In our work experience over the past 20 years, the lifting capacity of jib cranes generally does not exceed 16 tons. As a small and medium-sized lifting equipment, the jib crane is widely used in factories, mines, workshops, production lines, assembly lines and machine tools for upper and lower work, warehouses, docks and other occasions. Recently, we noticed a piece of news about a Russian oil company purchasing a super-large jib crane. By interpreting this product, it may have a new impact on our production and customer demand.

Applications of super large jib cranes

According to the news, we learned that this jib crane will be used for loading and unloading containers. Through further understanding, the basic parameters of this jib crane were obtained: The crane has a foundation measuring 2.5m by 6.8m by 6.8m, and is fastened with M36 anchoring bars with a depth of 2.6m. The pipe diameter is 2.6 m with a wall thickness of 25mm, and the overall height of the crane is 14m.

The double jib arm of the crane comprises welded box-type girders with a jib arm length of 12m. At the tip of the jib arm, says Vetter, the crane has a capacity of 40t, enabling it to load any conventional container.

It offers infinite slewing motion through 360°, using several drive motors which also power the driving, lifting, and lowering motions of the lifting gear, which features a travel of 10m on the jib arm. All motions of the crane, including container lifting, are controlled by one operator via remote control, and local crane operators have been trained by Vetter.

Due to the location of the oil refinery, and local temperatures ranging from -40° to 40° Celsius from winter to summer, special steels with good resistance to cold were used, and all moving parts were fitted with protection against extreme conditions.

Sensitive components were also fitted with a range of protection systems, such as heating cartridges in the oil bath of the gears to ensure the required oil viscosity, and all motors were fitted with temperature sensors to protect failure through overheating.

At the oil refinery, the crane can handle around 15–30 containers a day. The crane represents a new type of container handling, says Vetter, which is suited to operations where a relatively small number of containers are handled every day. Due to the limited infrastructure required for such a crane, it can provide a better cost-benefit ratio, adds the company.

What we learned from this case

Jib cranes are used to load and unload containers, which is beyond my knowledge. We have not done a similar project so far. However, I decided to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of jib cranes in loading and unloading containers. If it can help some customers solve their work pain points, it will undoubtedly be a win-win situation.

According to the characteristics of the jib crane, I think it will have the following limitations during the process of loading and unloading containers:

• Limited scope of application: Jib cranes are suitable for loading and unloading containers of certain specifications and weights. For containers of different sizes and weights, different types of jib cranes may be required. Therefore, companies need to prepare multiple types of jib cranes to meet different loading and unloading needs.
• Limited by site: jib cranes require a certain amount of operating space when loading and unloading containers. If the site is small or restricted, the operation of the jib crane may be limited. In addition, the jib crane needs to remain stable when moving to avoid equipment damage or operational errors caused by uneven or soft ground.
• Manual assistance: Although jib cranes can automatically load and unload containers, they still require manual assistance. For example, manual participation is still required in the positioning, fixing and inspection of containers. Therefore, when using a jib crane for container loading and unloading, a certain amount of human resources is still required.
• Higher cost: Jib crane is a relatively expensive piece of equipment, and the purchase and maintenance costs are relatively high. For some small businesses or transportation companies, using a jib crane may increase the cost burden.
• High technical requirements: The jib crane is a piece of equipment with high technical content and requires professional operation and maintenance personnel. Operators need to undergo training and assessment, and have corresponding skills and experience to operate jib cranes safely and accurately. At the same time, the maintenance and upkeep of equipment also requires professional technicians to ensure the normal operation and service life of the equipment.

If you really need to use a jib crane for transportation due to working conditions, I have summarized the advantages of using a jib crane as follows:

• Automation: Jib cranes adopt automation system integration technology to realize computer-controlled equipment operation, allowing the equipment to work automatically. This not only saves working time, but also eliminates the need for manual operation and improves work efficiency.
• High reliability: Jib cranes have high reliability. Its automation system can remind equipment operation conditions at any time. Once an equipment problem occurs, an alarm will be issued immediately so that operators can learn about it in time and take corresponding measures. As a result, delays and problems caused by equipment failure can be reduced when using jib cranes for container handling.
• Efficient transportation: Jib cranes enable efficient transportation when loading and unloading containers. Through the flexible rotation of the jib crane, containers can be easily grabbed and placed, and containers can be moved quickly to improve loading and unloading efficiency.
• Saving space: The jib crane adopts a jib structure, which can operate in a limited space and is more suitable for container loading and unloading in a narrow space. This helps save site space and improves the convenience of container loading and unloading.
• Easy operation: The jib crane has a simple structure and is easy to operate. Operators can easily complete the loading and unloading of containers by controlling the lifting, rotation and movement of the jib crane. This helps simplify operating procedures and improve work efficiency.