Crane Selection Guide for Kitchen Equipment Manufacturing
Kitchen equipment manufacturing (commercial cooking ranges 100–300 kg/unit, exhaust fans 50–200 kg, refrigerated cabinets 80–300 kg, disinfection cabinets 50–200 kg) is primarily stainless steel sheet metal work. Recommended setup: KBK 500 kg with pneumatic balancer + LD single girder 1–3 t + jib crane. Kelude's kitchen equipment solutions feature full stainless steel anti-corrosion protection.
Commercial kitchen equipment — cooking ranges, exhaust systems, refrigeration units, and sanitization equipment — is dominated by stainless steel sheet metal fabrication and assembly. The products are relatively light but come in high variety and volume, placing a premium on production flexibility and protecting stainless steel surfaces from damage.
Commercial Range Production Line — Stainless Steel Welding & Final Assembly
Commercial cooking ranges (wok burners, stockpot stoves, steam cabinets) are fabricated primarily from 304 stainless steel plate (1.0–1.5 mm thick), with welding accounting for roughly 40% of the process. A single range weighs 100–300 kg. The brushed finish (directional grain) means a single scratch can scrap the entire panel — refinishing costs roughly 30% of the plate's value.
Recommended Model: KBK flexible modular crane, 500 kg capacity, covering both the welding and final assembly zones. The welding area is equipped with a tilting welding fixture (300 kg load capacity, ±90° rotation) to eliminate manual panel flipping. The assembly area uses a nylon sling (50 mm wide) with a silicone pad to protect the stainless steel surface.
Price Reference: KBK 500 kg systems run approximately $3,000–$6,000 per unit. Kelude's kitchen range solution comes standard with nylon slings, silicone protective pads, and a vacuum lifter (for flat stainless steel plates).
2. Exhaust Systems – Fan & Duct Fabrication and Assembly
Commercial exhaust systems comprise fans (50–200 kg each), ductwork (galvanized steel, 3–6 m sections weighing 20–50 kg each), and grease filters/scrubbers (50–150 kg each). Duct fabrication relies primarily on laser cutting, folding, and lock-forming, with no heavy lifting required in the workshop.
Recommended model: BZD jib crane rated at 250–500 kg (slewing radius 2–3 m) to cover the fan assembly area. The duct fabrication zone uses an electric stacker (500 kg capacity) for plate handling. Finished duct sections are moved by manual pallet truck after bundling.
Price reference: A 250 kg jib crane runs approximately $1,200–$2,200 per unit; an electric stacker costs roughly $750–$1,500 per unit. Kelude Heavy Industry recommends jib crane coverage radius for exhaust solutions based on workshop floor area.
3. Refrigeration Equipment – Cooler & Compressor Assembly
Assembly of commercial coolers (80–300 kg each) and compressors (50–200 kg each) requires precision pipe welding (copper brazing) and refrigerant charging. The workshop must be well ventilated (R290/R32 flammable refrigerants require explosion-proof provisions). The foam-insulation line for cooler cabinets needs crane assistance.
Recommended model: LD single-girder electric overhead crane, 1–3 t capacity with 8–12 m span, covering the final assembly line and foam-fixture area. The foaming station uses dedicated fixtures and lifting spreaders (multi-point fixing to prevent cabinet deformation). The charging area is served by a small-capacity jib crane to assist compressor installation.
Price reference: An LD single-girder crane (1 t / 10 m span) costs approximately $3,000–$6,000 per unit. Kelude Heavy Industry's refrigeration solution includes explosion-proof zone isolation plus dedicated ventilation for the charging area.
4. Sanitizing Equipment – Disinfector & Dishwasher Assembly
Commercial disinfectors (50–200 kg each) and dishwashers (100–300 kg each) are primarily stainless steel sheet-metal welding and electrical assembly. Production cadence is moderate (30–60 minutes per unit), with finished goods requiring packaging and warehousing after batch output.
Recommended model: KBK suspension rail rated at 250 kg covering the disinfector assembly line. Finished units are transferred via a roller conveyor line (5–10 m long) to the packaging area. After packaging, manual pallet trucks or an electric flat car (1 t) move goods to the finished goods warehouse.
