The crane has been essential to construction since the Greeks developed it (around 700-650 B.C). It has helped lift and carry loads during large construction projects. But, what if your project is on the water?

We have created this guide to understanding floating cranes. Read on to learn more about floating cranes and when you might need one for your construction job.

What is a Floating Crane?

Floating cranes are needed when doing marine construction. They are useful when building ports and bridges over water. They move heavy equipment from one place to another.

They take the place of a land crane when using one is not possible for your project. They allow you to complete the tasks of a regular crane but on the water.

Piling

You can use a floating crane barge to drive interlocking metal sheets into canal and river banks. The piling protects the bank and allows for better land retention. However, piling often must be installed from the water,  making a floating crane crucial.

Moving Materials

Crane barges take large amounts of materials to and from worksites. They can carry away materials from demolition sites as well. They will also carry heavy machinery, to the sites such as diggers and trucks.

Dredging

Floating cranes are ideal for dredging waterways. They can clear the sediment and debris from the bottom of the water. Crane barges can then carry away the debris to a deposit site.

Types of Cranes

The type of crane you will need depends on your marine construction project. There are several types to choose from.

Stiff Boom

A stiff boom crane moves general cargo. It is good for moving fragile items because there is little to no drift when lifting. Instead, it lifts straight up and straight down.

It is the best type of crane if your project needs items lifted over a wall. This is because the hoses and cylinders of this type of crane are inside and protected from the elements.

Telescopic Boom

A telescopic boom crane can extend and retract. This feature allows you to place your items precisely. These cranes can also lift cargo with little to no drift.

Knuckle Boom

Knuckle boom cranes are easier to maintain because they have fewer joints. These cranes are not able to lift heavy loads for an extended time. They are meant to load and unload materials.

Their most common use is on vessels with a large deck or fixed platform.

Foldable Telescopic Boom

As its name suggests, foldable telescopic boom cranes can fold into a compact size. It has two booms attached to knuckles so they can move in and out. Think of it as a large human finger!

Floating Cranes and Marine Construction

Floating cranes are essential to the undertaking of a marine construction job. There needs to be a way to move and lift heavy materials when working on the water. The type of floating crane you choose will depend on the type of marine construction you do.

For replacement parts and services, contact us today!

Does your business involve lifting heavy loads? You’re likely using forklifts to lift, lower, and move your massive items. The problem with forklifts is their stacking inaccuracy, making them drop items.

They can also face floor obstructions that cause delays. Thankfully, electric overhead traveling cranes can eliminate these challenges and more.

Are you aware of the different electric overhead traveling (EOT) cranes? These machines fuel a growing market for automated overhead cranes. Read on and learn more:

Single-Girder EOT Cranes

The Single-Girder is the most common type of EOT crane. It’s also one of the simplest and most cost-effective ones around. After all, it features one girder or primary beam as its main bridge.

It also comes with a hoist and trolley running along its axis. Its single-beam construction makes it much lighter than its double-girder counterpart. You’ll also find mounted motors and vertical gearboxes that facilitate its operation.

Some single-girder cranes operate using a single radio remote control. Others use a push-button pendant station. It’s strong enough to lift 20 tons of load with a lifting capacity of 15 to 50 feet.

The crane can move at a speed of 200fpm and have a hoisting speed of 10-60 fpm. It also fits conditions with a crossing speed of 10-60 fpm.

Double-Girder EOT Cranes

The double girder EOT crane features two girders, two trolleys, and two hoists instead of one. It also has a platform on both sides and a crab mechanism running along with them.

The gearboxes are horizontal, while the motors are foot-mounted. The operation can be via radio remote control, push-button pendant, or an operating cabin mode.

Another key feature is the two limit switches. The rotary limit switch allows you to control the upward and downward motions. It also lets you calculate the hook’s movement.

The other switch is the gravity limit switch which helps secure the limit switch. Because of its double beams, the crane can lift heavier materials of up to 250 tons. The lifting capacity is the same at 15 to 50 feet.

