I. Basic Concept
A crawler crane is a heavy-duty lifting machine with a crawler traveling chassis. It supports the entire weight through crawlers, and its boom is mostly truss-type telescopic or sectional. It features large lifting capacity, low ground pressure, good stability, and can operate on soft ground.
II. Main Features
- Large contact area with the ground and low ground pressure, suitable for muddy, soft and unpaved sites
- Strong lifting capacity, large lifting height and good operational stability
- Capable of traveling with load, flexible in operation
- Slow traveling speed; long-distance relocation requires flatbed trucks
- Large size and heavy dead weight; installation and disassembly need auxiliary equipment
III. Advantages
- Strong site adaptability, low requirements on ground conditions
- Excellent lifting performance, large operating radius and high stability
- Able to move with load, improving construction efficiency
- Operable without outriggers (some working conditions still need ground reinforcement)
IV. Disadvantages
- Slow lifting and traveling speed, inconvenient for long-distance relocation
- Complex assembly and disassembly, high cost for relocation and transportation
- Bulky size, limited by narrow working sites
- Heavy overall weight, high energy consumption
V. Typical Applications
- Hoisting of large equipment and installation of steel structures
- Bridge construction, wind power hoisting, port and infrastructure engineering
- Mining, oilfield and field operations on unpaved ground
- Hoisting engineering for high-rise buildings and large factory buildings
