Not many people know that crawler crane is a very strong and versatile piece of machinery which offers a lot of support to different industries, making several movements of products and goods. But mobile crawlers can really offer a great alternative to the individuals who are looking for a great solution. This article will tell you more about what mobile cranes are and their purpose.
A Mobile Crane generally is a large vehicle that resembles a truck that carries an extending arm which then has a hook by its end which is suspended by a long wire rope that runs along sheaves Steel wheels with a groove in the middle to accommodate the wire rope. The ropes are mostly operated by either the vehicle’s own engine or from an electric motor mounted on the vehicle. Mobile crane are able to travel on roads and highway, unlike crawler cranes which need special equipment to transport them.
Mobile cranes may be simple by design but they can perform Herculean tasks that would otherwise seem impossible. In a matter of minutes, these machines are able to raise bridge beams on highways and heavy equipment in factories and even lift beachfront houses onto pilings.
When working on the job site, outriggers are extended horizontally from the crane chassis and then vertically to the ground to level and stabilize the crane while stationary and hoisting the load.
Depending on the purpose, these mobile cranes actually have different versions;
Firstly, we have the Hydraulic Truck Cranes which are the most general versions of mobile cranes. It is a crane which is mounted on a truck carrier that provides the mobility for this type of crane. This crane has two sections: the carrier, often referred to as the Lower, and the lifting component which includes the boom, referred to as the Upper. These are mated together through a swing bearing, that allow the upper to swing from side to side. These modern hydraulic truck cranes are usually single-engine machines, where they use the same engine to power the undercarriage and the crane. The upper is usually powered via hydraulics run through the swing bearing from the pump mounted on the lower. They usually operate by using hydraulic machines that use the force generated by the pressure of oil that’s being pushed through the pistons inside the hydraulic machine making the boom move.
The second is the All Terrain Cranes which much like its name, is for different kinds of terrain. Since there are times that the site of construction is a little harder to move about and operate onto. These mobile cranes can run on smooth concrete roads and can still run through off-road terrain thanks to its all-wheel-drive system built into it. All Terrain combines the road ability of Truck-mounted Cranes and the maneuverability of Rough Terrain Cranes. All Terrain Cranes have 2 to 9 axles and are designed for lifting loads up to 1,200 tonnes.
Then there are the Rough Terrain Cranes. These were specifically designed for off-road terrain. It is also a hydraulic powered mobile crane running on rubber wheels, making it perfectly suitable for places where the ground is uneven. The crane is mounted on an undercarriage with four rubber tires that is designed for pick-and-carry operations and for off-road and “rough terrain” applications. Outriggers are used to level and stabilize the crane for hoisting. These rough terrain cranes are single-engine machines; They use the same engine to power both the undercarriage and the crane. In a rough terrain crane, the engine is usually mounted in the undercarriage rather than in the upper, as with crawler crane. Most have 4 wheel drive and 4 wheel steering which allows them to traverse in tighter and slicker terrain than a standard truck crane.