The Carolinas Crane Blog by Parker's Crane

What Types of Cranes are Used for Construction?

What Types of Cranes are Used for Construction?

There are several cities and areas in the South that are growing rapidly. Uptown and south Charlotte, Asheville, Columbia, Greenville, the Triad, the Triangle, and Charleston are regularly included on lists of fastest-growing cities in the country. People are attracted to these areas for the mild weather, outdoor recreation opportunities, and quality of life. Moving from out west or up north often means families can upgrade their homes and properties, pay lower tax rates, and get more mileage out of their dollars. The job markets in these cities are strong, and companies are hiring for excellent careers. Each year, tens of thousands of people move to the Carolinas for new careers.

With new people and businesses moving here, for some cities, it seems like cranes are permanent fixtures in their skylines. Contractors are often booked months and years in advance. Parker Crane’s team is proud to provide the highest quality cranes, and machinery builders need to construct new apartments, offices, educational institutions, retail, and industrial buildings throughout the Carolinas. Here is a quick overview of the types of cranes you may need for your construction project:

An Overview of Cranes

Cranes are an essential part of building high-rises and large construction projects. They can be used to move heavy equipment and materials to some of the highest constructions in the world. There are essentially two categories of cranes - static and mobile. 

Static Cranes

Overhead Cranes

Overhead cranes are used to move heavy objects from one location to another. These cranes consist of a horizontal bridge that travels along a runway on tracks. These cranes can hoist upwards of 400 tons. Typically, these cranes are installed for permanent use in a variety of industries. 

Tower Cranes

Tower cranes are the perfect solution for building projects in dense urban areas. This is the type of crane that can become a fixture of a growing city’s skyline. They typically require a mobile crane to set them up. Once the initial phase of crane construction is complete, a climbing frame can be added to the base of the tower and raised to add new mast sections.

  • Hammerhead Tower Cranes: These cranes include a horizontal jib that rotates 360-degree around the mainmast. One of the most popular types of cranes in an urban area, especially when headroom is limited. 
  • Luffing Tower Cranes: Serving similar purposes as hammerhead cranes, these units have a jib that can be raised and lowered through a method called luffing. These cranes are capable of lifting heavier objects than hammerhead cranes. 
  • Self-erecting Tower Cranes: These units are more lightweight and transportable than hammerhead and luffing cranes; however, they have a lower load capacity. They and fold and unfold, so it is possible to erect and dismantle them onsite. They are perfect for situations in which cranes need to be moved around on a construction site or between sites. 

Level-Luffing Crane

Level-luffing cranes are similar to luffing tower cranes in design. However, in addition to moving rotationally around the vertical mast, the jib can move inward and outward. These cranes are perfect for freight loading and ship construction, as well as a number of other projects. 

Mobile Cranes

Static cranes are typically used in situations where the unit will not need to be moved between sites. Mobile cranes are smaller than static cranes and mounted on some kind of truck or tracks. There are four common types of mobile cranes:

  • Crawler Cranes: Mounted on tracks like a tank, these have lattice jibs much like static cranes and can lift upwards of 2,500 tons. 
  • Rough Terrain Cranes: In regions that have challenging terrain or frequent weather-related impacts, RT cranes have a telescoping boom mounted on four oversized tires. It can pick up about 165 tons. 
  • Truck Cranes: Truck-mounted cranes are also known as TMCs. With booms mounted to a large truck bed, these units are especially mobile and can lift up to 45 tons. 
  • All-Terrain Cranes: These are similar to truck cranes and rough terrain cranes but typically have more tires that are capable of handling extremely challenging terrain. You can find all-terrain cranes with load capacities as high as 1,200 tons. 
  • Carry Deck Cranes: Capable of lifting up to approximately ten tons, carry deck cranes have a telescopic boom that mounts to a deck. The deck rests on four large tires. 

This article is really only scratching the surface of the types and capabilities of cranes. If you need mobile crane service, heavy hauling, or rigging equipment for your construction project, Parker Crane is here for you. We will help you every step of the way, from set-up to take down, providing CCO Operators, Riggers, and Signal Persons, and whatever you need to get your construction project built safely and efficiently. Contact the experienced crane experts at Parker Crane for more information.

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