At any given moment, over 250,000 people are at risk of accidents related to the operation of crane and hoist systems. Because of this, construction and factory workers must do all in their power to reduce the risk of injury.
Fortunately, with ground-level crane pendant control systems, it’s easy to operate this machinery safely and efficiently. Read on to learn what a crane pendant control station is and why it’s one of the most groundbreaking technologies in all manual labor industries!
What Is a Crane Pendant Control Station?
The majority of overhead cranes are operated electrically. Like any electrical appliance, they need a person to operate their controls and ensure that they function in an intended manner.
Crane pendant systems are the control boards that construction or industrial workers use to operate and direct the movement of a crane. Specifically, they ensure that the hook (or pendant) of the crane moves appropriately and can be positioned purposefully. With these controls, you can cause the crane to automatically lift and maneuver the objects that you’re working with.
What Can Be Controlled?
Crane pendant controls are used in three primary ways:
- Directing crane motion (moving the machine itself up and down runways and around cites)
- Hoist positioning (horizontal/lateral side-to-side movement of the pendant, good for positioning the load)
- Hoist lifting motion (vertical movement of the hook to move loads up and down)
How Does the Operator Control the Crane?
There are also three main ways that an operator can control the pendant of the crane.
The first and historically most common method requires multiple people. An operator sits in a cab that is attached to the body of the crane and controls its movements. One or two coworkers will stand on the ground and use hand signals and walkie-talkies to tell the operator where to move the pendant.
This is not the most efficient method, however. A crane can also be controlled by an operator on the floor using a crane pendant system. This system is attached to the crane, which allows one person to move it and direct it appropriately without the help of other coworkers.
Some crane pendant systems are also wireless- the operator can use them to direct a crane all the way across a construction site. These controls use a radio transmitter and receiver to direct the movement of the crane. This is usually the ideal way to control a crane. It provides workers with a lot of range and easy, no-frills maneuvering.
Why Is This Important?
There are many benefits to crane pendant control stations.
First, operators can walk closer when setting and positioning loads. This allows them to easily maneuver around obstacles that are on the ground and to be more precise in where loads are placed. This is primarily a good idea when you use wireless radio-operated controls because the cord won’t become wrapped around things.
They also make your on-site work safer and more productive. You won’t run the risk of knocking into anything (or anyone) while in a cab attached to your crane. You also don’t need to worry about wires and cords snagging on large items and knocking them over.
Get Started
While maneuvering a crane is a challenge, initially, it becomes much easier over time. Crane controls are simple to understand and to ultimately master.
Contact our experts to ask any lingering questions you may have about crane control. We also will give you a quote for the equipment that you need to make your project run as efficiently as possible.