A jib crane is any type of crane that has a rotating boom attached to a vertical mast, with a hoist that operates pneumatically or most commonly, electrically. The jib cranes are integral part of any warehouse since they are among the most efficient lifting equipment. A typical jib crane consists of a pillar fixed on a wall or mounted on a floor, a horizontal jib with a movable hoist. The movable hoist can rotate, thus it can lift and lower loads with the help of the electrically or pneumatically driven drum with a chain and a rope.
Those involved in the construction business recognize the many benefits of jib cranes. For example, jib cranes take up little space, allowing the owners of facilities to use the floor space in the most efficient way. They are extremely efficient and functional, as they are able of quick loading and unloading of massive loads and other lifting operations as well. Jib cranes are vital in any type of lifting process, as they relieve the overhead crane, plus reduce the waiting time. There are three main types of jib cranes, most commonly used in Australia.
Wall Traveling Jib Cranes – The wall traveling jib cranes are very similar to the wall fixed jib cranes with only one difference – they can cover the surrounding area of concrete columns in length, without obstruction at floor level. The concrete columns are specifically integrated to move along a track, not to rotate. The wall traveling jib cranes carry loads independently from the overhead cranes, securing unobstructed material handling in all directions. Most commonly, these jib cranes can be found in production halls where the workplaces need to be linked. This way, significant amount of money and unnecessary idle times for workers and jib cranes can be avoided.
Floor-Mounted Jib Cranes – Floor-mounted jib cranes are also very commonly used type of jib cranes. They are self-supporting cranes, due to their vertical mast sections mounted on a concrete foundation. In general, these jib cranes are used for sharing the load of few cranes, as they can rotate for full 360 degrees and can be operated manually.
Wall Fixed Jib Cranes – Horizontally mounted on a wall and fixed with reinforced concrete column, the wall fixed jib cranes are also very common. These jib cranes use a hoist mechanism, same as the floor-mounted jib cranes, but they do not feature a vertical boom. Thanks to the reinforced concrete column, the wall fixed jib cranes can rotate for 200 degrees and cover the near area without obstruction at floor level.
