Bridge Cranes VS. Warehouse Cranes: Key Features

With the right equipment you can take your company’s productivity to another level. Since in a warehouse one works with bulky materials, a suitable equipment must be used, these being overhead cranes. Without such equipment, the productivity of your business risks decreasing, and workplace accidents are not excluded. This type of problem can be easily solved with the help of bridge cranes or warehouse cranes, both of which are equally useful, but have some differences when it comes to transporting, lifting, and lowering materials. This industrial equipment has positive reviews from all users and are highly appreciated all over the world.

What Are Bridge Cranes?

The reason why bridge cranes have this name is because they are based on a structure of the same name, which is the main piece of this industrial equipment. The bridge structure is attached to horizontal beams and rails, and through this system the crane is allowed to cross and transport the materials from one end of the warehouse to the other. A bridge crane can cover very long distances, which is why it is suitable for industrial-sized warehouses. Along the bridge, the crane can transport the materials by means of winches or lifting systems. At the same time, the vertical movements of raising and lowering can also be performed.

For extended factories dealing with large loads such as ports or construction warehouses a bridge crane is the ideal solution. These cranes are also recommended for situations when transport distances are quite large.

The Components of a Bridge Crane

The bridge: Considering that it gives the crane its name, it is also the main component that allows it to make its movements from one end of the factory where it is installed to the other. To facilitate the mobilization of the crane, the bridge is located on the opposite sides of the warehouse, being also the component on which all other parts that contribute to the movements on the horizontal trajectory rest.

The runway: These components are actually the parts on which the horizontal movement is carried out, being installed on fixed supports of the bridge. They ensure the mobilization of the crane, but also its stability, so the load can be transported across the entire width of the hall.

The trolley: This is a component that has the responsibility of transporting the load along the bridge, being also the one with making the lifting and lowering movements by means of rollers or a cable system.

The drive system and motor: Are the components that control the movement of the carriage, bridge and lifting mechanism. It can have various tools such as variable speed drives and brakes to allow precise control of movements, it is almost like a manual car.

The lifting mechanism: As the name suggests, is the component that handles the lowering and lifting of the load. This mechanism is actually a system made up of steel cables and wheels.

The operating panel in the operator’s cabin: Is the part that handles the mobility of the crane by means of an operator, or in the case of manual designs, in an automatic mode.

Safety systems: Are essential when it comes to such industrial equipment as they play a role in overload protection and preventing the load from falling. This system ensures a safe operation.

What Are Warehouse Cranes?

When your warehouse is not very extensive or is just starting out, warehouse cranes are the ideal choice as they work with moderate sized loads over shorter distances. However, they also have the same role as a bridge crane, namely to transport and handle the goods. Therefore, this type of crane is most common in smaller warehouses such as the automotive sector for handling and moving auto parts, in the food industry for ingredient management, and so on.

Warehouse cranes are often based on electric action or through a hydraulic system, but they can be equipped with several accessories to be able to handle different types of loads. They are needed to improve efficiency in storage, ensure safer handling of materials and improve storage efficiency.

The Key Differences Between Bridge Cranes and Warehouse Cranes

Even though the components of these types of cranes are the same, they still have a list of differences that set them apart.

The first difference between these two types of cranes is that bridge cranes are used in extended warehouses, while warehouse cranes are used for smaller areas of work such as the automotive sector where it must handle moderate loads.

A second difference is, as previously mentioned, in their lifting capacity and size. Warehouse cranes are most often used in smaller loads, while bridge cranes lift much heavier materials than a warehouse crane.

As in any other field, the design also makes a significant difference as a bridge crane is intended for larger halls and is positioned in fixed areas such as the ceiling. A warehouse crane can be more varied being a more flexible structure.

The final differences between these two types of cranes are cost, installation time and space requirements. A bridge crane has much higher costs than a warehouse, and the assembly time is longer for the first than for the second. And the last difference consists in the space required for mounting the crane, the bridge requiring a much larger space than the warehouse.

Conclusion

Considering the, although these two types of cranes present quite different aspects, you must analyse your needs and the purpose for which you will use them, so that you can then make the right decision. Both bridge cranes and warehouse cranes are equally useful, each in their field of work for which they are designed. For example, a warehouse crane will not handle the load in an extensive warehouse that has heavy loads. Whereas a bridge crane will never be able to be as flexible as a warehouse crane.

To choose the right one it is essential to look at the purpose for this crane, what the costs might be compared to your budget, and in which work area you want to mount it. To benefit from all the properties of a crane, every aspect must be considered. When you have a more limited initial budget, and the materials you want to work with are of moderate size, you can invest in a warehouse crane. But if you are aware that you will need a crane with a higher lifting capacity, the bridge crane is the solution for you, even if it is not an option on the budget.