What is a Franna Crane and When do You Use It?

When it’s time to hire a crane for some heavy lifting at your construction site, do you know which type of crane you’ll need? Have you heard people in the industry talking about a Franna crane?

You can easily make use of the Franna crane hire Melbourne has available. Franna cranes have been around since the early 80s and have been making construction work a lot easier ever since.

Some Interesting facts about Franna Cranes

Knowing what different cranes are available to hire will assist you in getting the right one for the job at hand. Let’s have a look at some interesting facts about Franna cranes and what they can be used for.

What is a Franna Crane?

Franna is a popular brand of pick and carry cranes that dictate the current Australian crane hire industry. This equipment is similar to mobile cranes and are designed to travel on public roads. The big difference between the two is that a pick and carry crane has no stabiliser legs, or outriggers, as they’re commonly called. They’re intended to lift a load and carry it to its destination.

Sometimes the Franna crane is referred to as a “taxi crane” because it can easily pick up and carry heavyweight loads from one end of a worksite to another.

Where are Franna Cranes made?

Franna cranes are a fine example of Australian world-class ingenuity and innovation. Produced in Australia since 1980, these machines are designed specifically for Australian conditions. Australian engineer, Dave Francis made the first prototype based on his own designs. He named his company “Franna” which was a combination of his own name, Francis and his daughter Anna.

What Are Franna Cranes Used For?

Since Franna or pick and carry cranes are so compact, they’re primarily used for lifting, shifting and placing loads of up to 25 tonnes. Theses cranes are highly manoeuvrable and make a practical alternative to forklifts and telehandlers.

With these cranes, the load is carried with the minimum boom length and as close to the ground as possible. Tag lines are attached to prevent load swing. Load swing reduces the crane’s capacity.

Types of Franna Cranes

These nifty compact cranes come in a few different models. These include:

• Franna AT40: Currently this model has a maximum lifting capacity of 40 tons. With an articulated 3-axle design of the AT40, this pick and carry crane gives a similar turning circlet to that of the MAC25.
• Franna Mac25-Superlift: This machine has a lifting capacity of 25 tons. It offers versatility in tight places which makes it perfect for machinery relocation. The Superlift kit works with the existing MAC25 counterweight. This results in an increase to the machine’s capacity of up to 30%.
• Franna AT22: This crane carries loads of up to 22 tons. It has a working capacity radius of 22ft@1.4m. Due to its compact frame and agility, it’s very effective for quickly carrying cargo loads to their destinations.
• Franna 12T: This powerful little crane has a maximum lifting capacity of 12 tons. The machine has been used in the building industry for many years. It has a 1.53m working capacity radius making it suitable for all types of worksites that require quick and efficient machines to handle any difficult to reach tasks.

What is the Speed Limit of a Franna Crane in Australia?

Currently, Australian law allows Franna and other pick and carry cranes to travel 75km/h. This allows the crane to move swiftly and safely from one job to the next. This is another reason to consider Franna hire.

What is the Benefit to Using a Franna Crane?

Using a Franna crane to transport heavy equipment and supplies can help you reduce extensive labour costs. Often hiring external machinery to move building materials, or other machines, can be quite costly. It also can be time consuming to move materials from one site to another. By hiring one of these units, you can easily move rubble, materials and equipment at your own pace.

Do You Need a Licence to Operate a Franna?

Australian law dictates that in order to operate any mobile non-slewing crane, you’ll need to get the appropriate crane licences. For a Franna crane you’ll need to obtain a licence that allows you to operate a boom or jib.

To obtain your crane licence, you’ll need to do the relevant training course from a registered training organisation. You’ll also need to apply for a High-Risk Work Licence.

Crane licences you need for different work classes are as follows:

• 20 ton capacity – C2 high risk work licence
• 60 ton capacity – C6 high risk work licence
• 100 ton capacity – C1 high risk work licence
• Capacity over 100 tons – C0 high risk work licence

Final Thought—Time to Take the Right Action

Franna crane hire can simplify some of your construction jobs such as easily moving materials from one site to another. What more reason do you need to hire one? Simplify your job today!