If you’ve ever looked at a skyscraper as it’s being built, you’ve probably wondered how in the world the contractors working on it managed to get a crane on top of the building. Tall skyscrapers can be hundreds and, in some cases, even thousands of feet high, so how the heck do they manage to put cranes on top of them? There are actually three basic methods that can be used, according to Slate, and as it turns out, getting a crane onto a skyscraper isn’t nearly as difficult as it might sound. Check out the methods below.

The External Climbing Method

When this method is used, the base of a crane is attached to a concrete slab located on the ground level at first. Then, once the building is approximately 180 feet high, the crane is attached to the building using steel collars and the crane is used to attach new segments to itself at its highest point. It utilizes a special climbing section to do this, and it scales the outside of the building in order to slowly move up the side of it.

The Internal Climbing Method

When this method is used, the crane is placed inside of the skyscraper directly in the middle of the building. A hydraulic cylinder is then used to elevate the crane up through the building as construction of the skyscraper continues. Steel beams are used to provide a sturdy footing for the crane on each new level, and the crane continues to go up as the skyscraper moves closer to completion.

The “Skycrane” Method

When this method is used, a helicopter is utilized to fly each segment of a crane up to the top of a skyscraper. There is an additional cost often associated with this method, and it can also be a logistical nightmare if the proper planning isn’t made. That is why this is the rarest of the methods.

Regardless of whether your company is building a tall skyscraper or a smaller building, a crane can come in handy, and Astro Crane can provide it for you. Call us at 978-429-8666 today to find out about obtaining a crane rental from us.