3,000 and 20,000 pounds
• It can be very expensive
• Flying a load-bearing helicopter over populated areas is logistically difficult

Of these three methods, this is the least common due to these downsides.

What Else Should You Know About Cranes?

There are a lot of questions you could ask. How do cranes get built? What are the most common uses? How much weight can cranes support?

Our blogs cover these questions and more crane-building tips.

Cranes used for building skyscrapers are just one of many types. For an explanation of the other common types of cranes commonly used in construction take a look at our guide here.

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A Quick Guide to the Different Types of Tower Cranes

Tower cranes have always been one of the most common sights on any city skyline. Toronto is the North American city with the most cranes, and after a slight dip in 2020, we are beginning to see more cranes in our cities again.

From a distance, it might seem like all these huge, tall cranes are very similar. However, there are many different types of tower cranes, and each kind has a slightly different function. Read our tower cranes guide to find out more about these fascinating pieces of machinery.

Luffing Jib Tower Crane

These types of cranes are often used in urban spaces, where there is not enough clearance for the jib to fully rotate. This is due to the proximity of existing buildings.

The crane operator can lower or raise a luffing jib to swing the crane at a smaller radius, thus taking up less space. Unlike a conventional tower crane, it also does not use a trolley. There are many benefits to this type of tower crane. However, as it is a more complex piece of machinery, it is more expensive.

Self-Erecting Types of Tower Cranes

One of the most impressive tower crane types is the self-erecting crane. These structures can completely assemble themselves onsite without the need for a second crane to be involved in the assembly process.

There are clear advantages here in terms of equipment costs and also set-up time. Most self-erecting cranes are remote-controlled from the ground, although some do have an operator cab in the jib. These types of tower cranes are usually free-standing. This means that they can be moved around the job site.

A further benefit to these types of tower cranes is that they can work at multiple heights without the need for reconfiguration. This is because they feature a telescoping tower.

Hammerhead Crane

This is the most common type of crane configuration among types of tower cranes. The vertical tower and long horizontal jib are omnipresent on our city skylines these days. There is a counterweight at one end of the jib, while the other end extends over the work site horizontally.

The trolley can travel along the whole length of the jib, and this is the part that contains the lifting cable. This means that the crane can lift heavy loads anywhere within the radius of the jib.

There is a cab for the operator at the point where the jib meets the tower. These cranes need a second crane to assemble and disassemble them. It is usually possible to insert or remove sections from the tower to change the height of the crane.

Tower Crane Tips

If you are looking to buy a tower crane, it’s important that you choose one that is most suited to the needs of the specific site it will be operating on.

There are so many different types of tower cranes to choose from, but there are plenty more informative articles on the blog to help you make the right decision for your business.

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How to Choose the Right Crane Construction Equipment

Do you manage a construction project? Are you looking to buy construction equipment? Chances are you need crane construction equipment.

With so many types of cranes, which is the right one for your project? You must find one that meets your needs.

Using the right crane can improve productivity and help promote safety. Safety should be a top priority as you want to prevent injuries involving cranes.

This guide provides information to help you choose the right crane construction equipment. Read on to learn how to choose a crane for your construction project.

Know the Weight and Size of the Load

One of the first things you should consider is the weight and size of the load that needs to be lifted or moved. This information will help you select a crane with the required lifting capacity. It’ll also help you find the necessary rigging accessories like hooks and slings.

You’ll need a crane that has a suitable lifting capacity to lift the load. If you use a high-capacity crane for a small load, it might lead to a loss of labor and money. Using a low-capacity crane can damage the load or lead to an accident.

Make sure to review load charts. Crane manufacturers have this information on hand. It can provide you with information about the load capacity features of the crane.

It’s important to consider the type of load you’re going to lift. If you’re going to lift oddly-shaped loads, it’s best to use special rigging equipment. No matter the type of load being lifted, you must follow crane operation safety tips.

Understand Lift Height and Horizontal Distance

The second factor to consider is the lift height. How high does the loading material need to go? This is a factor you must consider for multi-storied construction projects.

It’ll help you determine what’s the optimal length of the crane’s boom. For a vertical construction project, you’ll need a crane with a longer boom length.

To lift a load to a higher height, you might need a lattice boom crawler crane. This type of crane can reach lift heights of up to 700 feet.

For a project that has a lower height requirement, you might need to use a hydraulic truck crane. It uses a hydraulic mechanism to elongate and refract a boom that can reach up to 200 feet.

You’ll also need to consider the horizontal moving distance. Factors related to the moving distance include counterweight and support structure.

Assess the On-Site Terrain

All types of cranes need a support structure to hold them firmly to the ground. It’s ideal to choose a suitable crane that you operate on the construction site.

If the site isn’t ideal for a big crane, you might need to use a knuckle boom crane. It’s great for fixed spaces. You can hire a crane operator to work this type of crane.

Choosing Crane Construction Equipment

Now that you know how to choose a crane, you can choose the right one for your construction project. You need to have the right crane construction equipment for the job. Make sure to explore the rest of our blog to continue reading more articles about cranes.

