What is the difference between crane rail and crane beam?
A crane beam is the large, structural girder (like a heavy I-beam) that supports the entire crane system, while the crane rail is the specialized steel track mounted on top of the crane beam (or runway beam) that the crane's wheels run on, facilitating its precise movement across the facility. The beam provides the structural backbone, reinforced for heavy loads, and the rail provides the smooth, wear-resistant surface for the crane's wheels.
Crane Beam (Runway Beam)
- Function: Acts as the main support structure, transferring massive loads from the crane to the building's columns.
- Structure: A heavy-duty steel beam, often with welded stiffeners (web plates) for high shear and bending resistance, similar to a regular I-beam but much stronger.
- Location: Installed horizontally along the length of the workshop, supporting the entire crane system.
Crane Rail
- Function: Guides the crane's wheels as the crane travels horizontally.
- Structure: A specific profile of steel (like a flat-top or square bar) designed for direct contact with crane wheels, focusing on wear resistance and straightness.
- Location: Fixed onto the top flange of the crane beam (or runway beam).
What is the crane rail?
As its name suggested, the crane rail is used in the crane railway. The crane rail has its own material, dimensions, standard, and sizes. GNEE RAIL provides various standard rail track, such as AREMA, GB, BS, DIN, UIC, and other custom rail tracks.
| Crane Rail Type | Standard | Size | Material | Standard Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Series | German DIN536 | A45, A55, A65, A75, A100, A120, A150 | 50Mn,U71Mn | 10/12/15m |
| ASCE Series | American ASTM, AREMA | ASCE25, ASCE40, ASCE60, ASCE75, ASCE85, ASCE90, ASCE115, ASCE136 | 700/900A/1100 | 6-12m, 12-25m |
| UIC Series | International Union of Railways UIC860-0, EN-13674-1 | UIC50, UIC54, UIC60 | 900A/1100 | 12-25m |
| BS Series | British BS11-1985 | BS50'O',BS60A,BS60R, BS75A,BS75R,BS80A, BS100A,BS113A | 700/900A | 8-25m |
| JIS Series | Japanese JIS E1103/1101 | 15kg, 22kg, 30A, 37A, 50N, CR73, CR100 | According to JIS | 9-10m |
| AS Series | Australian AS 1085 | 31kg, 41kg, 47kg, 50kg, 53kg, 60kg, 66kg, 68kg, 73kg, 86kg, 89kg | 900A/1100 | 8-25m |
| ISCOR Series | South African ISCOR | 15kg, 22kg, 30kg, 40kg, 48kg, 57kg | 700/900A | 9-25m |
Qu crane rail refers to heavy-duty, hot-rolled crane rails complying with YB/T 5055-2014, designed for industrial and port applications with load capacities up to 500 tons, featuring flat-bottomed profiles (e.g., QU70, QU100), high-strength materials U71Mn (880 MPa tensile), and compatibility with Chinese crane systems while offering cost-effective alternatives to DIN 536 or EN 13674-1 standards.
| Size | Nominal Weight Kg/m | Sectional area/cm2 | y1 cm | y2 cm | Ix Moment of inertia | Iy Moment of inertia | W1= Ix/ y1 | W2= Ix/ y2 | W3= Iy/(b2÷2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QU70 | 52.80 | 67.30 | 5.93 | 6.07 | 1081.99 | 327.16 | 182.46 | 178.12 | 54.53 |
| QU80 | 63.69 | 81.13 | 6.43 | 6.57 | 1547.40 | 482.39 | 240.56 | 235.52 | 74.21 |
| QU100 | 88.96 | 113.32 | 7.60 | 7.40 | 2864.73 | 940.98 | 376.94 | 387.12 | 125.45 |
| QU120 | 118.10 | 150.44 | 8.43 | 8.57 | 4923.79 | 1694.83 | 584.08 | 574.54 | 199.39 |
Chemical composition & mechanical properties
| Material | C | Si | Mn | P | S | tensile strength kg/mm2(Mpa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U71Mn | 0.65-0.77 | 0.15-0.35 | 1.10-1.50 | ＜0.040 | ＜0.040 | 90(880) |
Key Features of the QU Series Crane Rails
Compared with ordinary steel rails, the QU series crane rail has a wide head, a small height, and a large rail waist, which is beneficial to improve the contact with the crane wheels and suitable for bearing horizontal loads.
- Wide Head: The wider head increases contact with crane wheels, reducing wear and tear and improving stability.
- Low Height: The lower profile helps maintain a lower center of gravity, which is beneficial for supporting heavy loads without excessive stress on the rail.
- Thick Waist: A thicker rail waist provides extra support and resistance to deformation under high-pressure loads, ensuring longer service life.
Since 2008, GNEE RAIL has been supplying steel rails of different grades for more than 18 years, steel rails from GNEE is highly recommened in China and abroad.Wtih cutting edge equipment, GNEE produces high quality steel rails that meet with requirements of most countries. Standard rail, head hardened rail, heavy rail,light rail,crane rail and other types are all available here, as one of the China main rail supplier, GNEE RAIL has been working on supplying economical green railway products all over the world.
