No company likes to have low productivity rates but sometimes this cannot be helped, for example if you have one overhead crane operating and more than one machine to load at a time such as a group of CNC machines. Each operator has to wait his turn to use the overhead crane to load his machine. This can be easily combatted with the addition of jib cranes. Each machine can have its own dedicated jib crane for a lot less than the cost of one overhead crane. This enables all CNC machines to be loaded at the same time increasing productivity straight away. Another advantage is value for money, more products being manufactured in less time means your employees become worth more to you making your company more successful.

Jib cranes are a lightweight alternative to heavy duty electric overhead travelling cranes. Easily installed and easy to maintain, if one jib breaks down it only leaves one machine and worker out of production, the rest are free to continue. If your one overhead cranes breaks down it can leave your whole team out of production costing you time and money. You then become dependant on a crane service company to perform the repair, this may take time and unforeseen issues such as ordering and waiting for spare parts to arrive can occur thus costing you more time and money. Jib cranes counter act this (unless they all fail at once but this is pretty much unheard of).

Donati Swing Jib Crane.

Considerations to take into account when looking to purchase a jib crane are the following:

• Capacity- maximum weight to lift, your crane and hoist will be rated to this.
• Height of Lift- the distance between the load to be lifted and the underside of the jib arm.
• Headroom- is there lighting/trussing above causing obstruction to an over-braced jib crane? If so the use of an under-braces solution should be suggested.
• Floor/Wall conditions- if you are floor or wall mounting the jib you need to ensure the floor/wall is structurally sound by acquiring the services of a structural engineer.
• Electricity Supply- if you require an electric slew or hoist you will require a local three phase power supply.

There are many factors to consider when looking for the suitable jib crane, all of which can be supplied and installed by jib crane experts Crane Handling.