Hoists and overhead cranes are both machinery that transfers large or bulky objects and equipment on commercial and industrial construction projects. According to many overhead crane manufacturers, people mistakenly use the names interchangeably because of their functional similarities, they are different systems with different design and usage distinctions.
Cranes move loads up and down and side to side, whereas hoists move loads up and down and side to side.
Overview of Overhead Cranes and Hoists
Do you how overhead cranes and overhead hoists are different?
How overhead crane is different from an overhead hoist?
MIT Hoist, one of the leading overhead crane manufacturers and suppliers, has curated a comprehensive overview of overhead cranes and hoists.
Overhead Cranes
It is a simple machine that carries and drops bulky objects vertically and transports them along other axes. This feature enables multi-directional navigation on the construction site.
A worker, for instance, can use overhead crane equipment to lift the load in one part of the worksite, carry it across a movable rail system to place it over another part of the construction project, and then put the material down in a different place.
Overhead Crane Components
Basically, there are 3 key components of an overhead crane, namely—
Hoist
- 1. Handles the vertical lifting and lowering operation
- 2. Moves back and forth across the bridge
- 3. Carries weight depending on its construction and design
Trolley
- 1. Responsible for moving hoist along the bridge
- 2. Available in 3 major types offering different benefits in different applications
- 3. Low headroom trolley has a very compact yet effective design and is suitable for single girder crane applications
- 4. Double girder trolley features exceptional clearance and headroom ideal for double girder crane applications
- 5. Normal headroom trolley is appropriate for jib crane and monorail applications
Bridge
- 1. Helps in moving the trolley back and forth
Overhead Cranes Types
Even though all overhead cranes employ the same fundamental design concepts, they come in a variety of sizes and configurations to suit various work scenarios.
The following are the most prevalent types:
- 1. Top running cranes- ideal for lifting and moving bulky loads
- 2. Under running cranes- used to bridge components along the bottom of ceiling-mounted rails
- 3. Gantry cranes- ideal for shipbuilding applications
- 4. Monorail cranes- best for lifting and moving loads in complex or small spaces
Overhead Hoists
Hoists, unlike overhead cranes, can only move vertically (i.e., lifting and lowering of loads). Unless if used as a lifting piece of bigger lifting systems, they don’t always supply any horizontal lifting movement to weights (e.g., overhead cranes). An elevator is a great example.
Design Considerations for Hoists
Despite their restricted directional movement, hoists are still often utilised to raise a variety of large goods and equipment. According to the lifting needs, the type used differs from application to application.
The following are some design considerations—
- 1. Lifting medium— metal cable, rope, welded link chain or roller load chain
- 2. Power— manual, electrical or pneumatic mechanism
- 3. Suspension— trolley-mounted, lug-mounted or hook-mounted
Overhead Cranes and Hoists— Key Differences
Overhead cranes and hoists have a lot of differences. One of the most important is their ability of material handling and different movement. Cranes can lift weights up and down as well as side to side, but hoists can only move weights up and down. In either, a hoist is used to give vertical movement, whereas a bridge and trolley are used to generate horizontal movement.
The way overhead cranes and hoists are classified is another significant distinction. Overhead cranes are classed according to their design and building (for example, under running, top running, monorail, and gantry), whereas hoists are categorized according to their power type, lifting medium, and suspension.
MIT Hoist— Buy Overhead Crane in China
We offer standard and bespoke material handling equipment and machines, such as hoists and overhead cranes, for a variety of applications at MIT Hoist. We are one of the leading overhead crane suppliers and manufacturers if you need assistance finding and choosing overhead cranes or hoists for your operation.