Every overhead crane Sorian supplies is engineered for your bay, your capacity, and your operating cycle. We calculate runway beam loads, specify the correct duty classification, and supply the full compliance documentation.
An overhead crane needs runway beams supported by either the building or dedicated columns. Where neither is feasible (open yards, leased premises, low-clearance buildings) a gantry crane is the structurally simpler answer. For point-of-use lifting at a single workstation rather than full-bay coverage, a jib crane typically suits better.
Single girder EOT bridge crane
The standard overhead crane for light to medium duty applications. A single box girder or I-beam bridge travels on runway rails. Lower headroom requirement than double girder. Capacities from 500 kg up to 20 t.
Suitable for: manufacturing, fabrication, mechanical workshops, warehouses, utility facilities.
Double girder EOT bridge crane
Two parallel bridge girders supporting a crab and hoist unit. Greater span capacity, lower headroom between top of bridge and bottom of hoist, and suitable for higher duty cycles. Capacities up to 50 t for larger spans and heavier industrial applications.
Suitable for: steel fabrication, heavy manufacturing, process plants, marine applications.
Technical specifications
- Capacity: single-girder up to 20 t · double-girder up to 50 t
- Span: 2 m to 28 m depending on configuration
- Duty class: M3 to M6 as required for your operating cycle
- Controls: pendant pushbutton or radio remote control
- Runway: new runway design and supply, or assessment and use of existing structure
- Compliance: designed to applicable AS/ISO standards. WorkSafe design registration available. Full documentation.
Why duty class matters
The single biggest spec error we see on existing overhead cranes is duty class set too low for the actual operating cycle. M3 is occasional use; M6 is heavy continuous. A crane spec'd at M4 but operating at M6 cycles will burn through brakes, contactors, gearboxes and wire ropes years ahead of its rated life, and the wear isn't covered under a warranty written against the M4 spec.
Sorian sets duty class against your actual work cycle, not against a catalogue default. That's how a crane lasts the design life it was sold against.
Modular and serviceable by design
Every structural connection on a Sorian overhead crane is a bolted one, not a weld you can never open again. Modules can be unbolted to inspect at the annual and 10-yearly inspections, replaced individually after damage, or taken down and reinstalled when you move buildings. We design with the installer in mind, which cuts hours on your floor and the installed price, and structural bolts carry DTI washers so correct bolt tension is visible rather than assumed. Our hoists run on the same production platform as thousands already in Australian service, so spare parts are stocked locally and available through us at highly competitive rates. Read how we design and build →
Australian steel and certified components
On a locally designed and built crane, the structural steel is Australian plate certified to AS/NZS 3678 — not imported. That certification matters more than it first appears. Structural grades such as G250 and G350 carry a verified minimum yield strength (250 and 350 MPa), and that yield figure is a direct input to the crane’s structural design. Imported plate sold under the same grade names does not always meet the same verified properties, and on a load-bearing crane the gap between a labelled grade and an actual one can have serious safety consequences. We design to the certified grade we actually supply.
The bought-in components are chosen the same way. We integrate hoists from established manufacturers — including Kito — and, for crane power and data transmission, Conductix Wampfler conductor-bar and festoon systems, each specified to the crane’s duty and matched into one coordinated machine rather than assembled from unbranded parts.
Overhead crane configurations
The bridge can be configured several ways depending on capacity, headroom and how the runway is supported. Each configuration has its own detailed guide:
- Single girder overhead crane — economical, lower headroom, light-to-medium duty to around 20 t.
- Double girder overhead crane — higher hook height, heavier capacities and longer spans.
- Top running overhead crane — end trucks ride on top of the runway rails for maximum capacity and span.
- Underslung overhead crane — bridge runs beneath the runway beams, ideal for low-clearance and multi-bay coverage.
- Monorail crane — a single fixed beam for point-to-point handling along one line, rather than full-bay coverage.
New to overhead cranes? Start with our guides to the types of overhead cranes, what an EOT crane is, and bridge crane vs gantry crane.
Overhead bridge cranes by city
Sorian Cranes supplies and installs overhead bridge cranes across Australia, single-girder up to 20 t and double-girder to 50 t and beyond. We project-manage from our Melbourne engineering office through to commissioning and AS 1418/AS 2550 handover documentation, with national install crews.
