Aug 24, 2026Buying Guide
What Is Included in a Gantry Crane? Complete Configuration Guide
What is included when buying a gantry crane? Learn about the main girder, support legs, ground beams, electric hoist, electrical system, rails and power supply.
What Is Included in a Gantry Crane?
When requesting a gantry crane quotation, many buyers only ask:
“How much is a 5 ton or 10 ton gantry crane?”
But capacity alone is not enough to understand a crane quotation.
A complete gantry crane is made up of several structural, mechanical and electrical components.
For a typical single girder gantry crane, the main supply normally includes:
- Main girder
- Supporting legs
- Ground beams
- Electric hoist
- Crane travelling mechanisms
- Complete electrical control system
- Required standard accessories and safety components
However, crane rails and the main power supply cable may need to be quoted separately because their required quantities and specifications depend on the customer's site.
Let's look at each part.
1. Main Girder
The main girder is one of the most important structural components of a gantry crane.
It spans across the working area and carries the hoisting mechanism and lifted load.
Depending on the crane design, main girders can use different structures, including:
- Box girder
- I-beam based structure
- Truss girder
- Single girder
- Double girder
The correct design depends on:
Capacity + Span + Working Duty + Application
For example, a small workshop gantry crane and a 50 ton heavy-duty outdoor gantry crane require completely different main girder designs.
2. Supporting Legs
Unlike an overhead crane, a gantry crane does not rely on elevated crane runway beams supported by the workshop.
Instead, it has its own supporting legs.
The legs connect the main girder to the lower travelling structure and transfer crane loads toward the runway and foundation.
Depending on the crane design, the leg structure may be:
- Box-type legs
- Truss-type legs
- Rigid and flexible leg combinations
- Other engineered structures
This is one of the reasons why gantry cranes are widely used in outdoor yards and workshops without existing overhead crane runway structures.
3. Ground Beams
At the bottom of the supporting legs are the ground beams, also commonly called lower beams or end carriages depending on the crane design.
They connect the legs with the crane travelling mechanisms.
The wheels installed on the lower travelling assemblies allow the entire gantry crane to move along the runway.
For a rail-mounted gantry crane, these components need to match the:
- Crane capacity
- Wheel load
- Rail specification
- Travel speed
- Runway design
4. Electric Hoist
For many small and medium single girder gantry cranes, an electric hoist is used as the lifting mechanism.
The hoist is responsible for:
Lifting and lowering the load
and, depending on the design:
Moving the load horizontally along the main girder.
Common options include:
Wire Rope Electric Hoist
Suitable for many general industrial lifting applications.
Electric Chain Hoist
Compact and commonly used for smaller-capacity lifting applications.
Variable Frequency Hoist
Provides smoother acceleration, deceleration and speed control when more precise handling is required.
The hoist capacity must match the rated capacity of the gantry crane.
5. Gantry Crane Travelling Mechanism
A rail-mounted gantry crane also requires a travelling system to move the complete crane along the runway.
The system can include:
- Travelling motors
- Gearboxes
- Crane wheels
- Brakes
- Drive assemblies
The exact configuration depends on crane capacity, span, travel speed and working duty.
For larger cranes, wheel load and synchronization become particularly important.
6. Complete Electrical Control System
A gantry crane is not complete without its electrical system.
The electrical package normally includes the necessary control components according to the selected crane configuration.
Depending on the project, this can include:
- Electrical control cabinet
- Contactors
- Circuit protection
- Motor control
- Hoist controls
- Trolley controls
- Crane travel controls
- Limit switches
- Emergency stop
- Warning devices
- Cable systems
Control methods may include:
- Pendant control
- Wireless remote control
- Cabin control
The actual configuration should be confirmed in the quotation.
7. Safety Components and Standard Accessories
A complete gantry crane also requires various smaller components.
Although these parts may not look as important as the main girder, they are essential to crane operation.
Depending on the crane design and applicable requirements, these may include:
- Limit switches
- Buffers
- End stops
- Warning devices
- Overload protection
- Hooks and hook blocks
- Wire rope
- Fasteners
- Electrical accessories
- Required connection components
The exact safety configuration should be specified according to the crane design and destination requirements.
What Is Usually Included in a Gantry Crane Package?
A typical package can be summarized as follows:
Component | Typical Supply |
|---|---|
Main Girder | Included |
Supporting Legs | Included |
Ground Beams | Included |
Electric Hoist / Trolley | Included |
Crane Travel Mechanism | Included |
Electrical Control System | Included |
Standard Safety Components | Included |
Standard Connection Parts | Included |
Crane Rails | According to Project |
Main Power Supply Cable | According to Project |
Foundation | Normally Site Work |
Installation | According to Contract |
Important: The exact supply scope should always be confirmed in the final quotation and contract.
