Long popular in Europe, gantry cranes have become a widely accepted alternative to bridge cranes. Gantries are similar to bridge cranes except that they run on tracks at floor level. The bridge is supported by a pair of rigid steel legs which sit on a pair of end trucks riding on the floor-level track. Floor-level track is typically less expensive than an elevated bridge crane runway, and installation is usually quicker and less expensive. Gantries are available in the same capacities and spans as are bridge cranes and are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Gantry Crane Leg Configurations
Double-Leg Gantry Crane
A traditional gantry crane, with two legs of equal length. Both legs have end trucks at the bottom which ride along gantry track.
Single-Leg Gantry Crane
Single-leg gantries are a hybrid of a bridge crane and a gantry crane. One side of the girder has a leg which rides on the floor-level track, while the other side’s end truck rides on a runway beam..
Asymmetrical Gantry Crane
An asymmetrical gantry has two legs, each of different lengths. Both legs have end trucks at the bottom which ride along gantry tracks, although on different planes.
Trackless Gantry Crane
Unlike most gantries, which run on ASCE rails or inverted angle iron, NAI offers gantry cranes that are specially designed to allow one leg to ride directly on a smooth concrete floor. Thus, the cost and travel barriers sometimes associated with gantry tracks are eliminated. For applications where a smooth floor is not possible, or for higher capacities, our trackless gantry cranes can ride on leveled steel plate. This floor-mounted plate provides an alternative to a rail track and permits unobstructed access to the cranes’ work area for forklifts, transfer carts and personnel.
Advantages of Gantry Cranes
Gantry cranes often costs less than comparable bridge cranes because gantry track is less expensive than an elevated bridge crane runway.
If you are unsure whether you will remain in your current facility over the long-term, an investment in a gantry crane system may be preferable because it is easier to ‘take it with you’, including the gantry track. In contrast, a bridge crane runway structure would be far more expensive to move.
If your building structure is unable to support or brace an overhead crane runway structure, a gantry crane is a wiser investment because the gantry crane and track are independent of the building structure around it.
