Precast Concrete | Overhead Crane, Eot Crane & Gantry Crane
Tailored outdoor gantry crane & workshop overhead crane for precast concrete industry for culverts, manholes, slabs, panels, roof tiles and beams handling.
Precast and prestressed concrete products are produced by the precast concrete manufacturing industry for usage in a variety of construction projects. Precast concrete is made by pouring wet concrete into a reusable mold of a given shape, whereas prestressed concrete is strengthened by compression between steel bars. Culverts, manholes, slabs, panels, roof tiles, and beams are examples of end products that are utilized in water infrastructure, power plants, office buildings, bridges, residences, roads, parking garages, and other constructions. As a result, the industry benefits from widespread demand in a variety of areas, as well as the growing popularity of concrete as a result of its durability and efficiency.
A greater choice of overhead handling solutions are available to enable volume production of blocks, slabs, barriers, ducts, wall or floor sections, tunnel segments, bespoke casting concrete, or others , in the precast concrete plant and yard.
Two levels of cranes may be required in the manufacturing process, with overhead cranes spanning the entire bay and wall travelling jib cranes or semi-portal gantry cranes covering certain activities at the lower level. This type of application necessitates precise functionality and interlocking safety measures, both of which we have plenty of experience and knowledge. For the precast industry, stockyard cranes are typically single or double girder portal or semi-portal cranes with high speed travel motions to reduce loading times in a lengthy yard.
Fast cycle times, arduous duty, semi-automatic control, and variable environments are some of the essential requirements in the precast concrete industry, which often necessitate specially designed solutions rather than off-the-shelf material handling equipment, which has the following advantages:
Many of the solutions developed by EOTCRANEKIT for the precast concrete industry have benefited from smart control features such as:
- Anti-sway (prevents load/hook swing due to traverse movement).
- Rapid lift/no load
- The load affects the speed.
- Monitors the duration of design work.
- Examine the situation.
Customized overhead cranes and gantry cranes for precast concrete
Overhead travelling cranes are widely used in precast concrete yards for lifting and transferring large concrete slabs, beams, and panels across production lines efficiently.
- Typical lifting capacity: 5–50 tons
- Commonly handles precast concrete slabs, panels, and molds
- Ideal for controlled indoor precast environments or covered production halls
- Can be equipped with magnet, vacuum, or custom spreader attachments for precise handling
L leg single girder gantry crane for cement precast concrete pipe handling
L leg single girder gantry cranes are designed for flexible mobility and moderate lifting in precast concrete pipe manufacturing and handling areas.
- Typical lifting capacity: 3–20 tons
- Used for concrete pipes, small beams, and medium-size molds
- Suitable for semi-outdoor precast yards and areas with uneven terrain
- Compact design allows easy positioning over narrow production lines
Double trolley overhead crane long and heavy precast concrete pipe handling
Double trolley overhead cranes are ideal for lifting long and heavy precast concrete pipes, beams, and panels with precise positioning along production lines.
- Typical lifting capacity: 10–80 tons
- Handles long concrete beams, large pipes, and multiple molds simultaneously
- Indoor or sheltered environments with continuous production lines
- Double trolley ensures synchronized lifting of elongated objects
Double girder gantry crane in precast yard for cement concrete pipe handling
Double girder gantry cranes provide high-capacity lifting for heavy precast concrete elements and large pipe handling in outdoor precast yards.
- Typical lifting capacity: 20–100 tons
- Handles concrete pipes, blocks, and modular wall panels
- Outdoor applications with high durability in variable weather
- Optional electric or hydraulic winch systems for precise load control
Single girder gantry crane in precast yard for cement concrete objects handling
Single girder gantry cranes are versatile for lifting medium-weight precast concrete products and moving them across production or storage areas efficiently.
- Typical lifting capacity: 5–30 tons
- Handles precast blocks, small pipes, and structural components
- Lightweight design for easy relocation in outdoor yards
- Can integrate standard hoists or customized lifting attachments
Truss girder gantry crane in precast concrete yard for cement concrete pipe handling
Truss girder gantry cranes are engineered for long-span operations, offering rigidity and minimal deflection when handling heavy precast concrete objects over wide areas.
- Typical lifting capacity: 20–150 tons
- Used for long beams, large pipes, and heavy precast modules
- Spanning wide outdoor precast yards or factories
- Lightweight truss design reduces structure stress while maximizing load stability
A frame gantry crane in precast yard for cement concrete blocks handling
A frame gantry cranes provide a stable lifting solution for handling dense precast concrete blocks and smaller modular elements in confined outdoor yards.
