Crane Girder Structures India

Crane girder structures are the fabricated steel runway beams, columns, brackets, and tie beams that support electric overhead travelling (EOT) cranes in factories, warehouses, and process buildings. Runway beams must meet deflection and fatigue requirements under IS 807:2006 in addition to general fabrication rules in IS 800:2007. Sun Corporation fabricates crane girders as built-up plate beams or heavy rolled sections, with alignment critical for crane vendor handover.

An EOT crane is only as reliable as the runway that carries it. Wheel loads are concentrated, they move, and they repeat for the life of the plant. That combination of static strength, deflection control, and fatigue detailing is what separates crane girder steel from ordinary building beams. A girder that is strong enough but too flexible, or straight enough in the shop but out of alignment on site, still fails the crane supplier’s handover checks.

Our scope is structural steel — the runway and its supporting frame. We are a structural steel fabricator, not a crane OEM. Scope ends at correctly positioned, plumb runway steel ready for the crane supplier’s rail and electrification work. Crane load data and wheel loads must be on the structural design drawings before shop drawing release.

Types of crane girders

• Single girder runways — one main girder per side of the bay, typically for lighter EOT or under-slung cranes where the design allows a single main member.
• Double girder runways — paired girders carrying a top-running double-girder crane; common for higher capacities and longer spans in industrial shops.
• Plate / built-up crane girders — welded web and flange plate girders used where rolled sections cannot meet depth, stiffness, or fatigue requirements. Closely related to plate girder fabrication and built-up beam fabrication.
• Box girder runways — closed-section girders where the design calls for high torsional stiffness or a specific crane vendor arrangement.
• Heavy rolled / UB section runways — universal beam or heavy rolled sections where the design confirms they meet IS 807 deflection and fatigue checks without built-up plates.

The choice is set by the structural design and the crane data sheet, not by a shop preference. Capacity, span, duty class, and available headroom usually decide whether a rolled section is enough or a built-up girder is required.

Structural components

• Main girder — the runway beam carrying crane wheel loads along the bay.
• Web plate and flanges — for built-up girders, plate sizes and fillet/butt weld details as designed.
• Stiffeners — transverse and, where required, longitudinal stiffeners at bearing points and under rail load paths.
• End connections — bolted or welded seating to crane columns, brackets, or building columns.
• Crane columns and brackets — built-up or rolled members with cap plates for beam seating; see also built-up column fabrication.
• Bearing / sole plates and rail clips — when shown on the structural drawings.
• Tie beams and bracing — longitudinal stability between crane columns.
• Connection plates and splices — shop and site joints detailed for transport lengths and lift weights.

Materials

Fabrication uses IS 2062 plate and sections — typically E250 or E350 as shown on the drawings — with universal beams, channels, and angles where the design specifies rolled members. Plate for webs, flanges, stiffeners, and cap plates is cut to shop drawings. Grades and thicknesses are not substituted without an approved concession, and mill certificates stay traceable to cutting lists through dispatch.

Design considerations

Crane wheel loads, including dynamic and impact factors from the design, govern member sizing and connection detailing. Fatigue under repeated passes must be considered for the operating class shown on the drawings. Deflection limits under IS 807 keep the crane path serviceable and protect alignment of the rails.

Lateral stability of the runway and its columns matters as much as vertical stiffness. Tie beams, bracing, and column bases work together to keep the runway straight under crane surge and braking. Serviceability — camber as designed, seating level, and end restraint — must be checked before shop drawings are released, because correcting geometry after welding and coating is expensive.

Alignment tolerances for span, elevation, and straightness are surveyed on site before crane installation. The crane supplier cannot compensate for a runway that is out of plumb or out of gauge; the steel must arrive within the structural and crane vendor limits.

Splices are positioned for transport length and crane lift capacity at site, not for shop convenience alone. A splice in the wrong place forces an awkward mid-span lift or a field weld that the design never intended. Agreeing splice locations with the erection plan before fabrication starts keeps site work to bolted connections and survey checks.

