European Double Girder Overhead Crane
A European double girder crane is the machine for heavy loads on a tight inside gauge. The trolley is built compact and low, so the hook comes close to the bridge and the two girders can sit nearer together than on a QD-type crane — less dead weight, lower wheel loads, faster and smoother travel. You are buying the same lifting capacity with less steel and better control, which is why it costs more and why it often fits where a conventional crane will not.
- Capacity5–450 t (larger on request)
- Span10.5–31.5 m standard; wider engineered to order
- Lifting height6–30 m
- Duty classA5–A6 typical (FEM 2m–3m); A7 on request
- TrolleyCompact open winch or European trolley, VFD on all motions
- ControlCabin, radio remote, or cabin plus remote
Compact trolley, lighter bridge, higher hook
Two box girders are welded into a bridge and tied by end carriages at each corner. The difference from a QD-type crane is the trolley: instead of a wide fabricated frame with its drum set across the machine, a European trolley stacks motor, reducer and drum into a narrower, lower package. That reduces the trolley gauge, the bridge weight and the overall height of the machine.
The practical results are a higher hook position (typically 500–1000 mm closer to the bridge than a conventional double girder crane), wheel loads 15–25% lower at the same duty, and travel speeds that are useful rather than nominal because every motion is on VFD.
Where a QD-type crane still wins is availability and repair: it is built everywhere in China, every workshop knows it, and a gearbox can be replaced locally in a week. On a remote site with limited maintenance skills, that argument is real — tell us and we will quote both, with the trade-offs written down.
Where this machine is the right answer
Heavy lifts inside a low building. Foundries, press shops and heavy machining bays usually cannot raise the roof, and the extra hook approach frequently decides what can be lifted at all.
Buildings at their structural limit. If the runway beams or columns were built for a lighter crane, the reduced wheel loads can save reinforcement that would otherwise cost more than the crane.
High-cycle production. Where the crane is on the critical path — two or three shifts, hundreds of lifts a day — VFD control and a lighter bridge translate directly into less wear, less swing and a better cycle time. For a single-shift workshop doing occasional heavy lifts, a QD-type crane is usually the better value and we will say so.
What we fit, and what we leave out
Standard: VFD on hoist, trolley and bridge; main plus auxiliary hoist where the load pattern needs two; forged wheels; overload limiter with display; upper and lower hoist limiters; anti-collision device where two cranes share a runway; IP55 motors and sealed bearings.
Worth adding for your site: cabin with air conditioning where the operator must see the load precisely all shift; load cells and a load display for tandem lifts or where the load must be proved; anti-sway; hot-dip galvanizing or heavy epoxy for humid plants; a spare set of brake shoes, limiters and a remote in the same container — far cheaper than a later air-freight shipment.
Usually unnecessary: very high travel speeds on short bays, and a second trolley where one load at a time is all the process needs.
Testing and documents before dispatch
We are a supplier, not the factory: your crane is built by one of our long-term partner factories in Changyuan, and we tell you which one. The inspection step exists because of that — we watch the machine being built and tested rather than forwarding a catalogue.
- Approved drawing before cutting: girder section, wheel base, hook approach, clearance envelope, wheel loads
- Rated-load and 1.25× overload test on the factory track, with the load cell reading recorded
- Brake setting and torque measured on hoist and travel motions; limiters demonstrated
- Panel function test including every interlock between main and auxiliary hoists
- Photographs and video of the test, the wiring and the loading, sent before the container is sealed
- Documents in the container: loading plan, packing list, product certificate, test report, O&M manual, installation drawings
Specification range
| Capacity | 5, 10, 16, 20, 32, 50, 75, 100, 160, 200, 250, 320, 400, 450 t (larger on request) |
|---|---|
| Span | 10.5 m – 31.5 m standard; wider spans engineered to order |
| Lifting height | 6 m – 30 m |
| Duty classification | A5–A6 (FEM 2m–3m, ISO M6–M7); A7 on request |
| Trolley | Compact open winch or European trolley; main + auxiliary hoist available |
| Hoisting speed | 0.5–10 m·min⁻¹ stepless with VFD |
| Bridge travel speed | 30–60 m·min⁻¹ with VFD depending on duty |
| Trolley travel speed | 20–40 m·min⁻¹ with VFD |
| Wheel load | 15–25% lower than a QD-type crane of the same capacity and duty |
| Hook approach | Typically 500–1000 mm closer to the bridge than a conventional double girder crane |
| Power supply | 380 V / 50 Hz standard; 400 / 415 / 440 V and 60 Hz on request |
| Control | Cabin with AC, radio remote, or cabin plus remote; pendant optional |
| Finish | Two coats primer + two coats finish; heavy epoxy or galvanizing for outdoor and coastal sites |
The table shows the range we normally supply. Your offer states the exact capacity, span, lifting height, duty class and voltage for your site — and where a figure in this table differs from the offer, the offer prevails. Send us your requirement and we will confirm each line in writing before you order.
European Double Girder Overhead Crane: questions we are asked
How much more expensive is it than a QD-type double girder crane?
Expect roughly 20–40% on the crane, depending on capacity and options. Part of that comes back on the other side of the quotation: lighter runway beams, smaller foundations, less installed power and lower wear on a crane that runs hard. On a single-shift workshop crane the QD type is usually better value, and we will quote it that way.
Can it be installed in my existing building?
Often, and that is a common reason for choosing it. Send the bay drawing, the span, and either the existing crane's nameplate or the column and runway details. We calculate the wheel loads for your span and compare them with the structure. If the margin is thin, we propose a lighter configuration — or tell you honestly that reinforcement is needed.
Do I need a main and auxiliary hoist?
Only if your work mixes heavy and light lifts: a foundry handling a 100 t ladle and 5 t of scrap is the classic case. Two hooks mean two winches, two brakes and a taller trolley, which costs height and money. If the light lifts happen a few times a day, a single hook with a smaller auxiliary winch or a jib crane in the corner is often the better answer.
Can two cranes work in tandem on one load?
Yes, with the right equipment: synchronised control, load cells on both hooks, and a written lifting procedure. It is used for long or awkward loads such as turbine housings and fabricated girders. Tell us the load and the geometry and we will quote the control arrangement rather than leaving you to synchronise two operators by radio.
What about spares and service in my country?
We supply wheels, brakes, reducers, motors, panels, limiters, remote controls and ropes for as long as the model is in production, shipped by courier for small items and consolidated with your next container for heavy ones. To find the right part all we need is the model code on the nameplate, or a photograph of the plate and of the part.
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Send capacity, span and lifting height and we will reply with a specification and a price within 24 hours.
Supplier, not factory — and we say which factory
We quote from 4–5 long-term partner factories in Changyuan, Henan. You will know which one is building your crane, our inspectors test it before shipment, and the drawings, test report and manuals travel with the machine. More about how we work →