- Typical lifting capacity: 5–40 tons
- Handles dense concrete blocks and modular precast objects
- Compact footprint suitable for tight outdoor areas
- Durable steel frame construction for repeated lifting cycles
Box girder gantry crane in precast yard for cement concrete handling
Box girder gantry cranes are designed for high-capacity lifting and long-term reliability, commonly used in large precast yards for heavy concrete elements.
- Typical lifting capacity: 30–200 tons
- Handles large panels, beams, and heavy precast modules
- Outdoor heavy-duty applications with long-span coverage
- Box girder design ensures minimal deflection and maximum load stability
How do you choose the best overhead gantry crane for your precast concrete yard? The following factors are provided for your convenience in order to obtain the best overhead crane solutions.
Overhead overhead crane s are critical to the productivity of your precast facility. The following are important factors to consider when developing a long-term, fruitful relationship with your next overhead crane supplier.
Customized Overhead & Gantry Cranes for Precast Concrete
Explore our frequently asked questions about overhead and gantry cranes used in precast concrete applications, including crane selection, capacities, load handling, and typical workshop environments.
What type of crane is best for lifting heavy precast concrete beams in a yard?
Double girder gantry cranes or overhead travelling cranes are ideal for safely handling heavy beams.
- Typical lifting capacity: 20–150 tons.
- Suitable for large indoor halls or outdoor precast yards.
- Handles long beams, large panels, and multiple molds simultaneously.
- Double trolley systems allow synchronized lifting of elongated elements.
Can single girder gantry cranes lift precast concrete pipes?
Yes, single girder gantry cranes are ideal for medium-weight pipes and smaller precast objects.
- Typical capacity: 3–30 tons.
- Suitable for semi-outdoor yards and limited-space workshops.
- Handles small beams, concrete blocks, and medium-size molds.
- Lightweight design allows easy repositioning along production areas.
Are overhead travelling cranes suitable for indoor precast workshops?
Absolutely, they provide precise movement of slabs, panels, and molds indoors.
- Typical lifting capacity: 5–50 tons.
- Can be equipped with magnet, vacuum, or custom spreader attachments.
- Optimizes workflow along indoor production lines.
- Reduces handling damage and increases safety in controlled environments.
What is the best crane for long and heavy precast concrete pipes?
Double trolley overhead cranes are recommended for precise lifting and positioning of long pipes.
- Capacity: 10–80 tons.
- Ideal for indoor or covered precast production lines.
- Can lift multiple long pipes simultaneously.
- Ensures smooth and synchronized movement to avoid bending or damage.
How can I lift dense concrete blocks efficiently in a precast yard?
A-frame or box girder gantry cranes provide stability for dense blocks in outdoor yards.
- A-frame: 5–40 tons, compact footprint for tight areas.
- Box girder: 30–200 tons, long-span coverage for heavy panels.
- Handles concrete blocks, modular wall elements, and heavy slabs.
- Steel construction ensures repeated use in demanding outdoor conditions.
Do truss girder gantry cranes reduce deflection when lifting long precast elements?
Yes, truss girder cranes minimize deflection and improve load stability.
- Capacity: 20–150 tons.
- Ideal for wide precast yards or large factories.
- Handles long beams, pipes, and heavy modules safely.
- Lightweight truss design reduces structural stress.
Can gantry cranes operate in both indoor and outdoor precast environments?
Yes, certain gantry cranes are adaptable to both indoor workshops and outdoor yards.
- Single girder cranes: lightweight, mobile, suited for indoor or semi-covered areas.
- Double girder cranes: high-capacity lifting, suitable for exposed outdoor yards.
- Optional weatherproof coatings for outdoor durability.
- Can handle precast panels, pipes, and molds of varying sizes.
What lifting capacities are typical for cranes in precast concrete workshops?
Capacities range from 3 tons for small loads up to 200 tons for heavy panels and beams.
- Single girder cranes: 3–30 tons for medium-weight objects.
- Double girder and box girder cranes: 20–200 tons for long and heavy loads.
- Truss girder cranes: optimized for heavy, long-span lifting.
- Choice depends on object size, weight, and handling frequency.
How do I choose the right crane for different precast concrete products?
Consider the object type, weight, workshop layout, and lifting span.
