Bridge Crane vs Gantry Crane

What is the difference between a bridge crane and a gantry crane?

In a bridge crane vs gantry crane comparison, the core difference is where the load path goes to ground. A bridge crane (also called an overhead crane or EOT crane) runs its bridge girder on elevated runway beams that are supported by the building structure or by dedicated gantry columns built into the bay. A gantry crane carries the same kind of bridge girder, but on its own pair of self-supporting legs that stand on the floor or run on floor-level rails. Both move a hoist across a rectangular area; the question is whether the supporting structure lives overhead in your building or on legs at floor level.

Put simply: a bridge crane leans on the building, while a gantry crane stands on its own feet. That single structural choice drives almost every other difference — span, capacity, cost, mobility, floor access and how complex the installation becomes.

How an overhead bridge crane works

An overhead bridge crane consists of a bridge girder that spans the bay, end carriages that travel along two parallel elevated runway beams, and a hoist and trolley that traverse across the bridge. The runway is fixed to the building columns, to a roof structure, or to purpose-built gantry columns. Because the steelwork sits up at roof level, the entire floor underneath stays clear — you get coverage of the whole rectangle bounded by the runway length and the bridge span, with nothing standing in the working area.

The bridge itself is most commonly a fabricated box girder, though a rolled I-beam or H-beam suits lighter single-girder duties. Single-girder bridge cranes typically cover 500 kg up to around 20 t, with the 15–20 t band being an engineering-judgement zone; a double-girder configuration is usually the call above about 20 t or where high hook height and long spans are needed. The crane structure is designed to AS 1418, with in-service inspection and maintenance to AS 2550. The hoist and radio remote are bought-in components, supplied and integrated to suit the duty rather than manufactured in-house.

How a gantry crane works

A gantry crane takes a similar bridge girder and hoist but supports the bridge on two A-frame or box legs instead of an elevated runway. Those legs either roll on wheels (a mobile or workshop gantry), travel on rails set into the floor (a rail-mounted or full gantry), or sit on fixed base plates (a stationary portal gantry). A semi-gantry is a hybrid — one leg on the floor and the other end running on an elevated wall-mounted runway.

Because a gantry brings its own structure, it does not need any suitable building steel overhead. That makes it the natural answer for open yards, laydown areas, leased premises where you cannot modify the building, and sites with no roof structure rated to carry a crane. The trade-off is that the legs occupy the floor and travel within the rectangle the crane covers, so ground access along the bay is partly obstructed.

Bridge crane vs gantry crane — head-to-head

Structure and where each one suits

The deciding factor is almost always the building. If you own or have a long-term lease on a structure with steel rated to carry a runway — or you are willing to install gantry columns down the bay — a bridge crane gives you the cleanest result: full-bay coverage with a completely clear floor. If your building has no suitable overhead structure, you lease the premises and cannot modify it, or you are lifting outdoors, a gantry crane is usually the only practical option because it carries its own load path to the slab.

Span and capacity

Bridge cranes win on span. Because the runways sit on the building, a bridge can economically span the full width of a bay — commonly anywhere from 5 m to over 30 m — and double-girder designs hold that span at high capacity and hook height. Gantry spans are usually shorter; as a gantry gets wider its legs and wheels carry more, the structure gets heavier, and wheel loads on the floor rise. For very heavy lifts both types can be engineered into the tens of tonnes, but a bridge crane reaches a long, high lift more efficiently.

Cost, mobility and install complexity

A mobile or workshop gantry is frequently the lower-cost, faster-to-deploy choice for occasional or relocatable lifting, because there are no overhead structural works and, in the wheeled form, no foundation. A bridge crane carries more cost because the runway must be designed, the building or columns checked or reinforced, and the steelwork installed and aligned at height — but it delivers permanent, repeatable, floor-clear coverage that a gantry cannot match in a busy production bay. Rail-mounted and portal gantries sit in between: still self-supporting, but needing designed foundations and rails, so their install is closer to a bridge crane than to a wheeled workshop unit. Across all types, installation is carried out through a national network of installation partners working to the engineer's design.

