In 2022, the global monorail crane market was valued at $2.1 billion and is expected to grow by 6.8% by 2023. That’s according to insights by Market Size and Trends.
Of all the leading markets in the world, the UK ranked as one of the top nations to have invested in monorail cranes. This is due to the increasing demand for efficient material handling solutions.
Here at Metreel, monorail cranes are one of the many crane types we can install for your business.
Keep reading to learn more about monorail cranes, including the specific uses and benefits they have over other crane types.
Monorail Cranes: An Overview
A monorail crane runs on a single elevated track and can be suspended above workers (ceiling-mounted) or freestanding (floor-mounted).
Like all cranes, the purpose of using a monorail crane is when there is a need to transport heavy loads within industrial settings. Monorail cranes are intuitively designed to streamline workflows while also optimising space.
The main components of a monorail crane include the rail (also known as an I-beam), hoist, trolley, support structure and controls.
Out of all the components, the rail is the most recognisable feature of a monorail crane, as it is the single track is where the monorail crane gets its name.
The track itself can run in a straight line, but it can also be curved to navigate various obstacles. Typically, a monorail crane is designed to run over a fixed path.
When To Use A Monorail Crane
While monorail cranes can be floor-mounted, ceiling-mounted monorails are one of the more common monorail types. Utilising the ceiling space is ideal when a facility lacks floor space since the ceiling area is often underused in most buildings such as warehouses or assembly lines.
Also, monorail cranes are ideal when the movement of goods can be confined to a fixed path, rather than requiring freedom of movement as other crane types can provide.
Since monorail cranes aren’t portable (like portable gantry cranes), they would also be suitable when the lifting operations take place in the same location.
Monorail Crane Advantages
- Ideal when looking to move heavy items over a fixed path only
- Excellent for space saving with ceiling-mounted installations available
- The track is fully customisable based on the journey goods need to take through your building
- Monorail cranes can be cheaper to install than other crane types
- Improves safety and efficiency for the required manual handling tasks
Monorail Crane Considerations
So long as you understand what monorail cranes are and what they are designed for, they shouldn’t pose any limitations for your operations.
That said, it’s good to keep in mind that monorail cranes only work along a predetermined path. This means they aren’t the right solution if you need a crane which can be used in different locations elsewhere in your building or even off-site.
At Metreel, our monorail cranes offer lifting capacities up to 2,000kgs. If you require a capacity greater than this, then you will need to explore another crane type instead. However, should this be the case, our team would be more than happy to discuss your lifting requirements with you to find the best solution for your operations.
Metreel – Discover Our Overhead Monorail Cranes UK
Are you considering investing in a monorail crane to improve the safety and efficiency of your operations?
Based in Derbyshire, Metreel is a leading supplier of overhead monorail cranes including floor and ceiling-mounted monorail cranes.
Head over to our Monorails page to view our product specifications or download our free material handling brochure.
Or, if you have any questions about our monorail cranes please give us a call on 0115 647 0422 or drop us a message and we’ll be in touch shortly.