It can manage up to 350fpm moving speed and 60fpm hoisting speed. It can also work in projects with crossing speeds of 150fpm. 

Maintaining EOT Cranes

Stories of crane-involved accidents are not new, with an average of 42 crane-related fatalities happening every year. Proper crane maintenance will help minimize and avoid these accidents.

Inspect the switches to ensure they’re properly working. Check the brakes and clutches for any visible issues. Look at the hooks and inspect for bends or damages.

Check the condition of the wire ropes for damage or degradation. Look for signs of corrosion, severe wear, or bird caging. Ensure regular lubrication of the wire ropes to keep them at bay.

When searching for replacement parts, make sure to buy from trusted sources.

Enjoy High-Quality Crane Parts Today

Now that you know the types of EOT cranes and their uses, you can upgrade your lifting equipment to a more efficient one.

You came to the right place if you’re looking for replacement parts. We offer high-quality parts from some of the leading manufacturers in the industry. Connect with us to discuss your options.

Did you know that the Port of Los Angeles handles around 9 million TEUs of freight every year? If it weren’t for their use of port cranes, the organization and eventual shipping of the various containers coming into the port would be chaotic at best. 

Port cranes are one of the most important aspects of shipping. Without crane services, the massive amounts of trade the world experiences every day may not exist. 

Types of Port Cranes

There are two types of port cranes, and they function in the same way, moving cargo from one spot to another, but they differ in location when found in a shipping yard.

1. Yard Cranes

Yard cranes come in several varieties. Most common are RMG cranes and RTG cranes.

You’ll find these cranes moving shipping containers from a yard onto trailers.

2. Quay Cranes

Generally called ship-to-shore (STS) cranes, these cranes move cargo from a ship to the shore.

There are two types of STS cranes: high and low profile.

How Much Weight Can a Port Crane Handle?

On average, port cranes can lift about 80 tons, with some models handling 100 tons or more. While weight certainly contributes to a crane’s productivity, a different system determines productivity when it comes to cranes.

This system uses “moves” as its measurement unit. Moves are determined by how many containers are moved from a ship to the quay or from a quay to a ship. For example, seven containers transferred from a ship to the quay is seven moves. 

Powering a Port Crane

You will find two motors used for most cranes: AC motors and DC motors. Each has its own crane controls that assist with multiple functions that include:

• Moving the boom
• Moving the gantry
• Moving the trolley
• Performing a hoisting maneuver

Generally, AC motors tend to handle more force than DC motors, so they are often found in port cranes. 

Other Parts of a Port Crane

Generally, you’ll find these other parts of a port crane in operation when moving cargo:

• Cab (where the port crane operator sits)
• Support legs (receive the load transmitted by beam)
• Main hook (double peak)
• Auxiliary hook (single peak)
• Girder

With all of these different parts, cranes can assist in the logistics, organization, and eventually transportation of freight worldwide. 

Crane Repair and Parts

Be proactive in your port crane’s repair to keep ports moving efficiently. Kor-Pak has all the repair parts needed if you run into any type of problem with your heavy industrial machinery.

Contact us today to learn more about how you can repair your port crane and help it work even more efficiently.

Projections show that the global crane market will reach a value of $49.64 billion by 2028.

Cranes are incredibly useful in many industries, but they will experience failures with time. When this happens, or sometimes even before it happens, you will need to hire a professional crane repair service so that you can keep things running.

Keep reading for a rundown of 3 of the leading crane repair services. 

1. Routine Maintenance

Like all heavy machinery, Cranes should have maintenance carried out regularly, regardless of their working state. Therefore, OSHA and crane manufacturers suggest basing the timings of inspections on time in use.

OSHA and ANSI require different types of inspections. Some are needed daily and others monthly. Beyond that, crane service and repair should generally be monthly or annually, depending on how much time the crane is in operation and the environment it is in.

You can track this information online to ensure you can keep everything in order and you can use a transponder to monitor and record maintenance information. This will then provide reminders for maintenance and inspections.

