All too often, commercial construction project managers find themselves in a bind where materials become damaged in transit. When these materials involve equipment and cranes for more industrial and heavy-haul situations, there can be a big liability created.
When transporting heavy equipment, it is essential to seek a quality transportation service with a promising safety record. From 250-ton custom lowbeds and fixed-neck skidder haulers to a variety of custom choices like spreader bars and deck inserts, specialized heavy-haul equipment requires operators with experience to guarantee that your equipment is transported securely and safely, without unnecessary expense or damage.
One of the first steps to lessening exposure to a disturbance is being well-versed in the varied forms of loaders, cranes, and transporters. The following explanation serves as a starting depiction of some common types of heavy haul/construction vehicles, and what their most familiar applications can look like.
Loaders
Loaders — also referred to as “bucket loaders,” “scoop loaders” or “front-end loaders” — are typically used for moving equipment from one job site or vehicle to another. You will always see these in the construction of new roads and in building construction.
Cranes
Cranes are vital in many types of construction and any circumstance where materials have to be lowered or lifted. See below for more information about fixed and mobile cranes.
Heavy-haul Transporters/Trucks
Large transporters are constructed to transport engines and plant parts that can weigh up to 60 tons. They can take on oversize loads as well, and are typically used with escort vehicles to lessen the risk of accidents. These are perfect for construction and mining industries.
Excavators
This piece of equipment is a multi-purpose machine with an attached arm that carries a bucket on the end. From driving piles and digging trenches to lifting equipment and demolishing buildings, you will see excavators everywhere there is work to be completed.
Forklifts
High-powered forklifts can haul and lift heavy materials in a storage facility or warehouse. They present an array of sizes and load capacities to fit a specific construction project.
Medium Trucks
Medium trucks are needed to carry metal products, rolls of material and other heavy equipment. Box trucks, flatbeds and platform trucks come in a variety of designs to fit your hauling needs.
Heavy Trucks
Enclosed trailer trucks, dump trucks and tractor-trailers can hold multiple tons and are often used to move construction materials and cars.
Bulldozers/Crawlers
A crawler is merely a very large, heavy tractor armed with a front-mounted dozer plate. These are standard in building and road construction.
More on Fixed Cranes and Mobile Cranes
Several different types of cranes are used in industrial settings for transporting and lifting heavy items. Crane types include telescopic, loader (hydras), mobile, truck-mounted, fixed, tower cranes and several others. Don’t let this confuse you; they can all be categorized into two groups: fixed and mobile cranes.
While both types of cranes have lift capability and are equipped with hoist or chains, wire ropes and sheaves for lowering and lifting horizontally, fixed and mobile cranes have many differences. Some of these differences include:
Fixed Cranes
These cranes are immobile, and combine height and lifting capacity as well as offer more stability than mobile cranes. They can also lift weights extremely high. The most common example of a fixed crane is the tower crane.
Mobile Cranes
Mobile cranes are simple to dismantle and set up. They can lift just as much as a tower crane, and are very strong. With advanced technology, they can now lift thousands of tons at mind-blowing heights.
These crane types include side-lift, crawler, railroad, “pick and carry,” floating, truck-mounted, aerial and rough terrain cranes. Essentially, mobile cranes are made up of chains, a truss mounted on a mobile platform, a wire rope drum and a control panel.
Regardless of the means used, the goal of a safe delivery is more approachable with a better understanding of the equipment and its capabilities.
About the Guest Author
H. Brown, Inc. is a family owned and operated crane service company that prides itself on giving complete satisfaction to customers at a reasonable price. Since 1938, H. Brown offers assurance of trained, insured, and experienced personnel, with well-maintained equipment that is best suited for any project need.