Hydraulic Crane – Flexibly Moving Loads
Cranes are among humanity’s oldest lifting devices. As soon as a civilization wants to erect buildings on a larger scale, cranes are required. For many centuries, the rope and pulley system was the usual technology on which cranes were built. This applied not only to the pure lifting work. The assembly and rotation of cranes are still often achieved today using comparatively simple mechanics. However, hydraulics have significantly enhanced crane technology in many aspects, allowing for the continuous development of lifting machines in new performance classes, making a hydraulic crane indispensable in the modern working world.
Mobility as the Core Business of Hydraulic Cranes
Hydraulic cranes are primarily used as mobile machines. Stationary cranes remain a domain of simple cable hoists that perform their tasks via electrically operated geared winches. However, hydraulic cranes provide lifting machines with a flexibility that stationary cranes cannot match, neither in terms of positioning nor speed. Essential components of these cranes are hydraulically designed, although the actual lifting work can often still be supplemented by a cable winch.
Hydraulic cranes are available in the following variants:
- Mobile Cranes
- Telescopic Handlers
- Loader Cranes
- Special Vehicles
- Manual Cranes
Mobile cranes are hydraulic telescopic cranes mounted on heavy chassis. These are usually designed with six, and often eight, axles. In addition to the extendable telescopic boom, the lifting mechanism and the outriggers are also hydraulically designed. TADANO FAUN, GROVE, LIEBHERR, and TEREX are among the leading manufacturers of mobile cranes.
Telescopic handlers are the smaller variant of mobile cranes. They consist of a four-axle chassis with rear-wheel steering, to which the lifting arm is attached laterally. Unlike mobile cranes, the telescopic arm cannot be swiveled; instead, the entire vehicle is moved. The best-known manufacturers of telescopic handlers are SENNEBOGEN and MERLO.
Loader cranes are hydraulically operated auxiliary devices attached to trucks. PALFINGER is one of the best-known manufacturers here. They are operated by a separate cabin or via remote control.
Special vehicles as hydraulic cranes include, for example, container stackers, as used in transshipment ports. These enormous vehicles are operated via a driver’s cabin or an automatic control system.
Another segment of hydraulic cranes can be found in workshops. Here, small, mobile, and primarily manually operated lifting aids offer great assistance due to their simple construction and robust technology. Designed as engine cranes, transmission jacks, or hydraulic lifting platforms, these hydraulic cranes can be used to safely and reliably work on a vehicle even without a power connection.
Our Conclusion on Hydraulic Cranes
In summary, the increased use of hydraulics in cranes becomes particularly useful when it comes to mobile applications. Hydraulics are simply less bulky and more stable than sprawling levers or intricate cable winches.