Cables for Overhead Cranes, Hoists and Festoon Systems
A crane installation combines three different duty cycles on one machine. The trolley and bridge travel impose continuous reeling or festoon flexing, the hoist adds vertical movement with its own bend pattern, and the pendant or radio control brings low-voltage signal wiring into the same cable run. Selecting one cable type for the whole machine is usually a mistake; matching cable to duty is what keeps a crane running between scheduled maintenance.
Flat cable is the usual answer for festoon systems because it stacks cleanly as the trolley approaches and needs less vertical space. Round cable with steel wire reinforcement is often the better answer on the vertical hoist run, where the cable has to carry its own weight and resist wind loading.
What decides the cable in this application
Four factors do most of the work. Getting these right narrows the choice to a small number of constructions, and each one appears in the specification table of the cable type you select.
Festoon systems need a cable that stacks predictably
In a festoon the cable folds back on itself repeatedly, so the cable has to hold a defined loop and not rotate. Flat constructions with parallel conductors track and stack far more predictably than round cable in this duty.
Vertical hoist runs add self-weight and wind loading
On a tall hoist the cable supports its own weight over tens of metres. Steel wire or Kevlar reinforcement carries that tensile load so the copper conductors are not the structural element.
Pendant control and signal wiring share the run
Pendant stations, load cells and anti-sway systems all need shielded signal conductors alongside power. Combined constructions keep these in one cable with the shielding that low-level signals require.
Outdoor cranes see UV, seawater and extremes of temperature
Port and shipyard cranes add salt spray, direct sun and a wide temperature range. Jacket compound and, on reeling drums, corrosion-resistant armour become part of the specification.
Cable types for cranes & hoisting
16 constructions from the catalogue that suit this duty. Each links to its own page with the full specification table.
What we need to quote accurately
Send these six items and we can confirm a construction and price without a follow-up round. Both the contact page and every product page carry a form that accepts them, and you can attach a drawing or specification sheet directly.
- 1 Crane type and duty class Overhead, gantry, tower, portal, shipyard; FEM/ISO duty class if known
- 2 Travel arrangement Festoon, motor reeling, or fixed installation
- 3 Travel length and lift height Metres of bridge travel and of hoist lift
- 4 Conductor size and core count Power cores plus the number of control and signal conductors
- 5 Environment Indoor or outdoor, salt spray, UV, temperature range
- 6 Termination detail Strain relief at the drum, festoon trolley spacing, cable gland size
Frequently asked questions
Flat or round cable for a crane — how do I choose?
Festoon systems normally take flat cable, because it stacks in a defined loop and consumes less vertical space. For vertical hoist runs and for reeling drums, round cable with steel wire reinforcement handles self-weight and winding better.
When does a crane cable need steel wire reinforcement?
Whenever the cable itself is the load-bearing element in the vertical direction — long hoist runs, deep festoon drops, or reeling drums where the cable holds the loop under tension. The reinforcement carries the tensile load so the conductors do not.
Can one cable carry crane power and pendant control together?
Yes. Combined crane cables integrate power cores with shielded control and signal conductors. This is common on pendant-controlled cranes, where a single run is preferable to separate power and control cables.
What protection is needed on a port or shipyard crane?
Salt spray, UV and temperature range all need to be part of the jacket specification, and reeling drums frequently call for corrosion-resistant armour. Give us the location and duty and we will confirm the compound and reinforcement.
Other applications
Need the cable confirmed against your machine?
Send the duty, the environment and the electrical data. Our engineering team will confirm the construction, the standards it meets, and the price — including custom builds where a catalogue type does not fit.