Cranes may make light work of even the heaviest of loads, but how they work actually involves a very slick operation involving various components and design techniques that have been carefully refined since the first crane was invented in the 6th century BCE.
At Metreel, we like to educate you about the world of material handling in our blogs.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to learn more about cranes, or are unsure what a particular crane aspect is called, you’ll find it in the following glossary of crane terminology.
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A-Frame Gantry
A gantry crane supported on two angled legs forming an A-shape when viewed from the end. A-frame gantries are inherently stable and commonly used for outdoor lifting, vehicle maintenance and site work across the UK.
Adjustable Height Gantry
A portable gantry crane where the leg height can be set at different positions, allowing the crane to be adapted for different lift heights or moved between sites. Common on UK construction sites, workshops and facilities that require a temporary lifting solution.
Air Draught
The vertical clearance available between the hook at its highest point and the underside of the crane structure. Air draught is a critical specification in facilities with low roof profiles or mezzanine levels.
Aluminium Profile System
A lightweight crane construction method using extruded aluminium sections rather than traditional steel fabrication. Aluminium profile workstation cranes are popular in UK assembly, electronics and pharmaceutical environments where frequent repositioning and operator-driven loads are common.
Ambient Temperature Range
The operating temperature limits within which a crane is designed to function safely. In UK industrial environments, this is particularly relevant for unheated warehouses, cold stores and outdoor gantry installations.
Anti-Collision System
A safety device that prevents two cranes operating on the same runway from making contact. Required on multi-crane installations and increasingly specified as standard on new UK overhead crane projects.
Articulating Jib Crane
A jib crane with a knuckle joint partway along the arm, allowing the outer section to fold or rotate independently. Articulating jibs offer greater flexibility in confined workstation layouts where a rigid jib would have restricted reach.
Block (Hook Block)
The assembly contains the hook, sheaves and associated hardware that hangs from the hoist rope. The block travels vertically to raise and lower loads and is subject to thorough examination under LOLER 1998.
Box Girder
A bridge girder fabricated as a hollow rectangular section, offering high strength-to-weight ratio and torsional rigidity. Box girders are typically specified on long-span or high-duty double girder cranes in UK heavy manufacturing and steel processing facilities.
Break-Away Force
The initial force required to move a load from rest, which is typically higher than the running load. Crane motors and brakes are sized to account for break-away force, particularly on long-span or heavily loaded installations.
Bridge (Crane Bridge)
The main horizontal structure of an overhead crane that spans the width of the bay and travels along the runway rails. The bridge carries the crab and hoist assembly.
Chain Hoist
A hoist that uses a calibrated lifting chain rather than wire rope to raise and lower the load. Electric chain hoists are compact, cost-effective and well suited to lower capacity applications, typically up to five tonnes, and are common across UK workshops and assembly operations.
Conductor Bar
A rigid electrical conductor rail mounted along the runway, from which the crane draws power via a collector shoe. Conductor bar systems are a safer and neater alternative to festoon cables on high-cycle or long-travel crane installations.
Crab
The travelling unit that moves along the crane bridge, carrying the hoist and hook block. The crab enables cross-travel movement, giving the crane its lateral reach across the span.
Crane Buffer
An energy-absorbing device fitted to the end carriages or end stops of a crane to reduce impact forces during travel limit contact. Buffers may be polyurethane, rubber or hydraulic depending on the crane speed and mass.
Cross-Travel
The movement of the crab along the crane bridge, perpendicular to the direction of long-travel. Cross-travel and long-travel together define the crane’s full working envelope.
Drive Unit
The motorised assembly responsible for powering crane travel, comprising a motor, gearbox, brake and drive wheel. Separate drive units are fitted for long-travel and cross-travel motions, each independently controlled.
Drum
The cylindrical component onto which the wire rope is wound during hoisting. Drum design, including rope groove pitch and fleet angle, directly affects rope life and is a key factor in hoist specification for high-cycle applications.
Double Girder Crane
An overhead crane with two parallel bridge girders, between which the crab and hoist travel. Double girder configurations offer greater hook height, higher duty capacity and better lateral stability than single girder equivalents.
Duty Classification (FEM/ISO)
A standardised rating system that defines how intensively a crane will be used, based on the number of lifts per hour, load spectrum and hours of operation per year. Common UK classifications run from FEM 1Am (light, infrequent use) through to FEM 4m (very heavy, continuous use). Selecting the correct duty classification is essential for crane longevity and warranty validity.
