What Are The Major Components Of A Crane

What Are The Major Components Of A Crane

Cranes are essential pieces of equipment not only used in construction but also in the transportation industry. These machines are designed to lift and shift heavy loads. This is possible with the help of several different components such as the boom and hydraulics etc. Before going to crane rentals, you should know these basic things about cranes. Let’s take a deeper look into the components of a crane along with their purpose.

The Hook

The most noticeable part of a crane is perhaps the hook. This is the main connecting point between the load and the crane. While lifting and shifting heavy weights around the construction site, the hook can be trusted to hold them while the crane does its work.

Since hooks deal with extremely heavy weights, it is important that they are durable and strong. With people on the ground working as well, the last thing you would want is the hook giving up and crashing all the load to the ground, leading to serious injuries.

Wire Rope And Sheaves

The next important component of cranes used to lift extremely heavy loads is the heavy-duty wires and sheaves. If you look closely, these are smaller steel ropes twister together to make a wire rope. These wire ropes are attached to the crane and the load and are used to lift loads

Meanwhile, the sheaves are components that increase the lifting capacity of the hook. It is a pully system through which the wire ropes go. With more wires, you can do more weight distribution and reduce the risk of overloading and accidents. As a result, the hook is able to lift much heavier loads than a single wire rope would be able to do.

The Boom

The boom of a crane can be recognized most easily. It can be identified from a distance since it is also the biggest part of the crane that can extend depending on the height at which the load needs to be shifted. The size of the boom itself also depends on the size of the crane.

There are two types of booms: the hydraulic boom and the lattice boom. The hydraulic boom comes with telescopic features that allow the crane to extend its boom to far places.

On the other hand, the lattice boom consists of welded steel, resembling the appearance of a lattice. This reduces the weight of the boom and gives it great strength.

Counter Weights

Amongst the numerous impressive features cranes are loaded with, one of them is that cranes do not tip over while lifting and shifting heavy loads. This is possible due to counterweights. The counterweights are placed on the back of the crane and prevent it from losing its balance.

That said, without the counterweights, the crane will simply lean over or fall towards the direction of the weight or the boom. Therefore, the counterweights are used in the opposite direction of the boom lift to keep the crane firm in its place. Furthermore, counterweights can also be removed to make transportation easier and can tow them as well.

Outriggers

Cranes do come with legs that help keep the crane stable while it is dealing with heavy loads. You might have seen cranes standing on metal stands protruding from the inside of the crane to help with stability, especially if the crane is working on uneven terrain.

These outriggers will contract once the heavy lifting is done and the crane will return to its tires or tracks. The combination of counterweights, outriggers, and a complex hoist system keeps the crane safe and secure while loading and unloading extremely heavy weights.

The Jib

Sometimes, the cranes need to shift the load at a location that is slightly farther than its reach. This is where the jib comes in. It is basically an arm that extends to provide a few extra inches of reach. This component comes in use when the loads that need to be lifted are larger or longer, forcing the crane to stand farther away during the process.

Final Word

It is important for you to be familiar with the components of a crane if you plan on renting it from crane services VA as the information gives you an insight into the type of crane you should be going for.

Benefits of hiring crane rental services

Benefits of hiring crane rental services

Are you starting a new construction project? Chances are that you will need heavy machinery moving and lifting. However, lifting and moving heavy machinery or weights is not that easy. Without a crane, it would be totally impossible.

Now, buying your own crane would not be realistic, since they will cost around $200k or more. Instead, it makes much more sense to hire a crane rigging service that gives out cranes for rent. Such services not only rent out cranes but also provide seasoned operators who know crane operations inside out.

What are crane services?

These are services that provide cranes for rent. When you are working with a crane rental service, check whether the company has up-to-date equipment and good team members. The equipment under consideration should be inspected fully for safety. This is to be done for your own peace of mind.

For as long as the crane service is insured, you do not have much to worry about. Equipment inspection and other safety assurance will be the responsibility of the service.

There are many benefits of crane rental services. In this article, we list them all for you.

