- Jun 13, 2025
- Case Studies
5-Ton, 10-Ton Overhead Crane for Warehouse in Netherlands
Explore our 5-ton and 10-ton overhead cranes designed for warehouses in the Netherlands. Boost efficiency and safety in your operations—check them out today!
A Dutch distribution company planned to build new warehouses in 2024, which were completed by the first part of 2025. Multiple overhead travelling cranes were required to accommodate a wide range of load profiles, from light pallet loads to big equipment modules. Yuantai delivered three crane systems, including a 5-ton single girder, two 10-ton double girder cranes and two 12.5-ton double girder overhead cranes. Each crane employs a European wire rope hoist and tandem trolley configuration. This case study discusses the client's industry context, lifting needs, issues with previous equipment, Yuantai's bespoke crane designs, product benefits, performance in a variety of activities, and other crane applications.
2. Customer's Operational Goals
After communicating with the client, we understand that the client has the following main needs. The customer's daily work involves handling components, equipment and large mechanical modules of different tonnages. According to the customer, they needed three different tonnages of lifting equipment to handle different tonnages of heavy materials. In addition, since their work involves the installation and assembly of components, there are certain requirements for crane precision. Besides that, the customer said that the workload in their workshop is very heavy, so the crane needs to run stably for a long time. In addition to this, the new lifting needs to comply with the EN 15011 standard and the Dutch Health and Safety Code for Lifting Equipment for compliance reasons.
Challenges with Prior Lifting Equipment
According to the customer, their previous warehouse facilities were relatively old. As the business volume expanded, their progress was a little slow due to the low lifting capacity of the previous lifting facilities. In addition, the warehouse facilities were a bit old, and even if they replaced the heavier cranes, the old warehouse facility structure could not support such a heavy weight.
1. Under-Capacitated Chain Hoists and Forklifts
Initially, the warehouse relied on manual chain hoists for light loads and forklifts for mid-weight moves. Chain hoists handled loads up to 1 ton but proved slow and labor-intensive for pallet racks. Forklifts managed 2–4 ton pallets but could not reach high racking or handle bulky machinery bases. Transitioning items between forklift and manual hoist cost valuable minutes and risked damage to goods.
2. Single Girder Cranes with Limited Duty Rating
An existing single-girder bridge crane, rated for 5 tonnes, was installed over the ambient zone. Its fixed-speed trolley and hoist limited precision control. Frequent stops and starts caused load sway.
3. Need for Heavy-Duty Options
In the climate-controlled zone, machinery modules up to 12 tonnes needed safe lifting for installation and maintenance. Packers and assembly crews also handled heavy drums of raw materials (10–12 t). The client lacked a high-capacity crane capable of accurate placement in narrow aisles. Renting mobile gantries added cost and disrupted workflows. They required a permanent heavy-duty crane solution to integrate with existing building structure.
Custom Crane Design by Yuantai
Yuantai designed three tailored overhead travelling crane systems to suit different workshop zones. First, a 5-ton single-girder crane uses a european wire-rope hoist and an end-carriage trolley to serve the ambient storage area with a compact, reliable setup. Second, two 10-ton double-girder cranes are specified for the packaging and assembly area; each uses a two-wire-rope-hoist arrangement to give precise load control during handling and positioning. Third, two 12.5-ton double-girder cranes are planned for the heavy-duty equipment bay; their dual-trolley configuration lets operators split and handle loads safely and efficiently. Each system is matched to its work zone and can be adapted to customer's exact span, lift height, and control preferences.
1. Structural and Mechanical Design
Every component, from girder shape to wheel profile and hoist selection, is optimized for the desired duty cycle, runway limits, and site environment since the structural and mechanical design of an overhead crane determines its safety, accuracy, and long-term operating cost. In order to size girders, end trucks, and connections to meet strength, stiffness, and fatigue requirements while minimizing deadweight to limit runway reactions, design usually starts with load-case definition. Attention is paid to manufacturability and inspection access, corrosion protection, and integration of mechanical subsystems, so that structural members work together with control and safety systems to deliver predictable deflection, repeatable positioning and straightforward maintenance.
