Choose one movement
Assess bridge travel or trolley travel as a separate case, with the complete mass moved by that drive.
HOISTING & TRAVEL / TOOL 17
Crane Travel Power Calculator
Compare travel-drive demand when the moving mass, acceleration, track slope or desired speed changes.
Before you start: required inputs
- Obtain the moving crane or trolley mass, including the carried load for the movement being assessed.
- Use a measured or engineered equivalent rolling-resistance coefficient, the commanded acceleration and the track gradient.
Calculation diagram
A PRACTICAL WALKTHROUGH
How to use this calculator
Describe its resistance
Set rolling resistance, uphill slope and acceleration. Keep the speed and efficiency consistent with the proposed drive.
Review force and power
Compare the rolling, gradient and acceleration force components before using the total power in a drive discussion.
20 t moving mass on level track
THE INPUTS
20,000 kg, rolling coefficient 0.02, acceleration 0.2 m/s², level track, 30 m/min and 85% efficiency.
THE RESULT
Total traction is about 7.923 kN and the estimated input power is 4.660 kW at the entered speed.
What does the result mean?
01
The force result is the total demanded by this idealized movement, before dividing the demand among drives.
02
The power combines the entered acceleration and speed as one assessed operating point.
03
Wind, skewing, rotating inertia, wheel adhesion and actual drive sharing need separate consideration.
Watch for this
Using only the payload mass when the drive also accelerates the bridge, trolley and hoisting equipment.
Formula & model conditions +
F = m[g(μ cos θ + sin θ) + a]
P_input = F × v / η
- Total equivalent rolling resistance is entered by the user; it is not a wheel/rail material property.
- Straight uphill travel. The same selected acceleration is applied to the whole moving mass.
- Wind, skewing, wheel slip, rotating inertia and drive sharing are not included.
Common questions
Does the coefficient mean steel-on-steel sliding friction?
No. It represents equivalent rolling resistance for the travel system, which is different from wheel adhesion or sliding friction.
Can I divide this value by the number of motors?
Only if the design establishes that load sharing. Individual motor demand can differ with drive arrangement and wheel loading.