Hoists are used to pick things up and put them down. Hoists are used in lots of different industries, like building things, making things, fixing cars, and more. The hoist picks things up by winding a rope (wire or fiber) or a chain around a big wheel (or drum).
Hoists are used to lift things. What kinds of things do people lift with hoists? When it comes to lifting with hoists, you’re only limited by your imagination (and your hoists’ lifting capacity). What are hoists used for? Here’s a quick answer to that question, followed by 15 common use cases for hoists.
1.Construction
The most common place you’ll find hoists is in construction. In construction, you’ll find hoists on big construction cranes, hoists built into construction elevators, and hoists used to move and place materials around the construction site.
What Kinds of Hoists are Used In Construction?
The kinds of hoists used in the construction industry are all over the place, depending on the kind of construction and what you’re doing. They range from a few tons to over 10 tons. Here are a few hoists that might work for you.
2.Food Processing
Another very common use of hoists is in meat processing plants. They use hoists to hang and move cows from place to place. Sometimes they put these hoists on cranes or conveyor belts so they can move the cows (or other food) quickly and easily.
What Kind of Hoists Do They Use In Food Processing Plants?
The kind of hoists they use in slaughterhouses and other food places are usually food grade hoists. You can get food safe options on a lot of hoists, but electric chain hoists are usually recommended because chain is easier to clean than wire rope. Food grade hoists and lubricants often have special features that make them safe and clean to use. The weight capacity of hoists in the slaughterhouse industry usually ranges from 1/2 ton to 1 ton.
3.Cars
Car guys use hoists too. They’re usually attached to a big crane and used to lift heavy car parts, like engines, out of the car. But there are also hoists that can lift the whole car.
What kind of hoists do car guys use?
There are a couple different kinds of hoists that car guys use. The first kind is a hoist that can lift the whole car. They can lift up to 10 tons (or more for trucks). The other kind is a smaller hoist that can lift about 1-2 tons. They’re attached to a crane and used to lift parts out of the car.
4.Mining
Hoists have been used in the mining industry for over 100 years. But, the hoists they use in mining today are a little different than the ones they used back then. Back in the day, they used hoists to lift the ore and the stuff they dug out of the mine and to lift and lower the miners.
What Types of Hoists are Used In Mining?
There are a bunch of different hoists they use in the mining industry. But, most mines produce a lot of ore that they have to get out of the ground fast and safe. So, they need big, strong, special hoists that can lift a lot of weight. Some of these hoists can lift up to 60 tons.
5.Space
Space is hot right now. NASA and other organizations are doing some amazing things. One of the main tools they use to put their rockets together is… you guessed it: hoists. Rockets are built in stages, each stacked on top of the other, and hoists are used to pick up and set down these stages on top of each other.
What Kinds of Hoists are Used in Space?
Like the hoists used in the mining industry, the hoists used to build rockets are specialized machines with huge lifting capacity. They don’t have to go up and down very fast. They have to be precise.
6.Metal Fabrication
You know what metal fabrication is, right? It’s when you take a bunch of metal and make something out of it. Sometimes it’s something small like a bolt or a nut. Sometimes it’s something big like a piece of metal that goes on a building. When you’re making big stuff out of metal, you need a hoist to pick up the big pieces of metal and the parts you make out of the metal and move them around the shop.
What Kind of Hoists Do You Use in Metal Fabrication?
The hoists you use in metal fabrication come in different sizes. Most of the time, you use hoists that pick up between 2 and 10 tons. If you’re picking up something small, you might use a hoist that’s on a little bridge crane. If you’re picking up something big, you might use a hoist that’s on a big bridge crane.
7.Making Stuff
Making stuff is just making stuff. Not every maker uses hoists, but many do. Hoists are also used to move big stuff around warehouses.
What Kinds of Hoists Do Makers Use?
There are a number of hoists that makers use. Small electric chain hoists from 1/2 ton to 2 tons are used to move raw materials around the maker’s space. However, bigger hoists are used to move finished products in bulk.
8.Puttin’ it Together
Assembly is a lot like manufacturing, but it’s different. In manufacturing, you take raw materials and turn them into individual parts. In assembly, you take individual parts and put them together to make a complete product that you can sell.
What Kind of Hoists Do You Use for Assembly?
