Popular construction machines 

Tower cranes on construction sites

Cranes have for years been one of the most popular types of machinery used in infrastructure or construction work, among other things. However, few people know what types they are and what they are used for. Below, we provide an overview of the classification of these machines. 

Types of cranes: 

  • HDS cranes; 
  • mobile cranes; 
  • tower cranes; 
  • mobile tower cranes. 

HDS cranes 

It is a kind of mobile crane, often referred to as carThis is because it consists of a rotating arm mounted on a truck. HDS cranes best for loading and unloading in the transport industry, but, like all machines of this type, they are also used in the construction industry. They are also often found in the timber industry. Their advantage is not only mobility, but also relatively small size and ease of use. 

Mobile cranes 

HDS crane on the road

Now that we have mentioned mobile cranes, it is worth taking a closer look at them. Also known as self-propelled, mobile cranes are not just a type of HDS. Some of them are not mounted to a car, but to a special platformswhich is usually powered by no more than two engines. This type of chassis often also has eject functionwhere it is lifted on special supports. Mobile cranes are most often used for working at low heightsrequiring better and more precise steering. 

Tower cranes 

These cranes, in turn, we associate with the sight of metropolitan building sites where multi-storey flat blocks or skyscrapers are being built. Indeed, the main function of tower cranes is to working at heights. They are mainly used for handling of bulky materials. On their summit is located cabinin which the operator operates crane arm - the only movable part of the machine. Their base is usually fixed to a single location. 

mobile crane on site

However, there are also mobile tower cranes. They combine features of both mobile cranes and regular cranes. Counter-intuitively, they are quite easy to operate and have a number of features, such as the ability to accommodate an operator's cab in the middle of the tower instead of on top of it. All this, along with short preparation time such a crane to work, makes this type of crane one of the most efficient. 

Questions and answers

What types of cranes are there?

We distinguish between mobile cranes, HDS cranes, tower cranes and mobile tower cranes. Mobile cranes are cranes that can easily be moved from place to place. HDS cranes are truck-mounted cranes that can easily fit into halls or warehouses. Tower cranes are most often used for working at heights. Mobile tower cranes, on the other hand, are a combination of mobile cranes and regular cranes.  

What kind of work are cranes used for?

Depending on the type, this could be construction work, transport services, construction work, work on telecommunications or road infrastructure or forestry work. 

Which type of crane is best in terms of performance?

The answer to this question depends on the type of work for which we need a crane. However, due to the number of possibilities, mobile tower cranes are certainly at the forefront.