Overhead cranes make excellent use of redundant overhead space in your workplace environment, while simultaneously improving productivity and safety.
However, it’s fair to say that purchasing an overhead crane requires a lot more thought than shopping for regular goods or business supplies. That’s because choosing an overhead crane which perfectly meets the needs of your industry and business is essential for the long-term satisfaction of your investment.
Metreel is a leading supplier of overhead cranes in the UK. For any business considering buying an overhead crane, our team would be happy to talk through your specific requirements to guide you.
In the meantime, here are some top purchase points to consider.
First Of All – Is An Overhead Crane The Right Type Of Crane For Your Needs?
An overhead crane (also known as a bridge crane) is a type of material handling equipment. Like all cranes, an overhead crane is used to move and reposition heavy loads. However, a key difference is that an overhead crane has runway rails which are installed on the ceiling or within the roof section of your building, rather than the crane being wall or floor-mounted.
If you are not looking for a crane to suit overhead applications, other crane types exist such as:
Click on any of the above links to find out more about that particular crane type, otherwise, stay on this page to continue learning about overhead cranes.
Consider Application Suitability
Overhead cranes run on a track system, and depending on the length of the track, this will determine the types of movements that can be achieved.
Any tasks such as moving materials around a facility or moving pieces down an assembly line need to be able to be completed within this track system.
If you aren’t sure about the type of tasks best suited to overhead cranes, we can advise you further. But to ensure product satisfaction, not to mention safety, it’s important to understand the usage possibilities and limitations of overhead cranes including those which run on track systems.
Load Weight Required
When choosing an overhead crane type, you need to work out the lifting capacity required. For instance, Metreel overhead workstation bridge cranes have lifting capacities of up to 2,000kgs.
Opting for a load capacity that is too low would result in safety risks for workers as well as crane failure. While the natural inclination is to opt for a crane which provides far more lifting capacity than is needed, this can actually reduce efficiency, costing time and money.
So while it’s always a good idea to opt for a crane lifting capacity that is above your minimum requirements, care should also be taken not to opt for such an excessive capacity that would prove to be detrimental in the long run.
Lifting Height And Span
Calculate the vertical and horizontal distances that loads will need to travel over in your facility.
Metreel overhead cranes are available with bridge lengths of up to 10 metres and runway supports of up to 9 metres.
Also consider any required clearance room around the crane to ensure safe operation, but also ease of movement for people or machinery where applicable.
Safety Features
Overhead cranes can have an array of built-in safety features to not only protect your team from injury, but also prevent building or machinery damage within your workplace.
Some examples of overhead crane safety features include emergency stop buttons, overload protection, limit switches and collision avoidance technology.
Be sure to explore the product specifications to see which safety features are provided. It is also worth consulting with your appointed health and safety officer to ensure any safety requirements will be met within your choice of crane.
Purchase An Overhead Crane For Your Business With Metreel
Choosing an overhead crane for your operations is no easy feat since your selection needs to meet a wide range of criteria based on safety and productivity needs.
Get in touch with the Metreel team today to discuss your material handling needs, including purchasing an overhead crane. Based in Derbyshire, we supply overhead cranes to businesses across the UK.
Head over to our product brochure page to view our full range of material handling solutions.
Alternatively, if you’re ready to place an order or have any questions about buying overhead cranes please give us a call on 0115 932 7010 or email us at [email protected].