Fabrication process

1. Engineering review — GA, crane load data, camber, and connection design checked before shop drawings are released.
2. Material cutting and plate preparation — IS 2062 plate and sections processed to cutting lists.
3. Fit-up — web, flanges, and stiffeners assembled and checked for camber, square, and hole pattern.
4. Welding — coded joints to qualified WPS/PQR (IS 9595).
5. Straightening — distortion control so camber and flange alignment stay within drawing limits.
6. Inspection — dimensional, visual weld, and NDT per the project ITP.
7. Surface preparation and painting — blast, primer, and finish system per project specification.
8. Dispatch — piece-marked girders and columns in erection sequence.

Quality control

Inspection follows the project ITP. Typical activities include dimensional inspection of girder depth, camber, and length; fit-up verification before welding; visual weld inspection; and in-house UT/MPI where required. Customer inspection and third-party inspection are accommodated when specified in the contract.

Because runway alignment is critical for crane handover, dimensional records for span-critical members are checked against the shop drawing before coating. Documentation — mill certificates, WPS/PQR records, NDT reports, and coating records — is compiled for EPC and PMC review.

Applications

• Steel plants — melt shop, finishing, and material-handling bays with EOT cranes
• Cement plants — mill buildings and heavy equipment bays
• Power plants — turbine hall and BOP workshops
• Heavy engineering and industrial workshops — machining and assembly bays
• Warehouses and manufacturing plants — production and dispatch halls with overhead cranes

Surface protection

Finish follows the project specification. Typical workshop execution is blast cleaning with primer and an industrial paint system suited to the plant environment. Hot-dip galvanising is applied where the project specification calls for it and member sizes suit the process. Coating is completed after inspection hold points so shop repairs are limited to transport and erection damage.

Coordination with crane supplier

We are a structural steel fabricator, not a crane OEM. Our scope ends at correctly positioned, plumb runway steel ready for the crane supplier’s rail and electrification work. Crane load data and wheel loads must be on the structural design drawings before shop drawing release. For built-up spans, see fabricated steel beams.

Integration with other fabricated structures

Crane girders sit inside the building frame. They share columns with the industrial building steel, land on brackets or stepped columns, and often share access with industrial platforms and equipment support structures. Long-span built-up members follow the same plate fabrication approach as plate girders. For overall capability see structural steel fabrication and heavy steel fabrication.

Technical specifications

Component	Notes
Runway beams	Built-up or UB sections; camber as designed
Crane columns and brackets	Built-up or rolled; cap plates for beam seating
Tie beams and bracing	Longitudinal stability between crane columns
Rail clips and sole plates	When shown on structural drawings
Materials	IS 2062 plate and sections (E250 / E350 as designed)
Design basis	IS 807:2006 for crane loads; IS 800 for connections
Welding	WPS/PQR to IS 9595; in-house UT/MPI per ITP
Surface finish	Primer and industrial paint, or galvanising where specified
Erection survey	Span, elevation, and straightness checked before crane install

Information required for quotation

• IFC drawings or enquiry GA showing runway layout and connections
• Crane capacity, span, and operating / duty class
• Wheel loads and any dynamic or impact factors from the design
• Whether rails, clips, and sole plates are in structural scope
• Finish specification — paint system or galvanising
• Site location and crane availability for erection

Response within 24 hours; quotation within 48–72 hours when drawings are available.

Related fabricated scope

Runway girders are usually detailed with heavy structural beams, heavy structural columns, and welded plate girders where approaches span far. Access steel may include operating platforms; building envelopes use crane-served industrial sheds.

Crane Girder Structures India — Enquiry

Plate and built-up fabrication at Jeedimetla, Hyderabad — IS 2062 plate and sections, IS 800:2007, WPS/PQR to IS 9595, in-house UT/MPI. Manufacturer credentials · structural steel workshop scope · heavy fabrication

RFQ: Send IFC drawings or enquiry GA to Contact Sun Corporation. Response within 24 hours; quotation within 48–72 hours when drawings are available.