2. Wear and Tear

Even if a crane is well cared for, components will naturally wear down with time. There are a lot of moving parts, and having to lift heavy loads regularly means that crane repair will definitely be needed at some point.

When doing daily inspections, a crane operator should assess the state of most parts of a crane for signs of damage or wear and determine if any repairs are needed.

A typical example could be the wheels or runway beams wearing down. This is often the result of an alignment flaw that causes skewing as the crane moves.

Even without skewing, the wheels will wear down after a time and need replacing to prevent an accident from occurring.

Wear and tear can also apply to electrical components. Usually, these are pretty minor, but a small electrical problem could cause significant damage in time if not attended to.

3. Unexpected Damage

While uncommon, accidents can always happen. This could be the result of human error or something beyond anyone’s control. Either way, significant failures can bring a halt to operations until repairs are carried out.

Kor-Pak is a professional crane repair service dedicated to increasing your uptime and keeping everything running smoothly. If any parts of your crane are damaged beyond repair, Kor-Pak can source replacement parts and fit them into your equipment.

Sometimes parts aren’t too damaged, in which case we can repair or refurbish as needed, and even retrofit improved parts where possible. However, sometimes the nature of the damage may require a custom fabricated part which we are more than capable of taking care of.

Under some circumstances, we can even reverse engineer and improve parts, increasing the quality of your products. Some parts and services we offer include:

• Crane and hoist controls
• Brake and clutch accessories
• Industrial braking and clutch systems
• Crane boom repair services
• Crane modernization and upgrades
• Overhead crane inspections

Professional Crane Repair Services

Whether it’s routine inspections or repairs for a full breakdown, you want to make sure you hire crane repair services you can rely on. Kor-Pak meets all standards and regulations set by OSHA and ANSI, ensuring you get the best service possible.

To find out more about our services, click here to contact us today.

Projections show that global crane shipments will reach more than 35,000 units by 2025.

Electric cranes are generally smaller than most other cranes but present several safety risks due to accidents and improper use. Therefore, keeping injuries to a minimum should be a priority in all applications.

For three practical safety tips for working with electric cranes, keep reading.

1. Conduct Proper Inspections

Like all heavy machinery, you must do daily inspections on electric cranes. In addition, the operator needs to check multiple crane elements to confirm everything is operational and safe to use.

This isn’t just good practice in almost all circumstances but also a legal requirement. Things that should be inspected include the electric crane hoist, rigging gear, upper limit switch, and power disconnect switch.

Several inspections will be essential across the entire industry, but businesses can also implement extra checks if desired. All reviews are needed at the start of every day. If there are alternating shifts or another operator takes over, the new operator may need to do the checks again.

2. Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Anyone operating an electric truck crane should always be vigilant of their working area. If any hazards present themselves, all operations should stop until the hazard is removed. A typical example could be a vehicle driving too close to the crane.

This also applies to anyone else working in the area. You should make sure you keep a safe distance from cranes and all other machinery.

More than a third of crane-related injuries occur due to a load drop, load swing, or unstable load. The odds of a load falling are low but not impossible, and if something requires a crane to lift it, you can be sure that it is very heavy.

3. Regular Maintenance for All Equipment

Electric cranes are solid and durable pieces of equipment but are prone to wear and tear like all machinery. Keeping all parts well maintained and in good condition will prevent the risk of breakdown and help keep everyone safe.

A pickup truck crane with an electric winch has a lot of components, meaning there is a lot that could go wrong.

Mechanical failures such as a chain-breaking could result in a load drop, or the malfunction of any safety features like the power disconnect switch could cause more harm in an emergency.

The maintenance plan of a crane can be based on its use. If an electric crane is only used once a month, it won’t need to be attended as often as one that is in use daily.

The manufacturer of any equipment will be able to provide details of the maintenance needed. This information should be available in the manufacturer’s service manual, but if this is not accessible for whatever reason, they should be able to tell you if you contact them directly.