Price reference: A KBK system (250 kg) costs approximately $2,200–$4,500 per set; a roller conveyor line runs about $1,500–$3,000 per line. Kelude Heavy Industry's sanitizing equipment solution integrates KBK with roller conveyor to cut finished-goods handling time by 40%.
Kitchen Equipment Lifting Configuration Comparison
| Category | recommended model | tonnage | Protectionrequirements | reference price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial Cooking Equipment | KBK+nylon sling | 0.5t | Scratch Resistant/Brushed Finish | 2~410,000 |
| Exhaust System | jib crane+Stacker | 0.25~0.5t | General | 0.8~1.510,000 |
| Refrigeration Equipment | LDsingle girder+Explosion-proof | 1~3t | R290explosion-proof zone | 2~410,000 |
| Disinfection Equipment | KBK+roller conveyor line | 0.25t | Stainless Steel Protection | 1.5~310,000 |
Key Parameters for Kitchen Equipment
Kelude Service Advantages for Kitchen Equipment Manufacturers
Kelude Heavy Industry has extensive experience in the kitchen equipment manufacturing sector, backed by a 50,000 m² production facility and an ISO 9001 Quality Management System. We provide stainless-steel-protective crane solutions tailored to four customer segments: commercial cooking appliances, exhaust systems, refrigeration equipment, and sanitizing equipment.
Stainless Steel Protection System
Built around a KBK flexible system combined with nylon slings and vacuum lifters, our approach protects stainless steel surfaces across the full process — from cooking appliances and exhaust hoods to refrigeration and sanitizing units.
Triple-Layer Surface Protection
Standard configuration includes nylon slings (50 mm wide), silicone protective pads (5 mm thick), and vacuum lifters (applicable to flat stainless steel plates) — effectively preventing scratches on brushed-metal finishes.
Flexible Production Line Planning
We provide complete workshop layout solutions for kitchen equipment plants — covering crane type and tonnage for each assembly station, crane rail routing, and material flow integration — designed to accommodate high-mix, low-volume production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do you repair scratches on brushed stainless steel sheets?
A: For brushed stainless steel (surface roughness Ra 0.4–1.6 μm), repair methods depend on scratch depth: ① Shallow scratches (depth 0.05 mm) — the entire panel must be replaced (costing roughly $30–$75/m²). To prevent scratches altogether: fit all workstation sling contact surfaces with silicone pads (thickness ≥ 3 mm) and never allow wire rope to come into direct contact with stainless steel. Kelude Heavy Industry's standard lifting spreaders come with silicone protective sleeves.
Q: What jib crane coverage is needed for exhaust fan assembly?
A: A typical commercial exhaust fan (50–200 kg) requires an assembly station of approximately 3 m × 4 m. A BZD jib crane with a slewing radius of 2.5–3 m provides full coverage of the workstation. For multiple assembly lines (3–5 stations), we recommend a KBK flexible rail system spanning the entire line (10–15 m in length). Kelude Heavy Industry offers jib crane vs. KBK selection comparison options.
Q: What lifting solution is recommended for refrigerator foaming fixtures?
A: The refrigerator cabinet foaming process requires placing the cabinet into a foaming fixture (weight 200–500 kg) for positioning. Solution: ① An LD overhead crane lifts the cabinet above the foaming fixture; ② The cabinet is lowered into the fixture (which automatically positions and clamps it); ③ After foaming is completed, the crane lifts the finished refrigerator out. Each cycle takes approximately 5–8 minutes. Note: The inner walls of the foaming fixture must be lined with a PTFE anti-stick layer. Kelude Heavy Industry's solution includes the anti-stick layer plus a quick-clamping mechanism.
Q: How does the KBK crane system integrate with the roller conveyor line on a dishwasher assembly line?
A: The handoff at the end of the dishwasher assembly line works as follows: ① The KBK crane lifts the finished unit (100–300 kg) from the assembly station and places it onto the roller conveyor line; ② The motor-driven roller conveyor (speed 5–10 m/min) carries the unit to the packaging area; ③ A flange with a photoelectric sensor at the end of the conveyor stops the unit automatically. The critical alignment point: the KBK lowering position must align with the centerline of the roller conveyor (deviation ≤ 20 mm). Kelude provides joint commissioning services for the KBK and roller conveyor line.
