Investing in a new industrial overhead crane involves lots of choices and options. Before you begin looking, some information you'll need includes understanding what functions it will perform for you, your facility dimensions, weight bearing requirements, whether you want a permanent solution or mobile overhead crane, brake options, drive speeds and control options. You'll find many types of cranes, but three of the major types include bridge, jib and gantry cranes.

Most overhead crane companies take care of overhead crane installation and service, but ask about their capabilities when it comes to repairs you need quickly. In researching different overhead cranes for sale, focus on the long-term investment you'll make in your productivity, worker safety and efficiency. Consider the following benefits of overhead cranes:

1. Overhead cranes carry heavy items on a more direct path than other material handling systems like forklifts.

2. Overhead traveling cranes can improve overall employee safety, since the crane's operator controls the crane from a distance and maintains an unobstructed view of the crane's path.

3. A bridge crane lets you free up floor space with precision lifting and ability to stack materials higher than other material handling systems.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Order an overhead bridge crane

Bridge cranes, though often the most costly overhead crane option, provide the greatest control over their loads and provide the fewest obstacles on the floor.

I recommend: Contact overhead bridge crane manufacturer Washington Crane & Hoist for more information on the C-Series (moderate duty) and D-Series (heavy duty, continuous lifting) cranes they design, fabricate and install. Click on the pictures at L.K. Goodwin, a material handling equipment distributor, for overhead crane price quotes and complete specifications; you can also find the prices and specifications for overhead crane parts by clicking on their pictures.

Purchase jib overhead cranes

Consider buying or leasing a jib crane if you're looking for an overhead crane perfect for workstations. These overhead cranes mount to a base plate, pipe, wall or column. Additionally, they frequently provide a simpler and less expensive solution than bridge or gantry cranes.

I recommend: Choose among the four styles of Abell-Howe jib cranes at Crane-TEC, where they deliver, install and service your overhead crane. Their standard Abell-Howe jib cranes include capacities up to 5 tons and 20-foot spans, but they can also customize your jib crane with capacities up to 20 tons and span up to 60 feet. Also consider the workstation, articulating and I-beam jib cranes at Gorbel, a company that first began manufacturing jib cranes in 1977.

Purchase a gantry overhead crane

Gantry cranes run on runways at floor level and often come cheaper than bridge cranes. They install quickly and function both indoors and outside.

I recommend: Request a quote for your next gantry crane from North American Industries. Not only do they design, produce, install and service the crane you buy, but they operate overhead crane service and repair centers nationwide. Contact SISSCO Material Handling, a company that's been around since 1972, for more information on their gantry cranes. You can order your overhead crane parts from their website, and some of their many services include OSHA safety inspections, certified load testing and certified crane inspection.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Any overhead cranes you buy, used or new, must meet American National Standard Institute/American Society of Mechanical Engineers Safety Code specifications.
• •  Because of the heavy loads they carry, overhead cranes require regular inspections. You must accomplish an initial overhead crane inspection prior to its first use and then frequent and periodic inspections of various crane parts and components for excessive wear and various indicator inaccuracies.