The kind of hoists you use for assembly depends on what you’re assembling. So, the kind of hoists you use, and the capacity of the hoists, will vary. But, in general, electric chain hoists are the most common. They have capacities from 1/2 ton to 5 tons.
9.Freight Yards
Freight yards are where you find all the stuff for shipping, receiving, sorting, and storing cargo. And we’re not talking about a few boxes here. We’re talking about a ton of stuff! So, you’re not going to be able to lift, move, and lower all that stuff with just your muscles. You’re going to need some mechanical help in the form of a hoist and crane system.
What Kind of Hoists are Used In Freight Yards?
The hoists used in freight yards are electric powered and have a big lifting capacity. Shipping containers weigh about 7,000 pounds and have a maximum payload of almost 70,000 pounds. So, the hoist you need is going to be at least 4 tons, but it’s probably going to be closer to 35 tons. These hoists are usually mounted on some kind of gantry crane that’s mounted on a rail system so you can move it around.
10.Lumber Yards
Like freight yards, lumber yards use hoists. Instead of storing shipping containers, lumber yards store the lumber used for various construction projects. Because of the weight of these lumber loads, hoists and other powerful lifting equipment are a must.
What Types of Hoists are Used In Lumber Yards?
When lumber is bundled in large quantities, as is the case in lumber yards, these quantities can weigh up to several tons. Therefore, the weight capacity of the hoists needed to carry such a load must be at least equal to the load, but the standard is to have a capacity that exceeds the load.
11. Oil Extraction
Oil extraction is the process of drilling into the Earth to extract crude oil from deep underground. The drills used in this process must be raised and lowered into the ground to begin and cease drilling.
What Types of Hoists are Used In Oil Extraction?
The drills used in these oil extraction rigs are massive and weigh several tons. Therefore, the lifting capacity must be at least the weight of the drill, whatever that weight may be. Also, these hoists are typically electric-powered and use heavy-duty wire ropes.
12. Tow Trucks
Most people have seen the dangling hoist on the back of a standard tow truck. This hoist is used to load a broken-down vehicle onto the tow truck so it can be hauled to a mechanic or a junkyard. However, many tow trucks can also use this hoist system to lift vehicles that have driven off cliffs.
What Types of Hoists are Used In Tow Trucks?
The hoists used in tow trucks are mounted to the back of the truck, are electric-powered, and use a wire-rope as opposed to a chain. The lifting capacity must be greater than any vehicle that it lifts. Therefore, the capacity is usually no less than 5 tons.
13. Entertainment
The entertainment industry is broad and may refer to many different venues. However, large outdoor venues are often set up quickly and dismantled just as fast. When setting up these venues, there can be a lot of heavy staging equipment that requires the use of hoists and other lifting equipment.
What Types of Hoists are Used In Entertainment?
The types of hoists used for the entertainment industry are typically electric chain hoists with a capacity of up to 2 tons. However, they usually also require a high lift height to accommodate the lifting of stage equipment such as lighting and speakers to the top of the stage.
14. Power and Utilities
Power plants and utility companies generate electric power from primary energy in the form of coal, natural gas, and uranium. These power generating facilities are massive. To construct and maintain these facilities, enormous cranes and hoists are required.
What Types of Hoists are Used In Power and Utilities?
The types of hoists used in power plants and utility companies are extremely durable to handle the continuous use after periods of non-use. Also, they must have a large lifting capacity to accommodate the raising and placing of SCR blocks, a lift-height of up to 100 ft., and typically offer variable lifting speeds.
15. Personal Projects
There are countless industries that use hoists, but many people use hoists for personal projects as well. Want to add a personal elevator to your treehouse? A hoist would be a perfect solution for that! When it comes to using hoists for personal projects, you’re only limited by your imagination!
What Types of Hoists are Used In Personal Projects?
This really depends on the project that you have in mind. However, there are a few things to keep in mind. If you’re using your hoist outdoors, it’s important to weatherproof your hoists. It’s also good practice to use a lifting capacity and height that exceeds your project requirements for safety purposes. Happy hoisting!
Summary
In general, cranes are used to lift and lower objects. However, they have many uses in many different industries, even beyond those listed here. If you are considering buying a crane, we strongly recommend that you contact us directly, and we will be happy to answer your questions.
