Choosing the Right Jib Crane for Your Facility: Floor, Wall, or Articulating

Jib cranes offer an efficient, flexible way to lift, position, and maneuver parts or tools in a fixed work area. They're ideal for high-repeatability tasks in manufacturing, maintenance, and assembly environments, and they can also serve as a foundational component in ergonomic lifting systems.

But not all jib cranes are created equal.

Choosing the right type-floor-mounted, wall-mounted, or articulating-can be dependent on your facility layout, task requirements, structural support, and available workspace. In this guide, we'll break down the differences between these three jib crane types, explore key factors to consider, and help you identify the right fit for your operation.

What Is a Jib Crane?

A jib crane is a lifting device that features a horizontal boom (or "arm") attached to a vertical support. The boom pivots around the support column, enabling radial lifting motion. Many jib cranes are paired with ergonomic lifting solutions, such as:

• Torque tubes
• Balancers
• Enclosed rail systems
• Tool hangers or manipulators

These add-ons improve productivity and reduce strain in workstations where repetitive motion or tool use is common.

Types of Jib Cranes: Floor, Wall, and Articulating

There are three main types of jib cranes, each with its own mounting method and range of motion.

Floor-Mounted Jib Cranes

Also called freestanding jib cranes, these are the most versatile and commonly used style. The vertical mast is bolted into a concrete foundation, either existing or newly poured, to ensure maximum stability.

Best for:

• Open areas where ceiling or wall structures are unavailable or unsuitable
• Heavy-duty lifting (high capacity or frequent cycles)
• Applications that require 360° rotation
  
  

Considerations:

• Requires sufficient floor space and overhead clearance
• May involve core drilling or pouring a new foundation (check with a structural engineer)
  
  

Learn more in the Unified Industries Product Guide

Wall-Mounted Jib Cranes

This style attaches directly to an existing wall or structural support column. It offers similar motion to a floor-mounted model but without the need for floor space or a vertical mast.

Best for:

• Facilities with limited floor space
• Areas where full 360° rotation isn't required
• Mounting to existing structural steel or reinforced walls
  
  

Considerations:

• Requires a structurally sound wall or column
• Usually limited to 180° or 200° of rotation
• Less flexible than freestanding models for tool repositioning
  
  

Articulating Jib Cranes

Articulating jib cranes feature a segmented boom with two pivot points, allowing greater range of motion than traditional straight-arm cranes. These are ideal for reaching around corners, into machines, or over obstacles.

Best for:

• Confined or irregular workspaces
• Applications that require movement around obstructions
• Lifting in and out of machinery or bins
  
  

Considerations:

• Slightly more complex installation
• Typically, lower capacity than straight-arm cranes
• Often used in conjunction with ergonomic lift assists (like torque tubes)
  
  

Articulating jibs are commonly offered by Unified Industries and can be mounted to the floor, wall, or even on overhead rails.

Integrating Torque Tubes and Lift Assists

Jib cranes can be enhanced with ergonomic lifting tools mounted directly to the boom arm. This transforms a basic crane into a complete ergonomic workstation.

Common integrations:

• Torque Tubes - Ideal for vertical "Z-axis" movement and absorbing powered tool-for example, nutrunners- torque
• Articulating Arms - For added reach into tight or recessed spaces
• Rail Sections with Balancers - Used for hoists, manipulators, or tool hangers
  
  

These add-ons reduce strain and improve operator precision, especially in repetitive motion environments such as assembly, fastener installation, or pick-and-place tasks.

How to Choose the Right Jib Crane for Your Facility

Ask the following questions to determine the right configuration:

Columbus McKinnon's Approach to Ergonomic Lifting

Unified Industries offers a wide range of ergonomic workstation cranes and accessories-built to reduce fatigue, improve safety, and integrate into any manufacturing environment.

Our jib cranes are engineered to:

• Mount to floor, wall, or ceiling supports
• Support torque tubes and ergonomic balancers
• Integrate with enclosed track rail
• Handle loads up to several hundred pounds with precision and control
  
  

Backed by CAD drawings, installation resources, and technical support, solutions from Unified Industries are trusted across automotive, aerospace, appliance, and general manufacturing sectors.

Ready to Design the Right Lifting Solution?

Let us help you select and configure the right jib crane for your space and application needs.