End Carriage
The structural end sections of the crane bridge that carry the bridge wheels and run along the runway rails. End carriages transmit all crane loads into the runway structure and building.
End Stop
A physical buffer or stop fitted at the end of the runway or bridge travel to prevent the crane from running beyond its safe operating limits. End stops must be designed to absorb the kinetic energy of the crane at its maximum speed.
Ergonomic Lifting
A design principle applied to workstation cranes where the system is configured to minimise operator effort and repetitive strain. Ergonomic lifting solutions are increasingly specified in UK manufacturing environments to meet Health and Safety at Work Act obligations and reduce musculoskeletal injury claims.
Festoon System
The cable management system that supplies power and control signals to a travelling crane. Festoon cables are suspended from a track and travel with the crane, maintaining a safe and organised cable run throughout the working range.
Fleet Angle
The angle between the wire rope and the centreline of the hoist drum as the rope winds on or off. Excessive fleet angle causes accelerated rope and drum wear and is controlled through drum design and sheave arrangement.
Fixed Gantry
A permanently installed gantry crane where the legs are anchored to floor rails or concrete foundations. Fixed gantries are specified where a consistent lifting corridor is required and repositioning is not necessary.
Floor Rail
The ground-level rail on which gantry crane legs travel. Floor rails must be correctly aligned, anchored and maintained to ensure stable crane travel and prevent leg derailment under load.
Gantry Crane
A crane supported on legs that run on floor-level rails rather than an elevated runway. Gantry cranes are common in fabrication yards, outdoor applications and facilities where the building structure cannot support a runway.
Gantry Leg
The vertical structural member that supports the crane bridge on a gantry crane. Gantry legs transmit all crane loads to the floor rail or ground surface and must be designed for both vertical and horizontal forces generated during crane operation.
Girder
The main load-bearing beam of the crane bridge. Single girder cranes carry the hoist on the bottom flange of one girder; double girder cranes use two parallel girders with the crab travelling between them.
Hoist Limit Switch
An electromechanical or electronic device that cuts power to the hoist motor when the hook block reaches its upper or lower travel limit. Upper limit switches are a mandatory safety requirement on UK crane installations; lower limits are specified where over-lowering could cause rope slack or drum damage.
Hook Approach
The minimum horizontal distance between the centreline of the hook and the nearest building column or wall. A closer hook approach increases usable lift coverage and is a key specification for facilities with restricted layouts.
Hoist
The mechanical unit responsible for raising and lowering the load. Hoists on UK industrial cranes are typically electric wire rope or electric chain type, selected based on duty, lift height and safe working load.
Inverter-Controlled Hoist
A hoist fitted with a variable frequency drive to allow smooth, stepless speed control during lifting and lowering. Inverter control reduces load swing, improves positioning accuracy and lessens mechanical stress, which is particularly valuable in precision manufacturing and process environments.
Jib Crane
A crane consisting of a horizontal or inclined arm (jib) mounted to a wall bracket or floor-mounted pillar, from which a hoist travels along the jib length. Jib cranes are common workstation solutions in UK fabrication shops, maintenance areas and loading docks where a full overhead system is not justified.
Load Limiter
A device that prevents the hoist from lifting a load in excess of its rated safe working load. Load limiters are a standard safety feature on modern UK hoists and form part of the thorough examination checklist under LOLER 1998.
LOLER 1998
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The primary UK legislation governing the safe use of lifting equipment, including overhead cranes. LOLER requires that all lifting equipment is thoroughly examined by a competent person at prescribed intervals. Typically, a formal inspection (fully documented) is required every 12 months for cranes not used to lift people.
Long-Travel
The movement of the crane bridge along the runway rails, running the length of the bay. Long-travel drive systems are sized based on crane weight, speed requirements and duty classification.
Monorail
A single overhead beam or rail from which a hoist travels in a straight line. Monorails are a cost-effective solution for linear material flow and are common in assembly lines, loading bays and maintenance pits.
Pendant Control
A push-button control station suspended from the crane that the operator uses to direct crane movements. Pendant controls are the most common form of crane control on UK industrial installations and must be designed to be fail-safe in the event of a fault.
Pillar Jib Crane
A freestanding jib crane mounted on a dedicated steel column anchored to the floor. Pillar jib cranes do not rely on the building structure for support, making them suitable for facilities where wall or column loadings cannot be confirmed.
