Reference
Standards explainers and engineering Q&A.
Deep-dive answers to the most cited questions about aluminum lifting equipment standards, materials, and operations. Reviewed by the eme engineering team.
- 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. →
- Gantry Crane Parts: The Anatomy of a Portable Gantry Beam, trolley, A-frame legs, height-adjustment pins, casters, and the hoist that completes the system — every major part of a portable gantry crane, what it does, and what to look at during inspection. →
- 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 a Davit Crane? Socket-Mounted Lifting Explained A davit crane is a single-mast crane that drops into a fixed base socket and swings the load in an arc — no legs, no runway. How davits work, how they differ from jib cranes, and where they fit. →
- What Is a Gantry Crane? Fixed, Adjustable, and Portable Types Compared A gantry crane is a freestanding crane that carries its load on a horizontal beam supported by legs — no building steel required. Compare the three main types: fixed rail-mounted, adjustable steel A-frame, and portable aluminum. →
- What Is an A-Frame Crane? An A-frame crane is the common shop name for a portable gantry crane whose legs form the letter A — two angled uprights with bracing under each end of the beam. What the shape does, and how the capacity classes run. →
- 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. →