Cranes are probably one of the most versatile construction machinery you can get. They can be used for myriads of applications such as building or moving heavy loads of material. Perhaps you’re a homeowner who’d like to do some renovations on your home and you need a sturdy machine to help you with the task. You can either buy your own machine for the job or to save on costs you could use crane truck hire services. Whatever the task is you’ll need to know more about these innovative mobile machines before you get started on your project. What is a Crane? A crane is a plant machine used to raise or lower heavy loads such as building material, cars and even large quantities of sand/soil. They’re designed to move objects horizontally or to lift material up on to buildings. A crane usually has a long arm with a cable and a hook attached to the end. They come in a variety of sizes and types. You get fixed cranes that are planted onto the ground and you get mobile cranes that have wheels on them so they can travel from one place to another. Fixed cranes are designed for the following applications: Tower buildingBridge constructionMounting vessels Mobile cranes are designed for the following applications:  Slewing Non-SlewingVehicle loading Cranes come in a variety of sizes that you can either buy or hire out. Because cranes are designed to lift heavy loads safely they need to be properly maintained. Crane Maintenance Maintaining your crane is imperative because it ensures you’re adhering to certification. Crane maintenance is also to ensure project success, safety and maximising the service life of your crane. Before you start on your project, always do a full inspection of the crane. A visual inspection is required to ensure all crane parts are in excellent working condition. You should subsequently go on to do a functional test as well. The functional test is to ensure that all the mechanical parts are working. You should also do a load test. The load rating should not be more than 80% of the maximum load during the test. An inspection should include: Leakage from valves, drain pumps and tanksHoist chains and end connections for wear or twistsDistorted linksCheck hooks for cracks or twistsLoose bolts or rivetsInspect all pins, bearings, locking and...