Customized crane systems need to comprehensively consider many factors such as working environment, load capacity and size, lifting height, structural safety, operational stability, customization requirements, and cost-effectiveness. In-depth communication with a professional manufacturer or system integrator can ensure that a customized crane system can meet the specific work environment and task requirements.

Dongqi Crane is a professional crane manufacturer that can customize crane systems for various complex working conditions. Dongqi Crane today shared a bus factory customizing a complete crane system for a new factory building. By studying cases and controlling details, Dongqi Crane will be more confident in designing crane systems.

Crane supplier manufactures more than 40 cranes and hoists for bus production plants

The crane supplier’s work will ensure that cranes and hoists can provide comprehensive material handling services for approximately 500,000 square feet of the facility, which manufactures a complete line of heavy-duty transport vehicles. The plant’s manufacturing process starts with small parts and produces vehicles in 29-, 35- and 40-foot lengths with a variety of drive systems. Production relies heavily on cranes and material handling systems of various capacities (up to 10 tonnes).

We started with a clean sheet of paper and had the opportunity to work with architects, engineers, crane professionals and other field experts to create a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility utilizing overhead crane technology designed to serve the material handling needs of the following industries: each specific production process. We had an existing relationship [with CraneTech], but we considered numerous options and conducted site visits and visits to ensure we selected the best crane partner. “

The new facility features 15 individual crane bays ranging in width from 20 to 100 feet and lengths from 100 to 1,150 feet, as well as numerous jib cranes. Crane suppliers offer wire rope hoists with lifting capacities from 1 ton to 10 tons, and electric chain hoists with lifting capacities from 0.25 to 2 tons. These hoists were selected for their reliability, flexibility of options, efficiency and availability of spare parts for future maintenance.

We are working with spreadsheets. As the project neared, we attended multiple meetings to expand the scope to include workstation cranes and fall protection systems. The sheer amount of equipment we needed to supply, combined with the coordination of simultaneous installations, made the project extremely challenging, but also extremely rewarding.

Material handling equipment is used in the daily production cycle as buses move through the building from chassis components and welded parts being formed into finished vehicles with tires and engines.

After a period of operation, the person in charge of the bus factory said: Since the new factory started production, the crane has performed well and met our high expectations. Our production facility must demonstrate great versatility as we only build to order and our customers can request anything from a single bus to an entirely new fleet; this is a high quality manufacturing environment that produces the renowned custom products .

Try to analyze the complete crane system customized for the bus factory

When customizing a complete crane system for a bus factory, the required number of crane products and equipment needs to be determined based on the factory’s production line layout, vehicle size, weight, production process, and material handling needs. The following is a basic analysis framework:

Production line crane:

• Bridge crane: suitable for lifting and transporting large materials inside the workshop. Depending on the size of the workshop and operational requirements, multiple overhead cranes may be needed to cover different work areas.
• Gantry crane: Typically used at the entrance and exit of a workshop or at the end of a production line to lift vehicles into transport or storage areas. The quantity may depend on the number of imports and exports and operating efficiency requirements.

Material handling cranes:

• Jib crane: Suitable for specific work areas, such as parts storage areas or next to assembly lines, for lifting and carrying small materials or parts. Quantity is determined based on work area and job requirements.
• Electric hoist: often used in conjunction with other cranes for precise lifting operations, or for material handling at fixed points. The quantity is determined according to the specific operating point.

Cranes for maintenance and inspection:

• Maintenance platform crane: used to lift the maintenance platform to facilitate vehicle inspection and maintenance. Quantity depends on the size of the repair shop and operational needs.
• Mobile cranes: Such as tire or crawler cranes, used to move equipment or large components within factories, as well as outside for maintenance and assembly operations. The quantity is relatively small and configured according to specific needs.

Auxiliary equipment:

• Lifting clamps and slings: customized according to the shape and size of the lifted items to ensure the safety and efficiency of the lifting process.
• Safety monitoring system: used to monitor the operating status of the crane and the safety situation of the working area in real time to prevent accidents.

To sum up, customizing a complete crane system for a bus factory requires considering a variety of crane products, and the quantity depends on factors such as the scale of the factory, production line layout, operational needs, and safety requirements. The selection and quantity configuration of specific equipment requires detailed planning and design based on the actual situation. It is recommended to have in-depth communication with a professional crane manufacturer or system integrator when formulating a plan to ensure the rationality and feasibility of the plan.