- Light panels and blocks: single girder or A-frame cranes.
- Long beams and pipes: double trolley or truss girder cranes.
- Dense or heavy slabs: box girder or double girder gantry cranes.
- Indoor workshops: overhead travelling cranes for precise movement.
- Outdoor yards: durable gantry cranes with weatherproof design.
Can cranes handle multiple precast objects at the same time?
Yes, double trolley and truss girder cranes are designed for simultaneous lifting.
- Useful for multiple pipes, panels, or blocks.
- Reduces production cycle time and improves workflow efficiency.
- Synchronized lifting prevents object damage and ensures safety.
- Supports modular handling attachments for various object shapes.
Precast Industry Experience
While each facility has unique requirements, it is obviously more efficient for a buyer to work with overhead crane manufacturers who are already familiar with the precast concrete industry's special needs. Specifically:
- True Vertical Lift: Does the crane manufacturer recognize the importance of providing a overhead crane with "true vertical lift" in order to ensure proper demolding of many precast forms?
- Multiple Lift Coordination: How will their overhead crane controls synchronize multiple hoists and/or cranes to allow precast loads to be turned or flipped when stripping off their molds? How will the crane hoists' load-summing capabilities prevent accidental overloads?
- Overcoming Mold Suction: Do the engineers of the overhead crane OEM understand how to accommodate the suction that can occur just before the precast concrete breaks free from its molds?
- Increasing the Duty Cycle of the Crane: A typical precast plant may spend a few hours at the start of each day stripping molds — that is, operating their overhead crane at maximum capacity. The overhead crane may then be idle for several hours while the next molds are prepared. Finally, the crane system may end the day at much lower capacities, having spent several hours moving freshly mixed concrete into molds. Is your potential crane supplier therefore recommending overhead crane s with auxiliary, lower-capacity hoists for these lighter lifting tasks?
Crane Performance in Precast Environments Over Time
In addition to the previously mentioned performance considerations, the precast industry can present a harsh environment for your overhead cranes. Our experience with precast concrete and stone handling has led us to develop innovative dust-protection packages for our overhead crane s, including fully enclosed motors and gasketed control boxes.
Turnkey Services for Your Precast Plant
Many of our precast customers take advantage of our turnkey services to overhead cranes for maximum efficiency:
- Initial consultation about your operations and material handling requirements.
- On-site inspection.
- overhead crane proposal, using standardized designs whenever possible to save time and money. When dealing with a unique application, custom engineering is available.
- Before installing an overhead crane, a civil or structural engineer will conduct a building survey and provide a separate proposal for any additional construction that is required, such as reinforcing your foundation, ceiling beams, or building support columns.
- Specify who will run electricity from the disconnect to the crane, such as an in-house electrician or the crane installer's electrician.
- On-site visit by installers to determine the logistics of installing the bridge and to identify potential installation bottlenecks caused by the layout of your plant and its permanently installed machinery.
- An in-depth presentation of the installers' requirements so that you can develop appropriate production accommodations.
- A detailed installation plan, including testing.
- Crane operator and rigger training
Lower Total Lifecycle Costs
We take a long-term approach to overhead crane ownership, beginning with a thorough understanding of your current and proposed material handling requirements, then appropriately sizing your cranes and hoists. We enable preventative maintenance with our cutting-edge data collection to maximize your overhead crane uptime and productivity. We help you avoid crane component obsolescence by vertically integrating all of our manufacturing.
Crane Inspection, Testing, Training & Preventative Maintenance
EOTCRANEKIT has extensive experience with large outdoor gantry cranes and rubber tire gantry cranes for precast products, in addition to overhead cranes. The travel speed of the gantry crane is an important performance factor in many of these applications, which are typically found in large stocking and shipping yards.
When it comes to maintaining your new overhead crane, you have a few options. Almost all companies with a maintenance department choose to have their personnel trained by the OEM in basic crane maintenance: adjustments, simple replacements, and basic maintenance, but keep in mind that the crane inspector should also be trained.
So, whether your precast plant wants to retrofit an existing overhead crane, replace it entirely, or expand into new indoor and outdoor facilities, carefully consider the resources and thoroughness your next crane provider will bring to your business.
Article by Bella ，who has been in the hoist and crane field since 2016. Bella provides overhead crane & gantry crane consultation services for clients who need a customized overhead travelling crane solution.Contact her to get free consultation.
