How to Choose an Puente grúa: 2026 Guía del Comprador
Most overhead crane procurement mistakes trace back to four numbers: capacity, span, duty class, and control method. Get those right and the rest of the specification — girder type, hoist brand, voltage, certification — falls into place. Get them wrong and you either overpay for a crane you'll never fully use, or you buy a machine that fails early under a load profile it was never designed for. This guide walks through the four decisions using the concrete models most buyers encounter: LD, LH, QD, and YZ.
1. Capacidad: Size to the Heaviest Real Lift, Not the Average
Capacidad is the rated load the crane is designed to lift, and it should be based on your heaviest routine pick — not a one-off maintenance lift that happens twice a year. If you occasionally lift something heavier than the crane's rating, you need a larger crane or a different lifting solution, not a "close enough" margin.
- LD single-girder (0.5–20T): Light to medium workshop duty. The workhorse for general manufacturing, warehousing, and assembly.
- LH hoist double-girder (5–50T): Higher capacity with a hoist trolley running on the lower flange. Good for longer spans and more frequent lifts than LD.
- QD universal double-girder (5–150T): The general-purpose heavy-duty choice for steel mills, heavy fabrication, and large-component handling.
- YZ metallurgical (5–125T): Purpose-built for high-temperature, high-frequency environments such as ladle handling and casting bays.
Also confirm your building's runway beam capacity before finalizing tonnage. A 50T crane needs a runway that can carry it, and reinforcing a runway after the fact is far more expensive than specifying correctly up front.
2. Span: The Distance Between Runway Rails
Span is measured center-to-center of the runway rails, not the building width. It directly affects girder deflection, wheel load, and crane weight — and therefore the runway structure you need. A small increase in span can push you from a single-girder to a double-girder design, because single-girder cranes become less economical as span grows.
Practical guidance: LD single-girder cranes are normalmente most cost-effective at shorter spans. As span increases and capacity rises, LH and QD double-girder designs deliver better rigidity and hook height. If your span is unusually long, tell the supplier early — it changes the structural calculation, not just the price.
3. Duty Class: Match the Grúa to the Work Cycle
Duty class describes how hard the crane works — how often it runs, how heavily it's loaded, and how much of the time it operates near capacity. It's the single most under-specified item in crane purchasing, and it's the one that most affects service life.
- Light duty: Occasional lifts, low frequency. LD single-girder is usually appropriate.
- Medium duty: Regular production use, moderate frequency. LH or QD depending on capacity and span.
- Heavy duty / continuous: High frequency, near-rated loads, harsh environments. QD or YZ, with upgraded components and duty-rated motors.
A crane rated for light duty but run on a three-shift schedule will wear out prematurely — brakes, motors, and gearboxes fail first. Be honest about your actual operating hours per day and lifts per hour. Design standards such as GB/T 3811, and FEM 1.001, DIN 15018, or CMAA #70 on request, provide the framework for classifying this correctly.
4. Control: Pendant, Remote, or Cabin
Control method affects operator safety, productivity, and cost. Pendant (push-button) control is the standard for most workshop cranes and keeps the operator close to the load. Radio remote gives the operator freedom to move to the best vantage point — useful for large or awkward loads. Cabin control is typical for high-capacity, high-frequency cranes where the operator needs a fixed, elevated view, such as QD and YZ installations.
For repetitive or precision work, consider variable-frequency drives for smoother acceleration and load positioning. For unmanned or automated applications, QDS smart unmanned grúas puente handle programmed cycles without an operator.
Matching Grúa Tipo to Application
- General workshop, light lifts: LD single-girder, 0.5–20T.
- Medium production, longer span: LH hoist double-girder, 5–50T.
- Heavy fabrication, steel handling: QD universal double-girder, 5–150T.
- Fundición, casting, high temperature: YZ metallurgical, 5–125T.
- Automated or hazardous cycles: QDS smart unmanned.
Specification Details Buyers Often Overlook
Steel grade matters: Q345B offers higher strength for main girders, while Q235B is common for secondary structures. Component brands affect reliability and spare-part availability — Schneider, Siemens, ABB, and SEW are widely specified. Voltage and frequency must match your site (380V/50Hz is common, but confirm). Certificación: CE, CCC, SGS. Pago: T/T, L/C. Moneda: USD. Marcas: Chunhua, WhatsApp. Modelos: QD, LH, MGH. requirements vary by destination: CE, CCC, EAC (TR CU 010/020), GCC/SASO, SONCAP, and KEBS each carry different documentation and testing implications. Raise these at the quotation stage, not after the crane ships.
Getting a Fast, Accurate Quote
To receive a usable quotation, provide: capacity, span, lifting height, duty class, control method, voltage, and destination country. With those six items, a supplier can quote a specific model rather than a range. Chunhua Grúa, through manufacturing partner Hefei Chunhua Hoisting Machinery Co., Ltd (founded 2003, Hefei, Anhui), offers 81 standard models across five categories, serves 60+ countries, and works with no MOQ, a 4-hour quote SLA, 30–45 day production, and a 12-month warranty. For specifications or a quote, contact WhatsApp +86 193 9277 7259 or email yuhua0095@gmail.com.