Better flexibility

The best part about crane rental services is that you do not have to buy cranes. It is much more flexible and convenient to hire a crane by the hour. If you buy your own cranes, you will have to worry about many things such as storage, inspection, repairs, staff, personal protective equipment, and a lot more.

Latest technology

Good crane rental services keep their equipment up-to-date and hire the best staff in the market. Since the world of building and construction is rapidly advancing, the designs of cranes have also significantly changed. Today, a variety of powerful machines are available that significantly improve building efficiency. By hiring crane rental companies, you will not have to worry about the depreciating value of your own cranes.

Keeping down the cost

Of course, if you bought your own crane, the biggest hurdle would be the one-time capital cost. While it does not end there, it does not make much sense to spend $200k on a crane. On top of that, additional costs such as storage, repairs, fuel, and inspections will simply poke a deep hole in your wallet.

While working with crane rental companies, you only need insurance for the particular project at hand. After that, you can enjoy some peace of mind knowing that your work is in safe hands. But for that, we suggest you always get help from professional and well-reputed contractors.

Prioritize your safety

The safety of employees is extremely important. This is why crane rental services make sure that they have seasoned professionals who operate the cranes. This way, you will not have to put your own employees in danger, especially when they lack the necessary training to operate a crane.

Increased efficiency

Modern lifting and moving machines come with amazing capacities and advanced features. These tend to significantly improve the efficiency of the project. So, your work can get done much faster and in a much safer way.

Conclusion

There are many other benefits of hiring crane rentals instead of buying your own cranes. But of course, we have included the ones that we consider are the most notable. As a rule, you should do some research before hiring crane rental services.

Make sure that the rigging services DC that you are planning to hire have the necessary experience. The company must also provide insurance and the best equipment in the market along with seasoned professionals to operate the machines. This way, you will get the best bang for the buck.

Buying vs renting a crane

Buying vs renting a crane

If you have good access to the right equipment, you can boost a lot of things in your company. For instance, if you are a construction manager, the right equipment can increase the earnings of your company tenfold. But the question remains, should you buy your own cranes or get a crane for rent?

Construction companies cannot survive without the use of cranes and this is a reality. Now, there are a number of benefits of both owning a crane and taking one for rent. However, as a construction manager, you must look beyond and see which decision is more practical for your company in the long run.

Typically, small companies do not buy their own cranes due to the huge amount of capital that is required. Rather, they reach out to rigging services and rent cranes whenever they have a project.

If you are a construction manager who is confused between buying a crane and renting a crane, you are at the right place. In this article, we will give you deep insight into this and help you clear your confusion out.

Buying a crane vs renting one

There are many benefits of renting a crane if you are a manager at a company. For instance, you will always get the access to modern cranes and features. With that, you will also get a wider variety of cranes to choose from.

Furthermore, you will not have to pay any transportation costs or maintenance expenses. All that you will be doing is using the crane and then returning it back to the company from which you have hired it from.

At the same time, many companies also allow you to try the cranes before renting them. This is a perfect opportunity for those new companies who do not know which cranes they should buy.

Now, these are the most common advantages of renting a crane. However, there may be some drawbacks also. Next, let us take a quick look at the cons of renting cranes.

Cons of renting cranes

Well, the advantages are indeed innumerable. However, certain cons must be considered before you go out to rent a crane. First, chances are that you may have to hire crane operators and train them yourself in the field.

This is because cranes require a crane operator for proper operation. These operators have a great sense of the centre of gravity of objects and know everything about operating cranes. That will of course, have its costs too.

Furthermore, many types of cranes are not available in all seasons. At the same time, you may also not find the particular type of crane that you are looking for at all times. What if another company has hired the crane from the same contractor?

Some companies who do not have their own crane operators also hire operators on a contract basis. However, these costs will then be added up to the crane rental costs. And operators who work on contracts tend to be more expensive.

In case you have a lot of work with cranes and require the help of a crane operator, then it is much better to hire a full-time operator.

Ending Note

Cranes are undeniably a very important part of the construction business. Without the use of cranes, no construction project will ever be successful. After they, are used to transfer heavy load from one point to the other.

While taking cranes for rent, just make sure that you are reaching out to the best rigging services VA out there. We do not really suggest you take chances with the less experienced contractors.