You know what the ultimate mystery about cranes is? Their storage and transportation. We always come across these giant pieces of equipment installed at a construction site, with crane operators hustling to get the lifting jobs done at industrial and production venues. But no one really pays attention to how a crane got there in the first place, or after project completion, how it will be transported.
Every day, skylines in countless cities are bejeweled with crane equipment. You can see them at construction sites, manufacturing plants, and logistics seaports. From mini crawler cranes to overhead and tower cranes, all types of cranes are used for multiple applications across different industries.
This year only, three enormous cranes were installed at the DP London Gateway. These cranes were as tall as the London Eye and were highly successful in catching the public's attention. So how did the operators get the equipment there? Let's talk about this in detail.
Cranes are heavy-duty, multi-applicative equipment used in different industries such as construction, coal mining, transportation, manufacturing, etc. Crane Warning Systems Atlanta, a US-based crane parts and safety devices distributor, focuses on helping businesses attain high-standard crane safety during storage and transportation. Check out our wide array of products here.
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Crane Transportation—The Basics
So let's demystify the crane transportation process once and for all: Cranes are not transported in one piece.
Yes, you read that right! Cranes are so big, and we don't have the roads and streets built to accommodate the weight and size of such giant machinery. When we think of it this way, the process starts getting clearer. Cranes are transported in different pieces later assembled at the installation site. So, as a result, you may stumble upon crane parts moving in your city from point A to B and never even realize it.
Cranes have different complex parts that need extra protection and care during transportation. Let's discuss them in the next section.
How is a Crane Dissembled for Transportation?
Depending on a crane's weight, size, height, and complexity, crane operators disassemble a crane into various parts for easy and safe transportation. Crane parts require extra care and attention to ensure their structural stability. All the nuts and bolts have to be stored properly to minimize assembling delay time and maximize productivity at the installation site.
While crane operators are taught to assemble and dissemble a crane before, during, and after a lifting operation, they're not assigned the final dismantling process. This is the responsibility of expert civil engineers who know about each and every configuration. They have the entire crane plans, wiring diagrams, troubleshooting manuals, and other information required to safely dismantle a crane pre-transportation. Civil engineers also need to support transportation materials like bricks and concrete.
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Why Are Crane Dismantled Before Moving?
The primary reason to disassemble a crane before transporting it is to minimize the weight and size of the equipment.
The process involves lowering the mast, reconfiguring the base, and de-calibrating the motor part for easy movement. This process may sound simple, but it requires time and effort. Crane components, once taken apart, are moved using elevator shafts. Riggers, crane managers, and site engineers inspect and monitor the entire procedure.
Crane Storage—An Overview
Now that we're pretty clear on the process of crane transportation, it's quite intriguing, isn't it? But the next question is how a crane is stored? The equipment is dissembled into various components before moving to a storage area. So it's a no-brainer that these components are stored in a dissembled form. A crane cannot be just parked in a yard. Each component has to be stored properly under the right conditions to prevent damage and other risks.
During the projects, cranes are stored in inter-city crane yards. Otherwise, when they're not used for an extended period, they're taken to purpose-designed yards, mainly across a city's outskirts.
Crane Safety During Transportation and Storage
Cranes require ultimate protection to ensure that they remain operational for decades. This is when crane operators and owners must consider installing high-grade safety instrumentation. Experts recommend you consider products like an anti-two blocking system, rated capacity indicators, and load moment indicators that can amplify crane safety.
Crane safety products and devices are known for minimizing on-site risks and keeping operators safe from unforeseen accidents.
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We hope that this blog helped you understand the entire crane transportation and storage process! If you're looking for the most reliable crane safety equipment in the US, head over to Crane Warning Systems Atlanta now!
Buy High-Quality Crane Products and Safety Devices at Crane Warning Systems Atlanta
As an authorized distributor of RaycoWylie products, we can help you choose from a wide range of RCI and LMI systems, wireless wind speed indicators, and Telescopic Boom Crane parts.
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We offer a wide range of products, including RaycoWylie Crane Indicator Systems, i4000 crane indicator, RCIs and LMIs, crane overload systems, and much more. Learn more about us here or get in touch with us for further details. Don't forget to check out our free-access crane wiring diagrams and troubleshooting guides to maximize your crane equipment safety and longevity.