Single Girder 5 Ton Crane
The 5-ton single girder unit uses a fabricated box-girder built from Q345B steel with internal transverse stiffeners and a slight factory camber to control deflection over the 13 m span; the underslung trolley is mounted to the bottom flange to maximize hook height and simplify hoist replacement. A planetary gearbox, spring-applied, electrically-released parking brake, rope reeving sized for the necessary drum layers and safety factor, limit switches, a load indicator, and easy-to-reach lubrication points and inspection hatches are all included in the electric wire-rope hoist package. All crucial connections are bolted for controlled field assembly and inspection, and the welds in the primary members are fully penetrated.
10 Ton Double Girder Crane
10 Ton Double Girder Crane: For the mid-range 10 t application the double-girder box configuration was chosen to increase stiffness and reduce midspan deflection, improving travel smoothness and hook positioning accuracy across the same 13 m span while providing generous under-girder clearance to clear bulk storage racking. In addition, the twin girders provide a stable platform for a tandem hoist arrangement, enabling either independent operation for asymmetric or split loads or tandem lifts for large loads. Accessory design considers cable management (festoon or conductor bar), anti-skew measures for the trolley, easy-to-replace wear pads on end truck guides, and provision for regular NDT of welds and scheduled rail alignment checks.
12.5 Ton Double Girder Crane
The heavy-duty 12.5 t crane uses deeper main girders (≈400 mm) and beefed end trucks to safely carry higher static and dynamic loads over the 13 m span, with increased section modulus to limit stress and deflection under worst-case eccentric and impact load cases. It is designed to accept spreader beams or special lifting frames for uneven loads, and its dual-trolley layout enables two hoists that can work independently for handling several picks or in tandem for full-capacity lifts up to 12.5 t.
2. European Wire Rope Hoist and Tandem Trolley
All three cranes are equipped with NR-type European wire rope hoists and tandem trolley systems for stable and precise lifting. Each hoist has a 5-ton rated capacity, with the 10-ton crane using two 5-ton hoists in tandem and the 12.5-ton crane using one 5-ton and one 7.5-ton hoist in tandem to share the load evenly. The hoisting speed is 8/0.8 m/min with a dual-speed motor, which allows fast lifting and precise positioning. The hoists use Ø16 mm, high-strength wire rope with a 1960 N/mm² tensile rating for long fatigue life. The trolley runs at variable speed up to 15 m/min using a VFD, with a precision mode for accurate placement. Safety features include overload protection, anti two-block devices, upper and lower limit switches, and an emergency stop system.
3. Electrical and Control Systems
Every crane features a central control panel with PLC for safety interlocks and diagnostics. Bridge and trolley drives use Schneider Electric VFDs. Travel motors: low-noise, TEFC, IE3 efficiency. Pendant station: ergonomic dead-man switch, hoist/travel controls, speed change buttons. Wireless remote optional for ground operations.
Performance in Diverse Operational Tasks
1. Ambient Storage and Pallet Handling
The 5 ton single girder crane significantly improved throughput in the ambient zone. Operators lifted full pallets (up to 2 t) onto high racks (7.5 m) with no need for fork trucks. Average pallet put-away time dropped from 5 minutes to 1.5 minutes per pallet. This crane also moved 5 t roll cages between loading docks.
2. Packaging Line Load Transfer
The 10 ton double girder crane serves the assembly and packaging area. It lifts large crate bundles (up to 8 t) onto packing conveyors. Tandem hoist control allows precise tilt correction when handling asymmetrical loads. Operators use the slow hoist speed (0.8 m/min) for final placement, reducing product damage by 75%.
3. Heavy Machinery Module Installation
The 12.5 ton crane handles machinery modules and engine blocks (10–12 t). Dual trolleys let one hoist lift the load while the other adjusts balance or angle. This feature was critical when installing a 12 t compressor into a machine base with ±10 mm alignment accuracy. The crane's soft-start travel prevented load pendulum, protecting both product and structure.