Working With Electric Cranes

Working with electric cranes requires good practice and responsibility to keep the risk of injury as low as possible.

Kor-Pak Industrial Supply has a wide range of parts for electric cranes and other machinery and can carry out any repairs or replacements needed.

To find out more about our services, click here to contact us today.

Electric Overhead Traveling Cranes increase productivity by as much as 28% compared to traditional I-beam cranes.

An EOT crane is essential in manufacturing, assembly, or other industrial applications. Here are some key points you should know.

What Is an EOT Crane?

An electric overhead traveling crane transfers materials or equipment to another nearby location. They are often used in industrial applications like warehouses, factories, and piers.

An EOT Crane hangs overhead the area where movement takes place. Legs or adjacent sturdy structures support the crane. They can typically move front to back and side to side, and the hoist mechanism can raise or lower.

EOT Cranes can handle materials that could be too heavy, large, or hazardous for transportation via forklift. They will also repetitively transport smaller items across warehouses. Over time, this can prevent employee injury.

Types of EOT Cranes

There are many types of electric overhead traveling cranes, but they generally fall into two categories: Single Girder or Double Girder.

A single or double girder EOT crane refers to the number of bridge girders supported by the two end trucks. A double girder EOT crane is for much heavier applications, while a single girder is for lighter work.

Therefore, a single girder EOT crane is less expensive and more widely used than double girder types. However, double girder EOT cranes can be more cost-effective as they can still be used for lighter work.

Double Girder EOT Cranes can also be designed to work in small overhead spaces or headroom areas. Ultra-Low Headroom cranes can transport materials in very tight spaces where other cranes cannot function.

There are EOT Cranes for every industrial need, such as smaller Workstation Cranes. These are useful for suspending and moving parts for an employee to assemble.

For large warehouses or work yards, there are even gantry EOT cranes. The legs of these EOT cranes attach to trucks on rails to have an expanded field of operation.

Benefits of an EOT Crane

Most EOT Cranes are operated by a control panel, whereas other cranes have complex controls and require a license to operate.

Employees who operate an EOT Crane need adequate safety and operation training. A company can provide this to many employees so that the workplace is never without an operator.

The user-friendly operation of an EOT Crane makes it superior by increasing efficiency. There is no stop or delay in production due to a licensed crane operator being late or calling out sick.

EOT Cranes are also versatile as they are often used with other types of cranes.

Is an EOT Crane The Best Choice for You?

An EOT Crane is safer and faster than other means of transporting materials because it lifts items up and out of the way of obstacles and inherently keeps employees out of harm’s way.

Read more about different types of cranes to decide if an electric overhead traveling crane is suitable for your needs.

Cranes have been used in one form or another to help construction sites for centuries. You understand that, but what do you need to consider when buying a crane or upgrading to a different crane?

Here is some crane buying advice to help you with your decision.

Buying a Crane for Your Specific Needs

Crane buying advice doesn’t start with thinking about the crane but your job sites. For example, what are the typical weather conditions? What type of terrain will you be working on?

When choosing a crane, you want to match the crane you upgrade to with your job’s load weights and dimensions. For example, multi-level jobs require longer booms, so your weight limit won’t decrease with higher lifts. 

Make sure to check the National Load Charts when looking at cranes. They will help you find the perfect fit based on the height and weight of your average job.

Remember that your rigging accessories weight will need to be deducted from the gross weight of the charts. This will help you find the actual load-bearing capacity of the crane for your jobs.

Crane Buying Guide

The type of work you do and the location will help you decide the type of crane you need. Here is a quick guide to some of the most common types of cranes.

Mobile Cranes

Mobile cranes can offer greater maneuverability and carry a lot of weight for their size. You want a rough terrain crane or a crawler crane for off-road construction.

Crawlers work great off-road because of their tracks and great counterweight control. In addition, they can handle loads in the 80-825 ton range. The carry deck crane is one of the most popular upgrades because of its ability to carry loads on site.

