Cranes are one of humanity’s oldest inventions, and these collections of simple machines have helped people move materials as diverse as water, stone, ship-borne cargo, and building materials. But despite their antiquity, cranes have advanced significantly in recent years, one of the most notable innovations being the overhead bridge crane.
In this article, we will compile an Overhead Bridge Cranes Buyers Guide, explaining what the most popular types of cranes are, what you should look for when purchasing them, some common applications, and standard accessories.
Popular Types of Overhead Bridge Cranes
The overhead crane is broadly defined as a type of limited-mobility crane with an essentially fixed horizontal beam. One common element of all these cranes is that they’re typically used in industrial environments rather than construction sites; despite some exceptions to the rule, they’re relatively fixed pieces of equipment. Examples in this admittedly large category of overhead cranes include jib cranes (floor or wall attached cranes), gantry cranes (freestanding cranes supported by a supporting frame), workstation cranes (wide-spanning cranes featuring floor-mounted supports), and monorail cranes (cranes where the hook travels on a monorail-like track). One final type of overhead crane — and the focus of our buying guide — is the overhead bridge crane.
What distinguishes overhead bridge cranes from other types of overhead cranes is how they’re anchored. Bridge cranes span internal supports within a commercial structure (e.g., a warehouse), using the elements that buttress the building to support its own operations. A girder or girders allow a bridge that houses the hook to move up and down it, while perpendicular runners span the operating space, facilitating the crane’s positioning. A piece of equipment called an end truck secures the girder or girders to the runners, and integrated wheels move the entire assembly.
Overhead bridge cranes come in multiple configurations, the most common of which include the following:
- Single-Girder Cranes. Some bridge cranes suspend a single girder from runner to runner. This type of crane is the least expensive to purchase, install, operate, and repair. Its major downside is that it’s typically restricted to significantly shorter spans and lighter loads.
- Double-Girder Cranes. This kind of bridge crane uses a pair of girders for support, which makes it more appropriate for heavier-duty applications. Double-girder cranes are typically much more costly than single-girder options, but they also have higher clearances in addition to their greater lift loads.
- Top-Running Cranes. Another way to delineate crane types is by how the bridge moves across the girder or girders. Double-girder cranes are usually also top-running cranes, including rails on the tops of their girders upon which the bridge slides. This allows for the shifting of much greater loads.
- Under-Running Cranes. Conversely, under-running cranes are typically single-girder cranes. These lighter options include a flange beneath the girder onto which the bridge is secured.
Single Girder vs. Double Girder Bridge Cranes
As we mentioned in the previous section, single-girder cranes tend to be preferred for lighter work in smaller spaces. Due to their lighter construction, these cranes cost significantly less to ship and install. They’re appropriate for uses that are smaller in scope or for organizations looking to maximize cost savings.
Double-girder bridge cranes have an entirely opposite use case. While they are more costly according to every metric, they also offer the most in terms of performance. When you need to move very heavy loads or need a bridge-crane system that stretches over greater distances, double-girder cranes are the ideal option.
Top Running Crane vs Under Running Crane
It’s tempting to think that terms such as “top-running crane” and “under-running crane” are essentially synonymous with “double-girder crane” and “single-girder crane” since those are the kinds of equipment that use them. However, that would be a mistake, because these categories contain subtleties that deserve independent treatment.
For example, top-running cranes do more than merely support heavier loads. They maximize operating space and are ideal solutions for work areas that require maximum operational height or that need to efficiently use constricted spaces. However, top-running cranes usually need additional supporting such as standalone columns or an added bracket in order to function at maximum loads.
Under-running cranes have the advantage of fitting well with existing building designs and typically not requiring any retrofitting of the extant structure. It’s easy to service and can be integrated into other overhead crane designs, such as a monorail system.
What to Look for When Buying Overhead Bridge Cranes
As with many pieces of heavy equipment, the first thing you need to do is determine your end-use scenario as thoroughly as possible, asking questions such as the following:
- How great of a load will you need to lift?
- How far will you need to lift it? To move it laterally?
- What kind of clearances will your use case require?
- What support does your existing structure provide?
- Do you need to integrate the crane into an existing system?
Once you’ve answered these queries, you can turn to more technical matters. Some specific considerations include:
- Load capacity
- Crane span
- Working frequency
- Supporting systems
- Price
- Warranty
- Service and maintenance requirements
Applications & Uses
Overhead bridge cranes have numerous uses in contexts with limited scopes where users need to move predetermined loads linearly. Some examples are:
- Manufacturing (ferrying parts through a production line)
- Logistics (placing finished goods onto trucks or in cargo containers)
- Warehousing and Storage (moving raw materials, finished goods, and other kinds of inventory into holding spaces)
- Assembly (moving finished parts to precise locations during the assembly process)
- Metal Refining (depositing raw materials into a furnace)
Accessories for Overhead Bridge Cranes
Though bridge-crane systems only come in four main types, they feature numerous options, accessories, spare parts, and replacement items, including:
- Telescoping bridges
- Mixed capacity systems
- Tractor drives
- Bridge buffers
- Intermediate bumpers
- Double-girder nested trolleys
- Box tracks
- End-stop bumpers
- Cable/hose trolleys
- Festoon sections
- Hoist trolleys
- Cable/hose clamps
- Hanger assemblies
- Flat-cable festooning systems
Tips & Tricks
It’s easy to find overhead bridge cranes on Surplus Record. On any page on our website, you’ll find a search bar near the top. Type in the phrase “overhead bridge cranes,” click on the category below the box when it appears, and see the items available for sale.
Featured manufacturers include Demag, Kone, R & M, and Yale/Coffing.
We also work with a variety of dealers who specialize in overhead bridge cranes. You can also find dealers in your area or by name who specialize in overhead bridge cranes.
