Heavy Lifting Equipment: Main Types You Could Consider

Posted on: 8 March 2017

One of the staple machinery that every construction project will require is heavy lifting equipment. These are designed to facilitate the hoisting and lifting of an assortment of paraphernalia that is involved in the building process. However, your choice of what type of heavy lifting equipment that would be suited for the task at hand would depend on a few factors such as the condition of the site's ground, the lift radius of the machinery, the load capacity of the equipment and more. This is why there are different types of heavy lifting equipment that are available so that you can select the one that is most suited for the job. So what are the main types of heavy lifting equipment you can consider?

Cranes

A popular option for heavy lifting equipment is cranes. This is because they have the simplest design, hence giving them a mechanical advantage over other types of heavy lifting machines. Cranes are typically stationary. Thus, they are typically tasked with the loading and unloading of materials. Nevertheless, you can also use the cranes to move your building materials from one end of your construction site to the other depending on the lift radius of the boom. Cranes will also come in a varying range of sizes; thus, you can be assured of finding cranes that would be small enough to fit indoors and others that can solely be used outdoors.

Forklifts

Forklifts are trucks that are designed to lift as well as transport heavy materials. They come in an array of sizes; thus, you will have varying load capacities. When selecting a forklift for your construction project, you would have to establish what the heaviest load on the site would be. This is what would help you determine the load capacity of your lifting equipment. Another consideration to bear in mind is what type of fuel will power your forklift. Some of the different fuels that are commonly used with this type of machinery include gasoline, diesel, propane and electrical battery power.

Telescopic handlers

These types of heavy lifting equipment are also referred to as telehandlers. They are a cross between a forklift and a crane as they are mobile but physically appear similar to cranes. Telehandlers provide your construction project with increased versatility since its boom has the capabilities of extending both forward as well as upward. With a telehandler, you also have the flexibility to use it in tandem with other accessories such as buckets, forks and more.

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