Carry deck cranes are hydraulic and can be operated by one person. Their load capacity is in the range of 7.5-15 tons. Most decks on the carry deck can transport between one to nine tons. 

Fixed Cranes

Fixed cranes are assembled on-site and used for long-term jobs and can handle more significant amounts of weight than mobile cranes.

Tower cranes have a jib extending from the mast, which rests on a concrete base. They can grow with a building while helping to build it. Hammerhead tower cranes have a swinging lever attached to a fixed tower.

They give you the ability to move loads horizontally. They are also modular, and their ability to adapt to your site makes them a versatile option for your construction needs.

Crane Buying Tips

When buying a crane, think through the type of work, the weight loads, and whether you need a mobile or fixed type of crane. This will guide you on the type and size of crane you get.

Kor-Pak partners with companies worldwide and helps them find the perfect cranes to meet their needs. Contact us and let us help with your equipment needs.

Construction contributes about $1.4 trillion worth of new structures every year.

Different types of cranes play a part in construction work. Cranes use a combination of cables and pulleys to help lift and lower heavy materials. With construction showing no signs of slowing, it’s no surprise that estimates put the global crane market growing by a CAGR of 2.96% through 2027.

This crane guide will seek to help answer the question, “what are the different types of cranes?”

Static Cranes

A static crane has a fixed path. It remains fixed to the ground or building with the intent of lifting and moving materials along a set path.

Overhead Crane

An overhead crane looks and functions how it sounds. It has a horizontal beam fixed to a ceiling, often inside a warehouse. A trolley and hoist are attached to this beam and move along the beam to transport loads.

Tower Crane

When you see a skyscraper under construction, you often see a tower crane beside it. A tower crane is made up of a mast and a jib.

The jib can rotate 360 degrees, and a trolley and hook block travel along with this component.

Level-Luffing Crane

A level-luffing crane has a rotating jib that can slew and move in and out from the base. Attached to the jib is a vertical mast. A level-luffing crane is ideal for moving heavy loads that need to stay near ground level.

Mobile Cranes

A mobile crane is the opposite of a static crane. A mobile crane isn’t a semi-permanent or permanent structure. Instead, it comes mounted on either wheels or treads. This allows the mobile crane to move to new job sites when needed.

Crawler Crane

Sometimes called a lattice crane or telescopic crawler, the crawler crane is one of the largest cranes. They have heavy-duty treads and can lift and move materials that weigh more than 2500 tons.

Rough Terrain Crane

When there’s difficult off-roading work involved in conditions like mud or snow, the rough terrain crane is what you’ll find on-site. 

Also called an RT crane, they come mounted on four tires. A telescoping boom picks up and carries the load, weighing up to 165 tons. An RT crane is ideal for moving around in a confined area.

All-Terrain Crane

Think of the all-terrain crane as a mobile truck. This type of crane can travel on the highway since it is quite literally a crane mounted to a truck.

Mounted onto the bed of the truck is the telescopic boom. This is what lifts and moves the loads. An all-terrain crane is capable of lifting 1200 tons.

Truck Crane

The truck crane is a smaller, lighter version of the all-terrain crane. It consists of a boom affixed to the truck bed. They lift lighter loads than the all-terrain crane, only able to hit a load capacity of up to 45 tons.

Many Different Types of Cranes for Your Job

There are different types of cranes to choose from for a construction job. No matter how big or sturdy the crane, equipment wears down. Once that happens, Kor-Pak is here to help with replacement parts.

Kor-Pak is here to be your supplier for crane controls and materials handling needs. Whether you want to upgrade your crane or outfit it with the newest technology, we can help.

Did you know that the demand for mobile cranes has increased by almost 30 percent in the last year? No other type of crane has seen this spike in demand. The main reason for this is that mobile cranes offer a wide variety of benefits to make your job easier.

Is a mobile crane the right option?

Let us look at some of the advantages they can offer.