Portable Gantry
A lightweight, wheeled gantry crane designed to be moved around a facility without mechanical assistance. Portable gantries are a cost-effective solution for infrequent lifting tasks and are widely used in UK maintenance and facilities management applications.
PUWER 1998
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Alongside LOLER, PUWER places duties on UK employers to ensure that work equipment, including cranes, is suitable for its intended use, maintained in good condition and used by trained personnel.
Radio Remote Control
A wireless control system that allows the operator to control crane movements from a distance. Radio remote control is increasingly specified on UK cranes where the operator needs to move freely around the load or where pendant operation creates a safety risk.
Reeving
The arrangement of the wire rope through the sheaves of the hoist and hook block. Single-part reeving is used for faster lift speeds at lower capacities; multi-part reeving provides mechanical advantage for heavier loads at the cost of lift speed.
Runway
The fixed rail infrastructure along which the crane bridge travels. Runways may be supported on building columns, dedicated steelwork or wall brackets, and must be designed to carry both static and dynamic crane loads.
Safe Working Load (SWL)
The maximum load that a crane is designed and rated to lift under normal operating conditions. SWL must be permanently marked on the crane and must not be exceeded at any time.
Sheave
A grooved wheel or pulley over which the wire rope runs in a hoist or hook block assembly. Sheave diameter and groove profile are matched to the rope specification to minimise wear and maintain rope integrity over the crane’s service life.
Single Girder Crane
An overhead crane configuration where the hoist runs on the bottom flange of a single bridge girder. Single girder cranes are typically specified for lighter duties and shorter spans, offering a more economical solution where headroom is not a constraint.
Slip Ring Motor
A type of AC motor used in heavy-duty crane hoists that allows external resistance to be introduced into the rotor circuit, enabling smooth starting and speed control under load. Slip ring motors are less common on modern UK installations, having largely been replaced by inverter-driven squirrel cage motors.
Slew Arc
The angle through which a jib crane can rotate around its mounting point. Standard slew arcs range from 180 degrees for wall-mounted jibs to 360 degrees for pillar-mounted versions, determining how much of the workstation the crane can serve.
Span
The horizontal distance between the centrelines of the runway rails, which determines the width of the area the crane can cover. Span is one of the primary dimensions used to size and price a crane installation.
Thorough Examination
The formal inspection of lifting equipment carried out by a competent person under LOLER 1998. A thorough examination is not the same as routine maintenance and must result in a written report confirming whether the equipment is safe to continue in service.
Travelling Block
An alternative term for the hook block or bottom block, more commonly used in heavy lifting and offshore contexts within the UK.
Underslung Crane
A crane where the end carriages and bridge are suspended from the bottom flange of the runway beams rather than running on top of them. Underslung cranes are suited to facilities where headroom is limited and the building structure can carry the additional load.
Variable Speed Drive (VSD)
An electronic system that controls motor speed to allow smooth crane acceleration and deceleration. VSDs reduce mechanical shock on the structure and load, extend component life and improve positioning accuracy. The system has become increasingly standard on UK installations handling sensitive or high-value loads.
Wall-Mounted Jib Crane
A jib crane fixed directly to a structural wall or column. Wall-mounted jibs are a space-efficient workstation solution but require a structural assessment to confirm the wall can carry the applied loads before installation.
Wheel Load
The force transmitted through each crane wheel into the runway rail. Wheel loads are a critical design input for runway beam sizing and building structural assessment, and must be provided by the crane manufacturer as part of the project specification.
Wire Rope
The load-bearing rope used in electric wire rope hoists to raise and lower the hook block. Wire rope is inspected as part of every thorough examination under LOLER and replaced based on wear criteria set out in manufacturer guidance and BS standards.
Wire Rope Hoist
A hoist that uses a multi-strand steel wire rope wound onto a drum to lift the load. Wire rope hoists are specified for higher capacities, longer lift heights and more demanding duty cycles than chain hoists can accommodate.
Still Have Questions About Cranes?
If you are looking to purchase a crane for your business and have any questions about anything we’ve mentioned above, the experts here at Metreel can help you.
On our website, you can view all of the material handling products we supply to businesses across the UK and beyond.
For questions about Metreel cranes or to place an order, please get in touch or call us on 0115 932 7010.