Overhead cranes Brisbane: single and double-girder EOT cranes for mining maintenance, food processing and metal fabrication across Acacia Ridge, Wacol, Crestmead and the southern industrial corridor. Mining workshops in Acacia Ridge and Wacol typically run 10–25 t double-girder for major component handling; Rocklea food processors favour 2–5 t single-girder with stainless trim; metal fabrication shops along the southern corridor use mid-range single-girder for plate handling and weld positioning. Cyclone wind loading (AS 1170.2 Region B) applies to runway design where the building envelope is exposed.
Overhead cranes Melbourne: single and double-girder EOT cranes for advanced manufacturing, automotive and food across Truganina, Dandenong, Campbellfield and Hallam. Advanced manufacturing in Truganina and Laverton typically runs 5–15 t single-girder for press and sub-assembly work; automotive supply chain in Dandenong and Campbellfield favours 5–10 t single-girder for engine and EV battery handling; food processing in Hallam and Truganina favours stainless-clad single-girder. Tilt-panel structures common to Melbourne's western corridor often suit freestanding portal designs over building-supported runways.
Overhead cranes Sydney: single and double-girder EOT cranes for defence, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure across the Sydney metro and Western Sydney aerotropolis. Bankstown defence and aerospace work typically calls for 2–5 t single-girder in controlled-environment assembly cells; Wetherill Park and Smithfield manufacturing favours 5–15 t for press tending and fabrication; food processing at Eastern Creek and Auburn favours stainless-clad single-girder runs. Sydney's tight industrial vacancy means most installs are brownfield retrofits where existing structure dictates the design.
Overhead cranes Perth: heavy-duty single and double-girder EOT cranes for mining services, oil & gas and defence shipbuilding across Kewdale, Welshpool, Henderson and the WA resources corridor. Mining maintenance workshops in Kewdale and Welshpool typically run 25–50 t double-girder at M5–M6 duty for major component handling; Henderson oil & gas fabrication needs heavy-lift wire-rope hoists paired to double-girder; AMC defence shipbuilding uses precision single-girder in controlled-environment areas. Corrosion protection is upgraded for both coastal Fremantle and inland Pilbara service.
Overhead cranes Adelaide: single and double-girder EOT cranes for AUKUS defence shipbuilding, advanced manufacturing and food processing across Osborne, Lonsdale, Edinburgh Parks and Wingfield. Osborne defence shipbuilding subcontractors typically run 5–25 t double-girder in controlled-environment cells; Lonsdale and Edinburgh Parks manufacturing favours 5–10 t single-girder for press and assembly work; Wingfield food processing favours stainless-clad. The Osborne expansion under AUKUS is generating sustained demand for documentation-heavy supply with full design verification statements.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between an overhead crane and an EOT crane?
"EOT" stands for Electric Overhead Travelling — it's the same thing as an overhead bridge crane when the bridge is motorised on its runway and the hoist is electrically powered. Most modern overhead cranes are EOT cranes. The terms are interchangeable in Australian industry.
How do I choose between single-girder and double-girder?
Single-girder is more economical, has lower headroom (the hoist hangs below the bridge), and suits capacities up to about 20 t and spans up to 22 m. Double-girder gives higher hook-on (the hoist sits between the girders), supports heavier capacities and longer spans, and is preferred for high-duty cycles. Most fabrication shops up to 5 t pick single-girder.
Do overhead cranes need WorkSafe registration?
In Australia, overhead bridge cranes generally require design registration with the relevant state regulator if rated over 10 t, or if items of plant fall under specific Schedule 5 categories of the WHS Regulations. Sorian manages design registration where required and supplies the full documentation package.
What's the typical lead time?
Standard single-girder EOT cranes within our standard range typically run 8–14 weeks from order to commissioning. Larger single-girder, double-girder, double-trolley or long-span cranes are quoted with a project schedule. Runway upgrades or new column structures can extend the timeline by 4–8 weeks depending on the building.
Example applications
The examples below are indicative of the configurations we engineer: illustrations of capacity, span and duty, not a record of completed installations. Every crane is sized from your own site and duty cycle.
- Food processing facility: 2 t single girder, 18 m span, stainless accessories, M5 duty.
- Structural steel fabrication shop: 6 t double girder, 22 m span, 30 m runway.
- Industrial maintenance facility: 3.2 t single girder, 12 m span, radio remote control.
- Utilities maintenance workshop: 2 × 2.5 t single girder cranes on shared runway.