The basic structure of lifting machinery varies greatly depending on its purpose, but all share a lifting mechanism to achieve the basic action of lifting and lowering. Some lifting machinery also has traveling mechanisms, luffing mechanisms, slewing mechanisms, or other specialized working mechanisms. Materials can be lifted and lowered by flexible components such as wire ropes or lifting chains, or by jacking with screws or other rigid components. Lifting machinery is a type of spatial transportation equipment, primarily used to displace heavy objects. It can reduce labor intensity and improve labor productivity. Lifting machinery is an indispensable component of modern production. Some lifting machinery can also perform certain special technological operations during production, enabling the mechanization and automation of the production process. Lifting machinery has helped humanity in conquering and transforming nature, enabling the lifting and movement of large objects that were previously impossible, such as the segmented assembly of heavy ships, the overall lifting of chemical reaction towers, and the overall lifting of steel roof trusses for stadiums.
The use of lifting machinery has huge market demand and good economic benefits. The heavy machinery manufacturing industry is developing rapidly, with an average annual growth rate of approximately 20%. Because the amount of material handled using lifting and transportation machinery during the production process from raw materials to finished products is often tens or even hundreds of times the weight of the product. Statistics show that in the machining industry, 50 tons of materials need to be loaded, unloaded, and handled during the processing of one ton of product, and 80 tons during the casting process. In the metallurgical industry, 9 tons of raw materials need to be handled for every ton of steel smelted, with 63 tons transferred between workshops and 160 tons transferred within workshops. Lifting and transportation costs also account for a high proportion in traditional industries. For example, in the machinery manufacturing industry, lifting and transportation costs account for 15-30% of total production costs, and in the metallurgical industry, they account for 35-45%. The transportation industry relies heavily on lifting and transportation machinery for loading, unloading, and storage of goods; statistics show that loading and unloading costs account for 30-60% of total freight costs in maritime shipping.
