QMC Cranes Blog

What Makes a World Class Crane?

We have a formula we think works well

There’s no silver bullet to making a world class crane. At QMC Cranes we’ve built a reputation over the years for knowing what it takes. So let’s break it down.

Materials

You can’t build an exceptional crane with run of the mill materials. We’re talking about the steel mill here. QMC does not use average materials. Our cranes are constructed from Strenx, a premium performance steel that can make the end product stronger, lighter, and safer than typical steel. And that’s key because lighter weight means more room for your payload on our cranes.

Jimmy Allen, Technical Development Manager for SSAB, which manufactures Strenx, says the extra care that goes into removing impurities during the manufacturing process ensures the highest quality steel that is stronger and lighter, and that pays off both in performance and safety.

“When you’re talking about a crane boom, safety is very important,” Allen says. “To decrease the weight of the boom, you have to reduce the thickness of the steel. With Strenx we reduce the thickness and go to a higher steel strength. That way we can create a longer reach boom that will handle the load while also maintaining a good safety factor.”

The result is a crane that can weigh up to 30% less but still match load charts with heavier competitors.

Geometry

In the precast concrete industry, QMC is known for building cranes that allow a lot of weight on deck. The carrying capacity of your rig is maximized with our lighter, stronger cranes. It’s one of the basic differences between QMC and other telescoping boom cranes.

All our efforts in designing world class cranes are devoted to optimizing the weight to provide the most strength with the least amount of materials. While other crane manufacturers may fill the torsion box or main structural beam with steel or concrete ballast, we take a different path.

We use geometry and physics, coupled with our engineering design expertise, to keep our cranes light without sacrificing capacity or stability. Compare our load charts with other, heavier cranes. Here’s a QMC 4033R Load Chart for your precast concrete needs.

Customer Service

QMC Cranes is known for its stellar customer service. We’re not just selling cranes; we’re building relationships. Almost every crane we sell is built to order, so we’re going to ask you how you plan to use the crane. How much weight do you want to carry? How much boom do you really need?

We’ve had customers who will start the conversation wanting a 150 foot long boom. Then we talk. We learn about their work. We tell them about our cranes. They may end up deciding what they really want is a 60 foot long boom that will give them 10 times the strength at the rates they’re picking. It’s not a one size fits all business.

We can make all kinds of customizations to suit your business needs, including undercarriage lighting, wireless load systems, outrigger control valves, and wood decking among many other features. We’ll paint it any way you want with your logo. We’ll also work with you on specifying a truck – line by line – to match the truck with your crane.

Our goal is to make sure you drive away with the exact crane you need for your work. At the end of the day we want you to love your QMC Crane because you’re going to have it for a long, long time.

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