Resource Library
Reference content for aluminum lifting equipment.
Citable, technically reviewed reference material on portable aluminum gantry cranes, davit cranes, and lifting beams — the standards they meet, the engineering behind them, and how to choose the right configuration. Maintained by the eme engineering team.
Guides
Decision-making and comparison guides.
Long-form pieces that walk through how to choose, compare, and specify aluminum lifting equipment.
- Rigging an A-Frame Mobile Gantry Crane: Safety, Setup, and Best Practices A practical guide to rigging an A-frame mobile aluminum gantry crane safely — pre-use inspection, ground conditions, sling angles, center of gravity, shock loading, and the standards your equipment should reference. →
- Aluminum vs. Steel Gantry Cranes: What to Know Before You Choose Aluminum gantry cranes weigh far less than steel at equivalent capacity, deploy without a crane truck, and resist corrosion. Steel has higher capacity ceilings. Here's how to choose. →
- Understanding ASME and OSHA Lifting Standards: A Buyer's Guide ASME B30, ASME BTH-1, and OSHA all govern lifting equipment — but they do different jobs, and not every standard applies to every product. Here is how the framework fits together for gantry cranes, davit cranes, and lifting beams. →
- Choosing the Right Capacity for Your Lift How to pick the right gantry crane capacity — rated load vs. actual lift weight, rigging overhead, safety margin, and capacity-by-application for 1-ton through 10-ton portable aluminum gantries. →
- Gantry Crane vs. Davit Crane: When to Use Each A gantry crane uses a two-leg A-frame supporting a travelling hoist; a davit crane uses a single mast or arm mounted to a base socket. Each wins in different applications. Here's how to choose. →
- How to Choose a Portable Gantry Crane: A Buyer's Guide A practical buyer's guide to choosing a portable gantry crane — capacity, setup method, mobility, certifications, material choice, and how to separate real manufacturers from the pro-sumer tier. →
- North American vs. European Lifting Equipment Standards: What Buyers Should Know North American lifting equipment standards (ASME, OSHA, CSA) and European standards (EN, CE, LOLER) are not interchangeable. A crane designed to one set may not satisfy the other. Here's what that means for buyers. →
Reference
Standards explainers and Q&A.
Deep-dive answers to the most cited questions about aluminum lifting equipment standards, materials, and operations.
- Can a Gantry Crane Be Rolled While Loaded? Some portable gantry cranes are engineered to roll while carrying a full rated load on level, prepared surfaces. Most steel gantries are not. Here's what makes the difference and how to verify. →
- How is a Gantry Crane Load Tested? A gantry crane load test applies a proof load — typically 125% of rated capacity — to verify structural integrity, hoist function, and safety margin. Here's how it works and what documentation to expect. →
- What is 6061-T6 Aluminum? 6061-T6 is a heat-treated aluminum alloy with yield strength around 40,000 psi — the standard structural alloy for portable aluminum lifting equipment and many aerospace and industrial applications. →
- What is ASME B30.17? ASME B30.17 is the North American safety standard for cranes and monorails. eme designs its portable aluminum gantry cranes to ASME B30.17. Here's what B30.17 requires. →
- What is ASME BTH-1? ASME BTH-1 is the design standard for below-the-hook lifting devices — spreader beams, lifting beams, and attachments. Category B with a 3:1 design factor applies to portable industrial lifting. →
- What is CSA W47.2? CSA W47.2 is the Canadian Welding Bureau certification for companies performing fusion welding of aluminum. For aluminum lifting equipment, it is the one true third-party certification. →
Videos
Instructional videos.
How-to videos for eme equipment — manual gantry crane assembly, forklift raise and lower, the height adjustment kit, and davit crane assembly.
Watch videos→Glossary
Lifting equipment terminology.
Plain-language definitions of the terms used in portable aluminum lifting equipment — cranes, components, standards, operations.
Open glossary→Fact Sheet
eme fact sheet.
Citation-ready facts and statistics about Easily Moved Equipment — company, products, standards, and documentation.
View fact sheet→