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Top Crane Uses That You Probably Never Knew About

When you think of a crane, you might picture a construction crane. This type of machine isn’t limited to construction cranes. There’s a wide range of industries that use a crane.

Cranes are an integral part of activities that involve lifting. Cranes can lift a heavy load from a truck bed onto a flat platform, or vice-versa. Cranes are great for moving materials throughout a warehouse.

Do you want to learn about the different crane uses? Read on to learn about the top crane uses in this crane guide.

Overhead Cranes

An overhead crane enables users to lower, lift or move loads with ease. This type of crane has high lifting capabilities for load movement.

An operator can control an overhead crane manually or through wireless controls. It can also be controlled via a wired pendant station. The station guides the crane’s travel.

What are the benefits of using an overhead crane? It offers increased safety. An overhead crane doesn’t carry the risk that forklifts come with.

Forklifts can drop a load due to imprecise stacking. This can increase the risk of an accident. Overhead crane operators can promote safety by following safety tips.

Mobile Cranes

Mobile cranes allow for the easy transportation of loads to a site. These cranes are mounted on a mobile platform. Most are mounted on a wheeled truck.

Mobile cranes often operate a boom. The boom has a hook that’s suspended by sheaves and wire rope. An engine operates the wire ropes.

Their power allows them to lift heavy objects. These cranes can access sites that other cranes might not be able to access. These are some of the crane benefits that mobile cranes offer.

Telescopic Cranes

A telescopic crane is a type of heavy crane that’s perfect for transporting and moving objects from one place to another. This crane is equipped with height adjustments. This helps to solve any issues related to height.

It uses a hydraulic mechanism to elongate and refract the motion of the boom. The boom consists of several tubes. These tubes are fitted next to each other.

The tubes help to increase the crane’s gross hauling height. They also help to raise and drop objects.

Grapple Cranes

Grapple cranes are the ones you often see harvesting trees in the forest. These are cranes that you might also see at junkyards or landfills. The average American generates 4.9 pounds of garbage per day, so grapple cranes are built to last.

Grapple cranes are versatile and offer precise control. They also improve efficiency. These are some of the crane advantages it offers.

These Are Some of the Most Common Crane Uses

A crane is an indispensable machine. As you read, crane uses vary across different industries. Cranes are the perfect tools for the heavy lifting and moving of objects.

Make sure to explore the rest of our blog to continue reading more articles about cranes. You’ll learn something new.

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How to Build a Crane

Forecasts show that the global crane and hoist market could reach $4.87 billion by 2028.

Building a crane is not the most complicated process, but it is essential that there are no mistakes. Any oversights in the construction of a crane could result in it collapsing, causing huge amounts of damage.

If you’re interested in the basics of how to build a crane, keep reading.

1. Establish the Location

Making sure the crane is in the most suitable spot is essential. It needs to be in an open space with plenty of room to move, and you should take wind patterns into consideration.

There are also strict placement rules that you must follow. For example, the crane cannot be within 10 feet of power lines.

2. Create the Foundation

Before the crane building can begin a strong foundation is needed to ensure the crane stays stable. The size of the foundation will vary depending on the dimensions of the crane. A rough general size would require a five-foot-deep hole and measure about 30 x 30 feet.

After laying the foundation you should give it a few days to settle before continuing. You’ll want to check the base regularly to be sure it hasn’t sunk at all or settled incorrectly.

If there are any issues the whole foundation may need to be redone. It’s better to make sure it is right from the start to avoid finding out later if the crane collapses.

3. Construct the Initial Tower

The first step of building a crane involves attaching the first mast to the base, usually with anchor bolts that stick out from the substructure. Once secure, you can stack more masts to reach the height needed for the first stage of construction.

Throughout this, and while the crane is in use, the base should be monitored to make sure the load isn’t too heavy and that the elevation is correct.

4. Construct the Slewing Assembly

The slewing assembly consists of a number of components that enable the crane to move in different directions:

• Horizontal jib
• Counter jib
• Cab
• Slewing ring
• Tower top

You can assemble this piece by piece, or if desired it can all be assembled as one part and then lifted onto the initial mast when ready.

5. Adjust the Height

A hydraulic jack along with the top climbing unit makes it possible to lift the slewing assembly while adding new masts. This allows you to increase the overall height of the crane whenever needed.

What to Do After You Build a Crane

Before the crane is used for construction you should carry out a complete inspection and load test. Observing structural elements throughout a load test and re-inspecting after will reveal any issues such as cracks or leaning. It is important to address these immediately.

A licensed technician must also carry out an inspection on any switches, cables, and brakes before use.

These tests may vary for different types of cranes.

Other Crane Building Tips

Cranes are varied, complicated machines, with a lot of different capabilities depending on the type of crane in question.

Now that you know the basics of how to build a crane you might be thinking about investing in one. If that is the case, you’ll want to check out our article about the top factors to consider when buying a crane.

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