Suspension Pharma Cleanroom Cranes

In a pharmaceutical cleanroom lab, everything that enters the room must be suitable for a cleanroom environment and that includes the tools that lab workers use. One beneficial tool that can make lab work faster and easier is a clean room crane. Although cranes are available in several styles including freestanding, gantry, and suspension, the suspension crane may offer some benefits that the freestanding crane can't supply. Here are the pros and cons.

PROS

More Free Space

Because a suspension clean room crane is attached to the ceiling of the cleanroom, it takes up much less space than a freestanding or gantry crane. That means you can accomplish the necessary lab work without having to tiptoe around the crane's legs and supports. This allows for a much more relaxed work environment.

Fewer Hazards

Because a suspension crane is off of the floor and supported by its attachment to ceiling supports, there are no gantry crane legs on the lab floor. That means there are fewer trip hazards for lab workers. In a delicate pharmaceutical cleanroom environment, any trip hazard can spell disaster not only for the person who trips but for others in the room if that person is carrying hazardous materials.

Installation Variability

With a suspension crane, you have the option to install the crane in the location that makes the most sense for your workload without having to worry about where supports will be located. Since the ceiling is the support, you don't have to install the crane in an out-of-the-way location to reduce trip hazards. You can put it where it makes the most sense for the lab.

CONS

Less Portability

The benefit of a freestanding or gantry crane is the ability to move it around the cleanroom to where it's needed most. With a suspension crane, you're limited to the installation spot on the ceiling. While this is a great feature if a lot of the work requiring a crane stays in the same spot, it can be a disadvantage if you have a larger space and require a more portable option.

Maintenance Difficulty

When maintenance of the crane is necessary, its location on the ceiling may create additional challenges for the maintenance crew.

Ceiling Supports Required

Another possible disadvantage of a suspension crane is the necessity to add additional ceiling supports if your current cleanroom doesn't have the existing support structure to handle the weight of the crane.

Contact a supplier of pharmaceutical cleanroom cranes to learn more.