A jib crane is a stationary crane that uses a cantilevered bridge (anchored at one end only) supported from a fixed vertical support. The crane consists of a hoist (the lifting component) attached to a rotating arm or boom, which works as a manipulator. The mobile arm rotates 360 degrees and is often equipped with end effectors to handle various load capacities. It is normally wall or floor mounted, with effectors such as grippers, forks or barrel grabs that may be used interchangeably.
Jib Crane: Industry Use
These cranes, mostly utilized for heavy industrial applications, have different boom designs such as articulating and pivoted arms. Versatile design allows you to mount the crane on walls, floors and ceilings, while others are portable in design. Workstation jibs perform well for lower weight applications, while bigger ones are common in heavy-duty industries, where load capacities range from one to fifteen US tons. Nowadays, there is high demand for four and five-ton capacity jib cranes, while mining and nuclear energy power plants sometimes require heavy-duty jibs.
How To Choose Jib Cranes
It is imperative to select an appropriate jib crane from the gamut of options available in the market. Failure to make the right decision can lead to wastage of time, money and resources, as the machine may fail to perform the envisaged service due to wrong construction design. There are various sizes and designs of these cranes available from manufacturers for different industrial applications. Specific crane design concepts are useful for particular uses only. Thus, you must have technical and logistical expertise of your working environment and jib crane specifications, in order to make the right choice. Some of the options available include:
Structural Beam Jib Crane – The structural design concept provides for a versatile crane, practical for numerous industrial purposes. It can be floor, free standing or insert mounted. You can often see structural beam cranes performing lesser tasks beneath massive bridge and gantry cranes in docks and assembly plants. Special designs of these cranes are available in both light and heavy-duty formats.
Workstation Jib Crane – A big number of workstation cranes are freestanding or wall cantilever designs. These light machines are simple to install and utilize at the workplace. You can simply bolt the crane in place without necessarily building a foundation for it to rest on. Hence, workstation cranes are cheaper than conventional cranes in the market. They are superb for lifting and loading in circular motions with a capacity of a hundred to a thousand pounds.
Articulating Jib Crane – This is the ideal crane for awkward jobs that require flexible handling motions. They can shift loads around corners, columns and even reach into containers. Further, they are available in numerous designs such as freestanding, bridge mounted, wall mounted and ceiling mounted options. Some articulating cranes span almost fifteen feet in height and can rotate 360 degrees with relative ease.
No footing/ Foundationless Jib Crane – Crane foundations are costly to construct. Therefore, a foundationless design concept is quite a handy, money saving option for industrial hoisting needs. Lack of a foundation also makes it a portable jib crane suitable for remote hoisting jobs.
Popular Types Of Jib Cranes
A jib crane is usually floor mounted, but some designs mount on walls and besides machines. Crane positioning is a crucial specification when choosing these hoists. It determines versatility of usage according to different industrial environments. Thus, popular makes of these cranes according to positions include:
Freestanding jibs – This crane stands directly on floors without the need for extra support components to keep it upright. However, you must dig a three to five feet foundation with a strong base to maintain its stability. The strength of the foundation depends on the load capacity and hoisting nature envisaged. Its main advantage is that you do not require a supporting wall or structure, while the crane provides maximum span and control compared to other designs. A good example is the floor-mounted jib from Global Industries, with 360 degrees rotation capability and solid steel construction.
Wall mounted jibs – This type of crane is suitable for working environments with little floor space. You can fit the crane underneath roofs since it requires little headroom to operate effectively. The crane has a circular hoisting span of roughly twenty feet, and works well in conjunction with electric chain hoists. Nevertheless, you require a sturdy wall or column to attach it. Its main drawback is the limited rotation compared to mast style and freestanding cranes. A good example of wall mounted jib cranes is the Abell-Howe steel crane with 20” boom span and 1-ton hoist capacity.
Wall bracket jibs – These overhead jib cranes are almost similar to wall mounted designs, expect that they come with a bracket. It is common in bays and on the walls or columns of assembly plants, where hoisting motions entail a lot of swinging around over barriers and obstructions. A typical lowly priced example of this jib crane is the Gorbel LD Wall Mounted crane, with 4” boom span and fifty-pound hoist capacity.
Mast style jibs – This jib crane does not require a foundation but you must securely fix it at the top and bottom. The hoist rotates at 360 degrees depending on the model, and has maximum lift capability utilizing full usage of the headroom. You can have the boom placed conveniently to avoid obstacles in the workshop.
Benefits And Limitations Of Jib Cranes
- Strength, stability and versatility permits lifting of materials and products from system to system.
- The crane is ideal for repetitive functions around the workplace.
- Similar to a gantry crane, the jib only moves materials and equipment from one point to the other rather than along the entire workflow process.
Before you choose a suitable jib crane for industrial use, ask yourself about the types of jobs and applications in the workshop. Also, decide whether you require a stationary or portable crane for the hoisting needs of the workshop.