When to choose a bridge crane

• You need permanent, repeated coverage of a defined production bay.
• The floor must stay completely clear for forklifts, racking or vehicle movement.
• You have suitable building steel — or can install gantry columns — to carry a runway.
• You need long spans, high hook height, or capacity that pushes toward double-girder.
• The crane is a long-term fixture in premises you own or hold securely.

When to choose a gantry crane

• There is no overhead structure rated to support a runway.
• You lease the premises or otherwise cannot modify the building.
• The lifting happens outdoors — yards, laydown areas, load-out points.
• You need to relocate the crane between work areas (mobile/workshop type).
• You want lower cost and a faster install for occasional or lighter lifting.

Limitations to weigh up

A bridge crane is only as good as the structure it leans on — if the building steel is not rated, you are into structural reinforcement or dedicated gantry columns, which adds cost and time. A gantry crane keeps its legs on the floor, so it obstructs ground-level access along the bay, its long-span economics are poorer, and a wheeled unit needs a flat, sound slab to travel safely. Both must be rated in MRC, designed to AS 1418 and inspected to AS 2550; an outdoor gantry additionally needs wind loading designed to AS/NZS 1170.2.

Which should you choose?

Work through it in this order:

• Is there suitable overhead structure? No — and you cannot add columns — points to a gantry crane. Yes points toward a bridge crane.
• Do you own or securely hold the premises? Leased or temporary favours a self-supporting gantry; long-term and owned favours a fixed bridge crane.
• Must the floor stay clear? If forklifts and racking need the full floor, the bridge crane's clear span wins. If floor obstruction is acceptable, a gantry is viable.
• Indoor or outdoor? Outdoor with no building generally means a gantry (designed for wind). Indoor with a rated structure favours a bridge crane.
• Do you need to move the crane? If yes, a mobile gantry. If no, choose on coverage and span.

If you would rather not work through it manually, our crane selector asks five questions and points you to the right crane type.

Talk to an engineer

The right answer comes down to your structure, span, duty and how long the crane needs to live there. For a recommendation sized to your application — designed to AS 1418 and rated in MRC — talk to an engineer.

Frequently asked questions

Is a bridge crane the same as an overhead crane?

Yes. "Bridge crane", "overhead crane" and "EOT (electric overhead travelling) crane" all describe the same machine — a bridge girder that travels along elevated runway beams supported by the building or by dedicated gantry columns, with a hoist that traverses across the bridge.

What is the main difference between a bridge crane and a gantry crane?

A bridge crane runs on elevated runways supported by your building structure, keeping the floor clear, while a gantry crane carries the same bridge on its own self-supporting legs that stand on the floor or on rails. The bridge crane leans on the building; the gantry stands on its own feet.

Is a gantry crane cheaper than a bridge crane?

Often, for mobile or workshop gantries, because there are no overhead structural works and, in the wheeled form, no foundation. Rail-mounted and portal gantries cost more, and at high capacity gantry and bridge crane costs converge. A bridge crane usually costs more once runway design and building works are included, but delivers permanent floor-clear coverage.

When should I choose a gantry crane over a bridge crane?

Choose a gantry crane when there is no overhead structure rated to carry a runway, when you lease or cannot modify the building, when lifting happens outdoors, or when you need to relocate the crane between work areas. A bridge crane is the better call for permanent, full-bay coverage in a building you own with suitable steel.

Are bridge cranes and gantry cranes designed to the same standard?

Yes. Both are designed to AS 1418 and rated in MRC (Maximum Rated Capacity), with in-service inspection and maintenance to AS 2550. An outdoor gantry crane additionally needs wind loading designed to AS/NZS 1170.2.

Related

• Overhead Bridge Cranes — engineered bridge cranes to AS 1418
• Gantry Cranes — self-supporting full-bay lifting
• Single vs Double Girder — choosing the bridge configuration
• Jib vs Gantry — workstation lifting compared
• Crane Selector — five questions to the right crane type