With all the options for cranes in the market, it makes sense that managers are often left scratching their heads as to which equipment to use. The efficiency, quality, and cost of any building project are all impacted by your choice of crane.
There are two popular types of cranes to choose from when planning a building project: mobile and tower cranes. While the two have a lot in common, they're also very different. Depending on their size and power output, mobile cranes and tower cranes are powerful, scalable equipment capable of moving large loads around a job site.
Here's more on what mobile and tower cranes are and how to differentiate between them:
What's a Mobile Crane?
An extensible truck-mounted crane, the mobile crane is just what its name implies: a crane on wheels. The crane is controlled by an operator seated in a cab and driven by a telescopic boom installed on the truck or container.
The mobility of these cranes is a key feature that distinguishes them from other forms of construction equipment. Mobile cranes move around on self-propelled vehicles that can travel long distances to different construction sites.
What's a Tower Crane?
Tower cranes lift and carry heavy, massive materials like steel and concrete across construction sites. Tower cranes are important since they are stationary. These are permanent structures that must be set up on-site and taken down after the job is done.
They can raise materials to precisely the right height, which is obviously a big demand in high-rise cities.This is why these giant cranes can often be seen on the skylines of numerous cities across the world.
Differences Between Mobile and Tower Cranes
Now that we know what these two cranes do, here's a look at what sets them apart:
Agility
Tower cranes have a few advantages over mobile cranes, but they have a lot of drawbacks as well. A mobile crane can be as simple as a short boom attached to a base or as complex as a rig with many attachments, and it comes in a variety of dimensions and types.
Getting past construction site obstacles is simple when you have movement and flexibility on your side. The mobility of the crane enables it to pass through tiny passages and reach locations that are otherwise inaccessible. On the other hand, a tower crane can only be placed up in a restricted number of locations.
Adaptability
Using a mobile crane instead of a tower crane is more flexible. In contrast, tower cranes are ideal for heavy-duty building sites since they have a limited number of uses. There are several applications for a mobile crane, including building sites and other industries.
For precision lifts, mobile cranes it into the smallest of places, as well as huge structures. Mobile cranes are used to raise storage containers, transporting furniture, and swimming pools, among other tasks.
Affordability
Using mobile cranes instead of fixed tower cranes may be more cost-effective because of the time, labor, and equipment required to install and dismantle a stationary crane. Since they don't take any set-up time and can move to a variety of different terrain types and boom lengths, mobile cranes are equally as strong as stationary cranes in their ability to lift huge loads
Make Sure the Crane You Choose has the Appropriate Safety Equipment
No matter which crane you end up choosing for your project, you need to make sure you have the appropriate crane safety products in place. If you're looking for premium crane safety gear and warning products in the US, look no further than Crane Warning Systems Atlanta.
We offer RaycoWylie and other branded crane safety products, including ATB systems, wind speed indicators for cranes, and more. Call us today if you want to learn more about our products.