How to Select Overhead Cranes for Agricultural Machinery Plants
Agricultural machinery manufacturing cranes are configured for four equipment categories: tractors, harvesters, rice transplanters, and dryers. Tractor chassis final assembly uses QD Type 10–20t; harvester headers use QD Type 10–30t; complete rice transplanters use LD Type 3–5t; and dryer tower bodies use LD Type 5–10t. Complete plant solutions range from 150,000 to 600,000 CNY (approx. $22,200–$89,000).
Tractor Manufacturing: Chassis and Engine Final Assembly
Tractor chassis (drive train plus traveling system) weighs 3–8t, engines 2–5t, and operator cabins 500–2,000 kg. QD Type 10–20t cranes are recommended to cover the final assembly line. Tractor final assembly follows a line-paced workflow, so cranes must synchronize with the assembly cycle of 15–30 minutes per unit.
Gearbox and clutch assembly requires precise positioning for spline engagement. Drive shafts and rear axles weigh 500–2,000 kg. Hydraulic lifters and PTO (power take-off) systems add 300–800 kg.
Harvester Manufacturing: Header and Thresher Hoisting
Harvester headers weigh 3–10t, threshing drums 1–3t, and grain tanks 2–5t. QD Type 10–30t cranes are recommended. Kelude's harvester-section cranes cover header assembly and complete machine mating stations.
Harvester traveling drive axles (HST hydrostatic drive) weigh 500–1,500 kg. The reciprocating cutter bar and conveyor chain on the header require repeated adjustment during assembly.
Rice Transplanter Manufacturing: LD Solution for Full Assembly
Complete rice transplanters / transplanting machines weigh 1–3t. LD Type 3–5t cranes are recommended. The transplanter assembly line uses KBK auxiliary workstation cranes (0.5–1t) for installing planting components.
Transplanter planting arms and seedling claw mechanisms weigh 50–200 kg per set. Each transplanter has 6–8 sets of planting arms. Kelude's KBK workstation cranes in the transplanter section support modular assembly of planting components.
Dryer Manufacturing: Tower Welding and Assembly
Recirculating / continuous dryer tower bodies stand 5–15m tall and weigh 3–8t. LD Type 5–10t cranes are recommended. The core of dryer manufacturing lies in plate bending and welding of the tower shell sections.
Dryer hot-air furnaces (coal / biomass fired) weigh 2–5t. Grain elevators and scraper conveyors weigh 1–3t. Kelude's LD Type cranes in the dryer section cover all positions for tower and furnace installation.
tractor QD Type10-20t Final Assembly Line | harvester QD Type10-30t Reaper Header | rice transplanter LD Type3-5t Complete Machine |
dryer LD Type5-10t Tower Structure | Final Assembly Takt Time 15-30min/Reaper Header | complete plant 15-6010K |
Crane Configuration Table for Agricultural Machinery Equipment
| Equipment | Model | tonnage | Core | Critical | investment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tractor | QD Type | 10-20t | Chassis/engine | Final Assembly Takt Time | 20-5010K |
| harvester | QD Type | 10-30t | Reaper Header | Assembly Line | 20-6010K |
| rice transplanter | LD Type | 3-5t | Complete Machine | workstation crane | 10-2510K |
| dryer | LD Type | 5-10t | Tower Structure | plate bending | 10-2510K |
Kelude Heavy Industry provides QD Final Assembly Line solutions for tractors and harvesters, along with LD solutions for rice transplanters and dryers across the agricultural machinery sector.
Final Assembly Solution QD Type10-30t+Assembly Takt Synchronization | harvester Heavy load Reaper Header3-10t+Final Assembly | Light-Medium Duty LD Type3-10tcoverage Rice Transplanter/Drying |
FAQ: Tractor Assembly Line & Hoisting Solutions
Q: How does the tractor final assembly line keep pace with the takt time?
A: The line is designed for a takt time of 15–30 minutes per unit. Kelude Heavy Industry provides PLC interface synchronization control for the final assembly line.
Q: What should be considered when hoisting the harvester header?
A: The header is 4–8 m wide. Multi-point lifting with spacing of no more than 2 m is required to prevent deformation.
Q: Is a KBK system needed for the rice transplanter planting units?
A: Each of the 6–8 planting units weighs 50–200 kg. A KBK crane rated at 0.5–1 t roughly doubles efficiency.
Q: What lifting height is required for the dryer tower?
A: The tower is 5–15 m tall, so the LD Type crane must provide a lifting height of at least 10 m.
