Tower crane: Types, Parts, Price, Capacity, and How to Cope with Blind spots?
Scarlet Tech - Occupational Health and Safety
A Leader in Developing & Manufacturing Worksite Safety Instruments with Wireless & IoT-Driven
What is a tower crane?
A tower crane is a lifting structure that utilizes a vertical mast or tower to support a working boom in an elevated position. Tower cranes are fixed to a single spot with a concrete slab once they have been set up, while mobile cranes can be moved when needed.
What are the Main Parts of a Tower Crane?
- mast
- jib
- counter jib
- counterweight
- trolley
- hook
What are the Different Types of Tower Cranes?
Tower cranes can be classified into the following types based on their structure.
Hammerhead Tower Cranes
Hammerhead has a robust “ A-frame” or cat-head structure that is used on heavy loads on most construction sites.
Luffing Tower Crane
A luffing tower crane is also known as a luffing-jib crane. A luffing tower crane is similar to a hammerhead tower crane. However, the jib is latticed and can be raised and lowered, which is the movement called “luffing”.
Flat-Top Tower Crane
A flat-top tower crane has a compact head and moveable cab without the hammerhead crane's typical “A-frame” structure. This makes the flat-top tower crane a better choice for site height restrictions.
Self-erecting tower crane
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes are usually operated from a fixed position by qualified field engineers and can be easily inserted on a site with a restricted site in a short time.Sel f-erecting cranes are suited for smaller construction sites, mountainous terrain, and compact urban environments.
Below is an example of how a self-erecting tower crane “extends” itself.
How Much Weight Can a Tower Crane Lift?
Typically, the maximum load a tower crane can lift is 18 metric tons (39,690 pounds), but the crane cannot lift that much weight if the load is positioned at the end of the jib. In fact, there is no definite answer on how much load can a tower crane lift. It depends on how long the jib is and how tall the mast is. The manufacturer of the crane will provide a load chart for reference.
How Much Does a Tower Crane Cost?
The price of a tower crane depends on its’ radius and capacity, ranging from 41,000 USD to 147,000 USD. Real Wealth Business said that a new tower crane could cost 500,000 USD. You can find both new and used cranes on platforms like Crane Network. A much more cost-effective choice might be rending a crane rather than buying one. For a tower crane, it costs around $15,000 to rent for a month.
How to Cope with Blindspots when Lifting?
Unlike a mobile crane, the distance between the operator’s cabin and the hook for a tower crane can be longer than 100 meters or more. Blindspots are inevitable in such circumstances. Conventionally, the crane operators rely on the rigger’s instruction and hand signal to operate the lift. However, the rigger and the operators' communication is not always perfect and smooth.
This is where technology manifests its value.
Unlike most of the wireless crane cameras on the market, Hercules provides the clearest 2K video feed with the latest WiFi 5G technology. In addition, Hercules supports up to four cameras, capturing every angle of view under load and critical viewpoints in the construction site with crystal clear video streaming. With open-source ONVIF protocol, Hercules can easily integrate with your NVR surveillance system.
Scarlet understands that blind spots are inevitable in certain situations. We are confident that Hercules is the ultimate solution for all kinds of lifting operations.
Click here to learn more about Hercules.
Reference:
Tower Cranes: Understanding the Main Safety Hazards (ny-engineers.com)
Different TYPES of Tower Cranes: mobile - hammerhead - fixed - stationary (gruasyaparejos.com)
How Much Does It Cost Crane Rent or Should You Buy One?