Spider cranes are used for crane lifting and moving heavy items. Typically used in construction and carrying out industrial scale lifting, spider cranes are a brilliant way to move objects on your construction site. Keep reading to find our full breakdown of spider cranes and how they might be useful to you.
What Is A Mini Spider Crane?
A spider crane, or a mini crane, is designed to get into restricted or limited working spaces, and share a lot of their features with traditional cranes. The spider crane is true to its name with its spidery shape and additional legs. It has a long boom, perfect for lifting, and crawler tracks that will enable it to move around more difficult obstacles.
They are extremely versatile and they can be used in many places that traditional cranes cannot. For example, spider, or mini cranes can work on top of buildings and in generally more challenging areas. They have been designed to work effectively in low access or confined areas, either indoors or outdoors.
What Are The Features Of A Spider Crane?
The basic features of a spider crane or mini crane include:
● A compact body, making the crane easy to navigate through smaller spaces and indoors.
● Crawlers, which allow the crane to confined areas (this can vary depending on the brand.)
● Motors are usually electric in these cranes, meaning they release fewer emissions and can run seamlessly in different terrains and settings. There are few models of spider cranes that are operated manually. Diesel models are more ideal for outdoor use, and electric models are better for indoor use.
● The weight of spider cranes is usually very light so they can move around easily and allow products to be carried to a site.
● Outriggers are used to stabilise the compact body of the crane and allow it to function with ease. These are the supporting beams, or legs, of the crane.
● Winches are a common feature on these kinds of cranes, allowing it to lift and move items.
Where Are Spider Cranes Used?
Spider cranes or mini cranes can be used in a range of places for a range of industries. Typically they can be used for work within subways, underground facilities, tunnels, water lines and electrical lines. These are all physically small areas, where the working space is limited and a traditional crane wouldn’t be as useful as a spider crane.
The uses of mini cranes are practically limitless, these are a few examples of the industries where spider cranes can be used:
● Power Stations
● Oil & Gas Industry
● Railway Work
● Military
● Forestry
● Tunnels & Underground
● Building Construction & Steel Erection
● Glazing Works
You would typically find them in cities, as a higher level of construction takes place in more urban spaces with confined areas. Additionally, you may find them useful for landscaping projects as they can be useful, without damaging the site or surrounding area.
Advantages & Disadvantages
As you can imagine, there are both benefits and drawbacks of spider cranes which we are going to break down for you.
Advantages
● Spider cranes or mini cranes, are able to function in extremely challenging terrains. Due to their versatility and outrigger legs that emulate a spider, they can operate well on uneven surfaces and slopes.
● Mini cranes have a tracked mobility feature too, allowing them to travel over rough surfaces and uneven grounds. This is one of their main benefits.
● Working in confined and compact areas is another advantage of using a spider crane over a traditional crane, giving them a valid reason to be so widespread in the market.
● Spider cranes come with health and safety elements that allow an easy operation as well as guaranteeing a high level of security. They have features that create an advanced safety system, to keep the user safe at all times. Usually, the system sees that the outrigger interlocks so that the chassis is nice and stable before any work is conducted.
● Along the lines of safety, these cranes feature a safe load indicator, which keeps them from lifting outside their operational capacity, helping to consider the health and safety of anyone on the site of a project.
● If you or your business is particularly eco-conscious, spider cranes can be found in environmentally friendly formats. You won’t need to compromise on heavy lifting energy, as the eco-friendly designs focus on reducing the fumes and carbon footprint left behind by these types of machines. This is another reason why they are brilliant for working in sensitive environments.
Disadvantages
Despite their plethora of advantages, there are some drawbacks of spider cranes to keep in mind.
● A major limitation of a spider crane is a result of its size. While this does give it some advantages, its lifting payload and reach is often limited in comparison to regular cranes. Due to its size, the maximum payload of a spider crane can often be the minimum payload of a regular crane.
● Another drawback as a result of their size, is that spider cranes can be susceptible to extremely windy conditions. Their design and size can leave them vulnerable in high winds.
● Another disadvantage is that they are more expensive than traditional cranes. Because they are more expensive, they are not commonly found.
Cranes In Construction
Cranes have been heavily relied on in the construction industry, for lifting and moving large items, and doing so in a safe manner. Crane rental can really benefit a business or project. By having a rented crane, you can safely carry out your tasks and not have to worry about where your crane will go. You are also ensuring a safe working environment, as a rented crane will be maintained and certified for use.
Picking Out The Right Crane
Spider or mini cranes are not the only kinds of cranes that can be found on the market. And, picking the right equipment for your construction project is extremely important. In order to determine which type of machinery is the best for your business, you should consider the weight of your load, how high you will need to reach, what the terrain conditions are like, and how accessible the construction site is. Once you have outlined answers to these questions, you will be in a better position to pick out the right crane for your project.
If you’re still feeling unsure, seeking some professional advice is a good idea. Reach out to different rental services or crane hire companies to get a better understanding of what you should be looking for. You can also ask for quotes to help you get a feel for price ranges.
Where Can I Find A Spider Crane Rental?
You can search your local area for a reliable and safe crane rental service. If you have recommendations from other businesses or friends, reaching out to these companies will help you to find the right service for you.
It is important to note that cranes must be operated by those who are over the age of 18, and a C1 driving licence is required to drive a crane that is between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes. If the crane is larger than 7.5 tonnes, you will require a category C licence.
Macsalvors Plant Hire Ltd
Here at Macsalvors Plant Hire, we are here to take the stress out of crane hire. Our team is hands-on and dedicated to helping you find the right crane for your project, as well as being able to help you with bespoke packages to make sure we meet your requirements. We offer spider cranes, all terrain cranes and lorry loader transport. So, if you’re looking for a particular machine or vehicle for your project, including mobile crane services, we are here to help.
If you are interested in any of our cranes or services, feel free to get in touch with us today and speak to one of our team members. We will be more than happy to give you our best advice and help you get to the crane you need nice and smoothly.
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