4. Multi-Zone Flexibility
All three cranes run on a continuous runway system, allowing transfer of heavy items from ambient storage to packaging to heavy equipment bays without unloading. This saves up to 30 minutes per transfer cycle. The VFD travel control ensures smooth transitions between zones.
Advantages of Yuantai's Overhead Travelling Crane Solutions
1. Modular Design and Easy Installation
Girders and end trucks arrive in pre-assembled modules. On-site assembly took under five days per crane, minimizing warehouse downtime. Modular rails bolt to the building structure with minimal welding.
2. High Precision and Load Control
Dual-speed hoists and VFD travel with positional feedback allow placement within ±20 mm. Tandem hoist control further refines load balance and tilt.
3. Durability and Low Maintenance
Use of European wire rope hoist and IE3 motors reduces wear. Sealed bearings and lifetime lubrication cut maintenance hours by 60%. Initial six-month service log shows zero unplanned stops.
4. Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings
Regenerative braking on VFD drives recovers up to 5% of consumed energy during deceleration. IE3 motors yield 10% lower electrical draw than standard motors. Estimated annual electricity savings: 4 800 kWh per crane.
Broader Applications of Overhead Travelling Cranes
An overhead travelling crane offers unmatched versatility and efficiency across a wide array of industrial sectors. Its ability to lift heavy loads, span large work areas, and integrate precise motion controls makes it a core asset in facilities ranging from heavy‐duty fabrication shops to high‐throughput port terminals. Below are some of the key environments where these cranes deliver measurable productivity and safety gains.
1. Steel Fabrication Workshops
In steel plate and beam fabrication shops, double girder overhead crane routinely lift assemblies up to 20tonnes. Fabricators use the cranes to move raw plates between cutting, rolling, and welding stations. Their rigid bridge and twin‐hoist setups enable simultaneous handling of long beams, reducing handling steps and ensuring alignment accuracy during complex weld joint preparation.
2. Automotive and Heavy Equipment Assembly
Assembly lines for engines, gearboxes, and chassis sub‐assemblies require overhead cranes in the 5–15tonne range. Dual‐trolley crane configurations allow technicians to mount heavy powertrain modules directly into vehicle bodies. By synchronizing two hoists, operators achieve gentle, level positioning—critical for mating transmission bell housings or aligning engine mounts within millimeter tolerances.
3. Warehouse and Distribution Centers
Warehouses deploy single‐girder cranes rated between 5t and 10t to service pallet racking, container handling, and order‐picking zones. Rail‐mounted overhead cranes clear aisles of forklifts, maximizing floor space and improving safety. Their rapid trolley speeds and load‐moment indicators accelerate pick‐and‐place operations, increasing throughput in cross‐dock and high‐bay storage areas.
4. Port Terminals and Shipyards
In confined dock halls, a mix of gantry and overhead cranes moves shipping containers, prefabricated ship modules, and heavy machinery during repair work. Double‐girder cranes with high‐cycle hoists support frequent lifts in both dry docks and covered maintenance bays. Their robust frames withstand side thrusts from container stacks and offshore equipment, while anti‐collision systems maintain safe separation between adjacent cranes.
5. Power Plants and Substation Maintenance
Power generation facilities rely on overhead cranes to handle transformers (10–25t), turbine rotor assemblies, and generator stators. Extended‐headroom crane designs clear the large stator stacks and cooling piping. Tandem‐hoist configurations lift heavy rotors evenly, enabling technicians to drop them into place within tight alignment tolerances.
Yuantai 5 Ton, 10 Ton Double Girder Bridge Crane
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Conclusion
Yuantai's supply of a 5 ton single girder, 10 ton double girder, and 12.5 ton double girder overhead travelling crane met their varied lifting needs in their new Netherlands warehouse. Each crane—equipped with European wire rope hoists and tandem trolley systems—handled diverse tasks from pallet storage to heavy equipment installation. These crane systems also apply to steel fabrication, automotive assembly, ports, and power plants seeking reliable overhead lifting solutions. For organizations requiring versatile, heavy-duty overhead cranes, Yuantai's expertise in design and installation delivers tailored results and long-term performance.
