The jib crane is a relatively small lifting machine that plays a vital role in small industrial facilities, workshops and warehouses. Every crane that consists a rotating boom with a hoist, attached to a vertical mast can be referred to jib crane. Years ago, the jib crane was primarily used as alternative to the overhead crane, but today the jib crane has a greater role in many industry sectors.
The jib crane belongs to the boom crane category, as it comes with a long structurally reinforced beam. As some jib cranes are suitable for heavy indoor lifts, the jib is connected with wires coming from the top of the jib, rigidly braced to the vertical mast. Along the length of the jib, there is a pulley system with cables (chains), mounted at the base of the jib. Its arm is capable to rotate along with the central axis within a 360-circle or a limited arc. Generally, the jib crane is used for indoor lifting applications, such as workshops, warehouses or docks, for loading, lifting, carrying and unloading different materials.
There are two main types of jib cranes: fixed and portable. The portable jib cranes are more preferred, as they offer more advantages than the fixed jib cranes. They are designed with their own base for increased stability, which is lightweight and can be easily transported from one location to another. Also, it lowers the costs by eliminating the need for mounting the jib crane in the ground or on the wall. The portable jib cranes can be positioned closely to the working area, and can perform the lifting tasks more efficiently.
A standard fixed jib crane features a horizontal jib with a movable hoist which can be wall or floor-mounted. The floor-mounted jib crane is more stable and capable to perform heavier lifts, so it is a more common choice. The stability of the jib cranes depends heavily on the weather conditions. When a jib crane is used on difficult weather conditions, like heavy rain or storm, the stability of the entire lifting machine is significantly reduced. Because of that, most jib cranes feature an outrigger mechanism for increased stability.
The jib crane can be used either on a regular basis or for temporary projects. The jib cranes which are used for temporary projects are mobile lifting machines. But as mentioned above, the operators have more than three jib crane options on disposal in order to suit the specific requirements on the job site.