What Is a Monorail Crane?

Monorail cranes provide a unique and low-cost solution to transporting loads around a facility. Using a suspended track and trolley hoist system, they can efficiently utilize overhead space to increase site productivity and work area safety.

When it comes to transporting material and products around a facility, for a long time the most widespread solution has been the use of lift trucks. While these are immensely familiar and require minimal training to operate, they are far from the most efficient solution.

A monorail crane is a leap forward in terms of efficiency, improving safety, and cost-effectiveness. 

In this article, we are going to explain what the benefits are and how you can decide whether a monorail crane system is the best option for your workspace and production needs.

How Is a Monorail Different from an Overhead Crane?

Monorail cranes are unique among other crane types because they are designed to transport loads in a single linear direction. This simple solution improves facility productivity and safety and is arguably the best solution for linear overhead material handling.

The crane is an entirely fixed structure with the exception of the trolley/hoist that travels on the rail (or beam).

Benefits of a Monorail Crane

Flexibility

Monorail systems are highly flexible to suit the needs of any facility. This is because they can be easily and affordably custom-designed to work within almost any production space. 

There are options available to create curved or looped tracks that can run multiple hoists on the same system to increase production efficiency. 

Versatility

Ceiling-mounted monorail cranes allow for the hoist and trolley to travel through certain pathways in the ceiling which would otherwise be wasted space. This versatility is another feature that makes them fully adaptable to any size or shape of a production facility. The minimal structure also means that they can be applied to spaces where a bridge crane could not travel.

Simplifying Production

The design of the monorail system creates a standard centreline of travel for production-line environments. 

This is critical to their efficiency and in reducing safety risks. It means that the path of travel is always predictable making it easier to manage the transportation of materials within a busy production area. 

Thanks to the simplicity of a monorail crane, movement can also be automated using computers or programmable logic controllers (PLCs).

Cost

Monorail crane systems can be very basic or highly complicated, but the general cost is significantly less than a bridge crane system. Additionally, there are options for manual, semi-automated, and fully automated systems to suit your needs and budget. 

Drawbacks of a Monorail Crane

Monorails are designed for a specific purpose, and that is to move products and materials across a fixed linear path. This makes them ideally suited for production lines and material/product transportation within a facility.

This does however mean there are some drawbacks to the system which make it less adaptable than other overhead cranes. 

• Installing a monorail crane will result in lower headroom. This is because of the engineering required to support the monorail system. Whether you are using a ceiling-supported structure or a freestanding structure, the headroom will be limited by the overhead beam or rail system. 
• The monorail system only allows for materials or products to be moved across a fixed path of travel. This means that it cannot provide lateral movement. Movement is restricted to a forward/backward direction along the fixed rail and an up/down direction from the hoist.

Monorail Crane Supporting Structure

There are two options for a monorail crane supporting structure that allow options for virtually any production space:

Ceiling

Ceiling-mounted monorail cranes are ideal for production areas and facilities where floorspace is in high demand.  The monorail track is supported by overhead beams sitting flush alongside the beam or crossing between them. 

Drop rods with stability bracing kits can be implemented to remove the risk of rail swaying which can be an issue when transporting heavier loads. 

The use of existing overhead supports opens up the potential for a ceiling-mounted monorail track to be modified in the future without requiring a complete overhaul. 

To install a ceiling-mounted monorail system, your building structure will have to meet the requirements stated by each manufacturer. If the overhead beams supporting the ceiling in your building structure are suitable, a ceiling-mounted monorail system will function without affecting ground operations at all. This makes it arguably the most practical solution for transporting materials in any production area. 

Column

A column-mounted (or freestanding) monorail crane is suited to long expanses without an existing structure for support. Future modifications are still possible with a freestanding monorail because of the modular design.

There are three different structure types for a freestanding monorail system. A cantilever style support can be used to support the rail which provides the smallest footprint. An H-frame system can be used to support a monorail with a higher load capacity. A T-frame system is the best solution for supporting parallel monorail beams in some production applications. 

The footprint of each supporting column is relatively small compared to that of most crane systems, but a solid cement foundation is required to secure each column to the ground. 

A freestanding monorail system will require column placement roughly 20-30 feet apart which may present issues for an obstruction within some workspaces. For this reason, the monorail path needs to be carefully considered so that it does not hinder other activities in a work or production area. 

Price

A monorail crane system is one of the most cost-effective crane systems available.

Depending on the capacity, an average monorail crane will cost approximately half that of a bridge crane. This is partly because a monorail crane is more minimal and therefore has a lighter-weight structure, and also because it does not require motorized end trucks to operate the hoist’s linear motion. 

Another consideration for the price is that monorail cranes generally require less maintenance than an overhead bridge crane because there are fewer moving parts. This means that their long-term running costs are generally lower compared to bridge cranes. 

Is a Monorail Right for Me?

Thanks to all of the clear benefits of a monorail crane system, there are only two factors that will affect whether you choose to install one or not.

1. Does your production or manufacturing process use the same linear path? 
2. Is the cost of a bridge crane out of budget?

If your crane requirements are that a load needs to be picked up and set down along the same linear path, then there is no better solution than a monorail crane. 

Aside from being specifically designed to perform this task, it has the added benefits of being:

• Simple to use
• Roughly half the price of an overhead bridge crane
• Able to span vast distances
• Completely customizable to accommodate any production space
• Able to operate in an area without structural support options

PWI project managers are experts in overhead crane systems that increase workspace safety, improve workflow, and help manufacturers maximize their production. 

If you would like to know more about how a custom monorail crane system can benefit your facility, call (574) 646-2015 and talk to an overhead crane expert. 

Otherwise you can submit a quote request and one of our monorail crane experts will reach out to you as soon as possible.