Push-type gantry crane 500 kg to 2 tons guide

Quick answer: A push-type gantry crane is a freestanding A-frame on wheels with a beam that carries a hoist. Typical workshop models lift 500 kg to 2 tons with a 2 to 6 m span and 2 to 4 m height. It fits plants with no overhead crane, where the roof or floor cannot take a column, and where lifting happens at changing spots such as machine maintenance, mold changes or loading sheets from carts. Unlike a jib crane it needs no foundation and can be moved; unlike a mini crane it handles long, wide loads over a larger area.

What a push-type gantry crane is and how it is built

A push-type gantry crane, also called a mobile or portable gantry crane, is a freestanding lifting frame: two A-shaped legs on casters and a beam across the top. A trolley runs along the beam and carries the hoist. When the lift is needed somewhere else, the operator simply pushes the whole frame to the new spot. There is no ceiling drilling and no foundation work.

Beam: steel I-beam or aluminum alloy profile; it sets the capacity and span.
Legs: fixed height, or telescopic legs with pinned height steps to pass through doors or over machines.
Casters: braked PU wheels, swivel for easy steering or fixed for straight travel.
Lifting device: an electric hoist, manual chain hoist, air hoist or servo hoist, with a hook, clamp or vacuum lifting pad below.

When a mobile gantry crane makes sense in a plant

A push-type gantry does not replace the double-girder crane of a large bay. It solves heavy lifts that are not constant and happen at different places:

Rented or pre-engineered buildings whose roof trusses cannot take extra load and whose floor cannot be drilled.
Machine maintenance: lifting motors, gearboxes, rolls and molds right at the machine.
Mold and die changes, cutter changes and sub-assembly work at several stations during the day.
Moving sheets and packages from carts or pallets onto machine tables, combined with a vacuum pad instead of slings.
Clean rooms and labs that need compact equipment which can be moved when the layout changes.

Push-type gantry crane vs jib crane vs mini crane

Criteria	Push-type gantry crane	Jib crane	Mini crane
Typical capacity	500 kg to 2 tons	80 to 500 kg	400 kg to 2 tons (less at full reach)
Working area	Rectangle under the beam, whole frame can move	Circle around a fixed column	In front of the boom, free travel
Installation	No foundation, quick assembly	Foundation or mounting to a column or wall	None
Long, wide loads	Very good, load centered between legs	Good within reach	Limited, off-center risk
High frequency at one station	Medium	Very good	Medium

If you lift at one machine many times per shift, a pneumatic jib crane or standard jib crane is faster. If loads must travel long distances through several areas, a mini crane is more flexible. The push-type gantry is strongest when loads are heavy and large and the lifting point changes from day to day.

Gantry crane types FullSharp commonly installs

Steel gantry crane 500 kg to 1 ton with adjustable height

The push-type 500 kg gantry crane has telescopic legs and bolted joints, so it can be taken apart and moved. It is usually fitted with an electric hoist for molds, workpieces and machine assemblies.

Lightweight aluminum gantry crane

The aluminum mobile gantry crane covers roughly 125 to 1,000 kg. It is light enough for two people to erect and push, which suits clean rooms, labs and maintenance shops.

Pneumatic gantry cranes and gantry cranes with vacuum lifters

An air hoist suits areas with oil mist, dust or explosion-proof requirements. An electric hoist combined with a vacuum lifter handles cement boards or metal sheets without rigging slings.

How to choose a push-type gantry crane in 5 steps

Capacity: take the heaviest load plus the weight of the hook, clamp or vacuum pad, then choose a frame rated about 25% higher.
Span: measure the width of the load or machine that must fit between the legs and add 300 to 500 mm on each side.
Height: required lift height plus hoist and hook height; check it against door height, pipes and lights. If the frame must pass low doors, choose an adjustable-height model.
Hoist: a few lifts per day suit a chain hoist or standard electric hoist; precise assembly suits a variable-speed or servo hoist; oily or dusty areas suit an air hoist.
Floor and casters: the floor must be level and take the point load at each wheel; PU wheels suit epoxy floors, rough floors need larger wheels.

Safety notes for mobile gantry cranes

Lock all four caster brakes before lifting and never push the frame with a load raised high.
Lift near the middle of the span and avoid hanging the load close to one leg.
Never exceed the capacity marked on the beam; check bolts and height pins regularly.
When moving with a load, keep it just above the floor, go slowly and avoid slopes and drain channels.

Real projects installed by FullSharp

500 kg Push-Type Gantry Crane with Electric Hoist for Plants

500 kg Gantry Crane with Adjustable Height

Mobile Gantry Crane with Adjustable Beam Height

Mobile Pneumatic Gantry Crane for Plants

1-Ton Gantry Crane with Electric Hoist and Vacuum Lifter for Cemboard Panels

80 kg Jib Crane with Electric Hoist, Mini Gantry Crane Style

Equipment in operation (videos)

Gantry frame with air hoist and basket clamp for heavy parts

400 kg push-type mini crane, an alternative for longer travel

Cart-mounted pneumatic jib crane with carton vacuum lifter

Frequently asked questions

How much can a push-type gantry crane lift?

Common workshop sizes are 500 kg, 1 ton and 2 tons. Light aluminum frames usually range from 125 kg to about 1 ton; higher loads need a steel frame and a good floor.

Does a mobile gantry crane need a foundation?

No. It stands on casters and only needs a level concrete floor that can take the point load at each wheel.

Should I choose a gantry crane or a jib crane?

For frequent lifts at one machine, choose a jib crane. For changing lifting points, long or wide loads, or buildings where drilling is not allowed, choose a push-type gantry crane.

Can a gantry crane have adjustable height?

Yes. Telescopic legs with pinned steps let the frame pass low doors and match the lift height of each machine.

What hoist is used on a push-type gantry crane?

An electric hoist is most common. Chain hoists, air hoists for oily or dusty areas and servo hoists for precise assembly are also used.

Send FullSharp your heaviest load, load size, required span and lift height, door height and a few photos of the work area for a gantry crane recommendation and a free site survey.

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Push-type gantry cranes 500 kg to 2 tons: design, uses and selection