Choose crane capacity from the heaviest planned suspended load, including attachments and rigging carried by the hook. Then check operating duty, lifting height and the complete travel route. For mobile or boom cranes, use the load chart at the required radius and configuration; maximum advertised tonnage alone is insufficient.
01Calculate the complete load before choosing a rating
For a conventional hook lift, start with the component’s verified mass and add the lifting beam, slings, shackles and other below-hook equipment. Check the crane manufacturer’s rating basis; do not add or subtract the hook block arbitrarily. Include retained liquid or contents when they will be lifted with the component.
| Illustrative workshop lift | Mass |
|---|---|
| Machine component | 8.20 metric tonnes |
| Lifting beam | 0.70 metric tonnes |
| Slings and shackles | 0.15 metric tonnes |
| Total below the hook | 9.05 metric tonnes |
This example makes a 10 t rating a candidate, not an automatic approval. The supplier must still confirm the rating basis, operating duty and lift conditions. Any planned increase in product weight should be stated separately; a blanket “add 25%” rule can either oversize the crane or miss the real constraint.
02Read the capacity for the crane type
| Crane type | Capacity check that changes the purchase |
|---|---|
| Overhead or rail-mounted gantry | Rated load, hoist arrangement, runway reactions and approved working envelope |
| Jib crane | Rated load at the specified reach; column, foundation or building support |
| Mobile or boom crane | Load chart at actual radius, boom length, support configuration and operating sector |
| Two-hoist or tandem lift | Engineered load distribution; neither hoist capacity nor total crane capacity may be exceeded |
Two 5 t hoists do not automatically form an approved 10 t lifting arrangement. The structure, controls, load sharing and operating procedure must support that use. An off-centre centre of gravity can put more load onto one lifting point than a simple half-and-half calculation suggests.
03Capacity and duty answer different questions
Capacity limits how much the crane may lift under its rated conditions. Duty classification describes the intended pattern of loading and use. A crane that occasionally lifts 10 t for maintenance is a different purchase from one moving near-rated loads throughout several shifts.
Describe the heavy lifts as a share of total cycles, starts per hour and working hours. Specify the classification system rather than assuming that CMAA, FEM, ISO and a seller’s M3 label are interchangeable. Also check the headroom: a higher-capacity hoist can reduce usable hook height in the same building.
Compare single girder overhead crane configurations after the complete load and duty are established.
04How crane tonnage affects equipment price
Selected public 10 m span single girder listings, checked on 28 October 2026, range from USD $1,850 to $3,350 per listed unit across seller-labelled 2–10 ton models.
| Published configuration | Price, USD per listed unit | What the comparison shows |
|---|---|---|
| 2 ton; 10 m span; M3 label | $1,850 | Same-span lower-capacity reference |
| 5 ton; 10 m span; M3 label | $2,350 | Capacity changes within the selected listings |
| 10 ton; 10 m span; M3 label | $3,350 | Selected range upper reference |
| 3 ton; 15 m span; M3 label | $4,176 | A lower-tonnage crane can cost more when geometry changes |
These are third-party advertised equipment references, not Henan Mine quotations. The source uses optional-hoist wording, so hoist inclusion is uncertain. Prices exclude VAT; delivered and installed scope is unconfirmed. Do not apply a dollars-per-ton multiplier or use these figures as a complete project budget. Span, duty, controls and runway work can change the cost more than tonnage alone.
05Buyer questions
Does a 10 ton crane lift 10 metric tonnes?
Confirm the unit on the nameplate and quotation. One metric tonne is 1,000 kg; one US short ton is 2,000 lb, about 907 kg. A seller’s unqualified “ton” label needs clarification.
Should I buy a larger crane for future production?
Allow for defined future loads and duty, then check the building and runway for that arrangement. Paying for extra nameplate capacity without the required support or hook height may not create useful future capacity.