Why Are Crane Rails Often Quoted Separately?
The reason is simple:
Every customer's runway length is different.
For example, two customers may both purchase exactly the same:
5 ton × 15 m span × 6 m lifting height gantry crane
But Customer A needs:
20 meters of crane travel
while Customer B needs:
80 meters of crane travel.
Their required rail quantities are completely different.
Therefore, rails are often calculated according to the actual runway length rather than automatically included as a fixed quantity with the crane.
Why Is the Main Power Cable Calculated Separately?
The same logic applies to the main power supply.
The distance between the customer's power source and crane working area varies from project to project.
The required power supply system also depends on factors such as:
- Crane power
- Voltage
- Cable length
- Crane travel length
- Power supply method
- Indoor or outdoor installation
For this reason, the main incoming power supply should be matched to the actual site conditions.
Don't Compare Gantry Crane Quotations by Price Alone
Suppose you receive two quotations:
Supplier A: USD XX,XXX
Supplier B: USD XX,XXX
You cannot immediately conclude that the cheaper quotation offers better value.
First check whether both quotations include the same components.
Ask:
- Is the electric hoist included?
- Are travelling motors included?
- Is the electrical cabinet included?
- Is wireless remote control included?
- Are safety devices included?
- Are rails included?
- How many meters of rail?
- Is the main power cable included?
- Is installation included?
Sometimes the difference between two crane prices comes from a completely different scope of supply.
Example: 10 Ton Gantry Crane Quotation
Suppose you need:
Capacity: 10 tons
Span: 20 meters
Lifting height: 6 meters
Travel length: 50 meters
The crane package may include:
Crane Equipment
- Main girder
- Supporting legs
- Ground beams
- Electric hoist
- Travelling system
- Electrical control system
- Standard safety devices
- Standard accessories
Calculated According to Your Site
- 50 m runway × 2 sides
- Main power supply system
- Foundation requirements
- Installation requirements
This makes the quotation much clearer than simply asking:
“How much is a 10 ton gantry crane?”
What Information Should You Send for a Gantry Crane Quotation?
To receive a more accurate quotation, provide:
Capacity: ___ tons
Span: ___ meters
Lifting height: ___ meters
Travel length: ___ meters
Indoor / Outdoor: ___
Power supply: ___ V / ___ Hz / 3 Phase
Material to be lifted: ___
Working hours per day: ___
For an existing site, you can also send:
- Site photos
- Workshop drawings
- Runway dimensions
- Foundation information
We can then determine the required crane configuration, rail quantity and power supply solution.
FAQ
1. What are the main components of a gantry crane?
A typical gantry crane includes a main girder, supporting legs, ground beams, hoisting mechanism, travelling mechanisms, electrical control system and required standard accessories.
2. Is the electric hoist included with a gantry crane?
For a complete single girder gantry crane package, the electric hoist is normally supplied as part of the lifting system unless otherwise specified in the quotation.
3. Are crane rails included in the gantry crane price?
Not always. Rail quantity depends on the customer's required travel length, so rails may be calculated and quoted separately according to the project.
4. Is the main power cable included?
The main incoming power supply system is often matched separately because cable length, voltage, crane power and site layout vary between projects.
5. Does a gantry crane include remote control?
Remote control can be provided depending on the selected crane configuration. Always confirm the control method in the quotation.
6. Does the gantry crane price include installation?
Installation depends on the contract and project location. For export projects, installation documentation and drawings can be provided according to the agreed supply scope.
7. What should I check when comparing two gantry crane quotations?
Do not compare only the total price. Compare the crane structure, hoist, motors, electrical components, control system, safety devices, rails, power supply, installation and other items included in each quotation.
Conclusion
So, what is included when you buy a gantry crane?
The main crane package generally consists of:
Main Girder + Supporting Legs + Ground Beams + Electric Hoist + Travelling System + Electrical Control System + Standard Accessories
For our gantry crane projects, the necessary crane components are matched as a complete system according to the agreed configuration.
Rails and the main power supply are calculated separately according to each customer's site requirements, because runway length and electrical conditions vary from project to project.
If you need a gantry crane quotation, send us:
Capacity + Span + Lifting Height + Travel Length + Power Supply
We can then prepare the crane configuration and clarify exactly what is included in your quotation.
