Date: 02/24/2020
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What is Hook Coverage?
Hook coverage, or working span, is the area that the hook of your crane can reach. It covers all three motions of the hook the in x, y and z dimensions, from the coverage area of the floor to the coverage area of the uppermost height of the hook. Hook coverage is impacted by how close a crane’s hook can move to the end of the bridge and runway.
The greater your crane's hook coverage, the greater the impact your crane can have on the working area and operations of your facility. Good hook coverage not only maximizes the efficiency and profitability of your facility, but also prepares your organization for increased profitability and productivity over time. As operations expand or change, greater hook coverage will give your organization the flexibility to adapt to changing environments or increasing workload.
Common Mistakes: How to Right-Size a Crane
A common mistake when it comes to hook coverage is not planning far enough into the future. Although it is possible to update an existing crane to improve hook coverage, it is not recommended; it can be a time-consuming and expensive investment. Adapting an existing crane to improve hook coverage involves replacing major components and sometimes rearranging electronics, which can put operations behind schedule. When it comes to excellent hook coverage in your production space, look ahead to anticipate changes in workflow or growth of your production.
In order to plan for optimal hook coverage, first, you must have a good understanding of your building space, including obstructions on the walls, ceiling and floor. The hook coverage area of your crane is always less than the total span of the crane or length of the runway. Communicate the layout of your facility and ask your crane builder the right questions to avoid change orders and to maximize the profitability of your production.
Secondly, plan upfront for potential growth or changes in your next project or product. Always optimize your crane to get the best hook coverage possible, as you may need more coverage than you think sooner than planned.
What Products are Best for Maximum Hook Coverage?
Although the size of your crane is ultimately the biggest factor in determining hook coverage, the crane’s individual components will determine the profitability of your working space and how effectively your crane is using each inch. To reach maximum lifting heights and hook-to-wall dimensions, consider these optimized crane components and designs.
Double-girder hoist: Select a double-girder hoist design for superior clearance. Double-girder designs allow for even greater hook height than single-girder cranes, maximizing your vertical hook coverage. Double-girder hoists covers larger capacities - R&M’s Spacemaster SX product line, which is available in double-girder, manages capacities up to 80 tons. Its compact trolley design minimizes your overhead dimensions while maximizing vertical hook coverage.
Festoon cable alternatives: Use a system such as NRGmaster Energy Chain Crane to achieve greater crane clearances. With the NRGmaster, there are no dangling festoon cables that could impede the movement of the crane around other on-site equipment, allowing for greater crane hook approach on the cable-side of the runway or bridge.
R&M Materials Handling offers crane packages designed to work as a complete system, so every component, from the hoist selection to the bridge drives and girders, are designed to work together to achieve maximum working span and floor coverage.
Ready for greater hook coverage for your next project? Contact us to speak with an expert or use our Crane Designer tool to see immediate recommendations.