Mobile Cranes Offer Flexibility

A mobile crane has excellent mobility and flexibility. If you need to use it in urban areas, where you will encounter obstructions, you have to know the crane can maneuver around them.

It can access narrow passages and can save space on a construction site. In addition, mobile cranes do not have a large footprint, so they are ideal for more crowded locations, like projects on city streets.

Unlike tower cranes, where you set them up and remain there for the project’s duration, that is not the case with a mobile crane. Instead, you can use it where you need to and move it to the following location without any trouble.

Quick Setup

Setting up a mobile crane is fast and straightforward. If you can get the crane up and running, you save time and money. For people using mobile crane rentals, this also means having to pay for fewer days since you do not have any delays.

A mobile crane is a single piece of equipment, and it is compact, making it likely that you can start operating it almost as soon as you get it to the site.

Saves Space

With its compact build, a mobile crane does not require a lot of space to function. They can fit through narrow passages and are shorter, making them better suited for passing under bridges. With a mobile crane, you can tackle the same project that a static crane could handle, but you save space.

Lifting Strength

Looking at a compacter crane, you may think it would provide weaker capabilities than a larger crane. That is not the case. A mobile crane uses heavy-duty axles, outriggers, and hydraulic power to lift the weight you need to the heights you require.

Many mobile cranes can lift more weight than a tower crane, and you have the benefit of being able to move it around the job site as needed.

Cost Efficiency

A mobile crane is a more affordable choice. It is easy to set running, with no added setup costs and wasted time. In addition, its speed and mobility allow you to get the most out of the crane if you are renting it since it minimizes downtime.

Keep Your Mobile Crane Running

With mobile cranes in high demand because of all of the benefits they bring to a job site, you want to keep yours running efficiently.

Turn to us at Kor-Pak for crane parts and repairs!

Cranes are an integral part of construction projects lifting heavy materials vertically and horizontally. Without cranes, much of our modern infrastructure would not exist. 

If you have ever noticed tall cranes silhouetting a skyline, you may have wondered, “How are cranes transported?” Keep reading to find out more about crane transportation techniques and methods.

How Are Cranes Transported?

To answer “How are cranes transported?” you first must determine the type of crane needed for the job. Here are the two main categories of cranes that dictate transportation options.

Mobile Cranes

As the name suggests, mobile cranes can move around on their own. For example, rough terrain cranes have large wheels designed for moving over almost any surface. You can drive some of them on certain roads and highways.

However, like crawler cranes, some of these are made for moving around a construction site but not for driving on roads.

Truck-mounted cranes also are appropriate for road use. They usually have telescoping or folding booms. However, these cranes have limited applications due to their size and smaller load capacities.

Other cranes, like “pick and carry” cranes, are designed for moving around on the bed of a vehicle. These are very small machines and are not used in major building construction.

Fixed Cranes

All fixed cranes need some assembly on-site. Hanging cranes, for example, are permanent or semi-permanent machines that are built in coordination with the warehouse or building in which they operate. Similarly, engineers construct bridge cranes over some time by construction crews.

The most common way to transport taller cranes to the construction site is in pieces. Tower cranes, for instance, can reach several hundred feet in height. So they are disassembled into smaller pieces and transported by truck.

Once the pieces arrive at the construction site, reassembly can begin. This is often accomplished using smaller, mobile cranes. These cranes usually have a telescopic boom that reaches the necessary heights for putting the tower crane parts back together.

Self-erecting tower cranes are a newer technology and are driven to construction sites as a single unit. As a result, they often need special equipment for crane transportation. These cranes use a hydraulic system to unfold, taking as little as an hour.

Learn More About Crane Transportation

Now that you have an idea of how cranes are transported, you can determine the best method for your business. Crane manufacturers can also provide insight into crane transportation methods based on your particular construction demands.

Kor-Pak supplies both OEM and aftermarket parts to a variety of industries. We carry only the highest-quality products in our inventory and pride ourselves on meeting our customers’ parts needs. 

Reach out to us today for pricing and to learn more about products.