Cranes play an integral role in today’s society. Hydraulic cranes give power and mobility that is unmatched.

Hydraulics Explained

Hydraulics uses force applied at one location to move force to another location using an incompressible liquid such as oil. Hydraulic systems are almost always designed to increase force, so the amount of force applied to the end location is higher than the force needed to be generated begin the system. A frequent hydraulic example is in a car’s brake system. When you lower the brake pedal, a pump pushes fluid through the line, which squeezes the brake pads against the wheels of the car. Hydraulics are also often used in lifting.

Hydraulic Crane Trucks

Crane trucks use the principle of hydraulics to lift and move a many heavy loads. The trucks vary in size and specialty. Some trucks are designed the heaviest lifting, others for applications that need a great deal of height, and some even have all-terrain capabilities. The trucks are named according to the loads they are able to lift, for example, a 20 ton crane can lift 20 tons.

Boom

A boom is an extending arm that extends for a longer reach, or to raise the pulley. A boom is often separated into sections and a hydraulic pump fills each section with fluid, causing the boom arm to become firm. Fire ladder trucks, crane trucks, and some utility trucks have a boom arm. Some boom arms are large enough to need a jib, a latticework structure that gives support and length to the boom arm.

Rotex Gear

While the boom arm is used for raising and lowering the crane, the rotex gear, often located underneath the cab, moves the crane from side to side. The rotex gear seems like a giant clock gear, and works in largely the same way to move the crane from side to side efficiently.

Outriggers

Tires alone don’t provide the support needed to stabilize the crane truck. Without more support, the trucks would tip or just be unable to perform. Outriggers give the crane truck more/additional strength by extending several feet in both directions from the truck. Hydraulics are used in the outrigger system as well, the whole truck is lifted and all weight is transferred to the legs of the outriggers. Counterweights are also used to also balance the truck during the job.

Now when you see a crane working on a project, you will have a better appreciation of the technology that make a crane work and how important they are to our cities and lifestyle.

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