Application Note on Crane Duty

What is an overhead crane?

An overhead crane is a type of crane where the hook-and-line mechanism runs
along a horizontal beam that runs along two widely separated rails. Often it is in a
factory building and runs along its walls. Overhead cranes are commonly known as
Electrical Overhead travel or EOT cranes.

What are the types of Overhead cranes?

There are three main types of EOT cranes:
1) Jib Crane: A jib crane has one fixed leg, a cantilevered boom that rotates around
the fixed leg, and a hoist/trolley unit that traverses the boom and lifts loads for
placement somewhere else. A jib crane is helpful in a high-repetition lift process
where an overhead crane would be otherwise tied up. Jib cranes are typically
one to two tons, but sometimes reach five ton capacity.

Fig 1: Jib Crane

2) Overhead Bridge Crane: An overhead bridge crane operates on a raised and

fixed track. Typically the height under and overhead bridge crane is 20 or more.
On an overhead crane, end trucks are equipped with wheels to provide for
moving the entire crane. A bridge girder (single or double) spans the rails, and
provides support for the hoist/trolley unit. Finally, the trolley traverses the bridge
girders and usually has a hoist mounted on it to lift the load with either chain or
wire rope.

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Fig 2: Overhead Bridge Crane
3) Gantry Crane: A gantry crane is similar to a bridge crane, but typically has legs at
either end of the bridge girders, which are then mounted with end trucks at the
bottom of the legs to move the gantry along ground-level tracks. Gantry cranes
are more frequently found outdoors where no raised runway is present. Also,
small non-powered gantry cranes are used in light duty applications such as
small machine shops or automobile garages. These gantry cranes typically do
not have a fixed path, but rather have rubber tires

Fig 3: Gantry Crane

Basics of Contactor switching duties/Definitions as

per IEC 60947-4-1
Conventional thermal Current: The conventional free air thermal current I th for
motor starters in enclosures is defined as an eight hour current. It is the maximum
current which can be conducted for this period of time during which no switching
operations are carried out, without the need for intervention and without the
temperature limit being exceeded.
AC1 duty: It involves the switching of non inductive or slightly inductive loads eg:
resistive furnaces. While running on AC1 duty, the switching device must be capable
of making and breaking one times the rated operational current.
AC2 duty: It involves the switching of slip ring induction motors. AC-2 utilization
category is of particular importance in the selection of contactors for use with slip
ring motors in cranes. While running on AC 2 duty, the switching device must be
capable of making and breaking 2.5 times the rated operational current. This in not
always a realistic value as in many cases the actual dynamic loading of the
contactor may be substantially lower.

Types of Movements of an Overhead Crane:

There are three main movements in an Overhead crane: Up travel, Cross travel and
Long travel.
1) Up travel and the associated interlocks: This includes the Vertical motion of
the hoist inorder to pickup and drop off the load. The motion of the hoist is
controlled by a motor Depending on the direction of motion and whether the
hoist is loaded or not, the motor will have to perform forward/reverse motoring
or Forward/Reverse breaking operation.