Three mount configurations
Mount configuration is driven by your building structure, whether your floor is loadable, and how often you'll relocate the system. We engineer-specify the right configuration for your facility.
Free-standing (floor-mounted)
Runway supported on floor-mounted steel columns — no building structure required. The single biggest reason this is the most-installed configuration in Australia: your roof structure doesn't need to take any of the load. Ideal for new facilities, leased buildings where you can't load the structure, or shops where the roof trusses won't take the suspended weight.
- Capacity: 125 kg to 2,000 kg MRC
- Span: up to 14 m
- Foundation: concrete C30 with thickness ≥ 150 mm
- Modular — increase, decrease or relocate in line with process changes; the rest of the system keeps running
Underslung (suspended from building structure)
Runway suspended from the building's roof structure — light steel grid, concrete bearing beam, purlins, or a column corbel. More space-efficient than floor-mounted because there are no columns interrupting the floor. Requires a structural assessment of the support points; we include this as part of the specification.
Aluminium alloy track
For full-load coverage within 2 tonnes where the operator is on the tool for a full shift. Anodised aluminium runway with rigid steel-to-track connection — the surface oxidation is wear-resistant and the trolley pushes light. Equipped with secondary protection mechanisms between track and steel structure for higher safety. Pairs naturally with electric chain hoists, intelligent lifting devices and rigid-arm clamp end-effectors.
Track engineering — why rigid beats I-beam
The track itself is what makes a workstation crane work. Specified poorly, it sags, jams, and binds on the trolley.
- Cold-rolled high-strength steel track — formed in a single pass, no welding, no heat-affected zone, no deformation over service life.
- Enclosed C-section profile — keeps dust out of the running surface; reduces wheel wear and extends trolley life.
- 2° bevel design at the track opening — auto-centres the trolley at the middle of the rail, drops sliding resistance and stops the trolley wandering.
- Rigid connection between modules — does not produce diagonal-pulling that you get on flexible-cable suspended systems; positioning is more accurate, less sloshing.
- Lifting-point spacing up to 9 m — fewer suspension points means fewer columns or fewer roof tie-ins, cleaner shop layout.
- I-beam suspension not required — the track is structural in itself; the dead-weight load on the supporting structure is reduced compared to an equivalent I-beam monorail.
Capacity range
| Standard MRC steps | 125 kg · 250 kg · 500 kg · 1,000 kg · 1,500 kg · 2,000 kg |
| Span (bridge) | Up to 14 m |
| Suspension spacing | Up to 9 m between support points |
| Lift height | Building-clearance limited; typically 2.5 m – 5 m under hook |
| Track materials | Cold-rolled high-strength steel · anodised aluminium alloy |
| Standards | AS 1418.1 · AS 1418.3 · ISO compliant · AS/NZS 3000 (electrical) |
Push force at rated load (manual operation)
Manual push is viable to 2 t because the enclosed track and low-friction trolleys keep the force low. Typical force figures for a properly sized system:
| Rated load | Manual push (kg-force) | With power-assist drive |
| 125 kg | 1.0 – 1.3 kgf | 0.5 – 1.0 kgf |
| 250 kg | 2.6 – 4.3 kgf | 1.0 – 1.5 kgf |
| 500 kg | 4.8 – 7.5 kgf | 1.9 – 3.8 kgf |
| 1,000 kg | 9.8 – 15.0 kgf | 3.9 – 7.7 kgf |
| 1,500 kg | 14.5 – 22.8 kgf | 5.8 – 11.5 kgf |
Above 1 t, or where the bridge spans more than 7.5 m, we typically specify a powered traverse drive — manual push is still feasible but operator fatigue starts to add up over a full shift.
Drive options
- Manual push — standard for smaller cells; relies on the low track friction to keep operator effort low.
- Electric drive (frequency-conversion / VFD) — recommended above 1 t MRC or above 7.5 m track spacing. Smooth start/stop, accurate positioning, lower brake wear.
- Power supply: festoon cable or sliding contact (conductor) bar.
Hoist options
- Electric chain hoist — the standard answer for repetitive lifting. Full FEM/ISO-rated motor, electromagnetic disc brake, overload clutch.
- Manual chain block — for occasional lifts under 500 kg.
- Intelligent lifting device — servo-driven assist with stepless speed control, software soft-limits, overload alarms and palletising/auto-suspension modes. Useful where positioning precision matters more than throughput.
- Rigid-arm clamp / end-effector — for parts that don't take a hook (panels, sheets, awkward components).
Industry adaptations
The base specification covers most general manufacturing. Where the environment is more demanding, the track and the ancillaries are upgraded accordingly.
- Food & pharma — food-grade stainless steel 304 or 316L track and components; stainless fasteners; food-safe lubricants.
- Explosion-proof — Ex-rated electrical equipment for Zone 1 / Zone 2 environments per AS/NZS 60079.
- Anti-corrosion — galvanised or polyurethane-finished steel components for coastal or chemically aggressive environments.
- Curved rail / turnouts — non-linear runway geometry where the production flow demands it.
- Clean-room compatible — low-particulate finishes and sealed bearings.
Why workstation cranes earn their place
- Lower building cost. No corbel or column-grid modification needed for the structure. Free-standing systems carry their own load.
- Retrofittable. The system can be added to an existing workshop without modifying the building.
- Modular. Increased, decreased or relocated as the production line changes — the rest of the system keeps running.
- Quiet. Smooth track surface and special trolley design — minimal running noise, no operator fatigue from repeated noise exposure.
- Energy-efficient. Powered systems use roughly 80 % less energy than equivalent overhead bridge cranes for the same lift work.
- Low maintenance. The track system is essentially maintenance-free; electrical components are simple and accessible.
Example applications
- Laser-cutting facility — 1 t ceiling-mounted LCS for sheet handling across a 9 m × 9 m work area.
- Engine reconditioning workshop — floor-mounted 500 kg cell for engine removal and reinstallation.
- Packaging line — 250 kg underslung monorail for carton loading.
- Metal fabrication shop — 1 t free-standing aluminium LCS for positioning steel plate.
- Welding workshop — 1,000 kg free-standing rigid-track system replacing flexible enclosed-track runs that were rejected for the dust-heavy environment.
- Machining centre feeding — 125 kg free-standing rigid crane paired with an intelligent lifting device for ~45 kg parts at 20+ cycles per day.