Runway beams carry moving crane wheel loads millions of times — the steel is picked for fatigue as much as strength. Typical hot-rolled picks: W21×44–W24×76 for 5–10 t cranes on 6–9 m spans; W27×94–W30×108 for 10–20 t; W36×135/150 or welded plate girders above that. S355JR / A572 Gr50, drilled to the rail and clip layout, primed and shipped drilled.
Nothing in a plant works harder than a runway beam. It bends under every crane pass, resists lateral surge from the trolley, and accumulates millions of load cycles — which is why fatigue, not static strength, drives section selection. Buyers ordering runways from China need three things right: the section, the steel grade, and the drilling.
Typical Sections by Crane Capacity and Span
| Crane Capacity | Runway Span 6–9 m | Span 10–14 m | Span 15 m+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 t | W21×44 / IPE 400 | W21×50 / IPE 450 | W24×76 / IPE 500 |
| 10 t | W24×55 / IPE 450 | W24×76 / IPE 500 | W27×94 / IPE 600 |
| 16–20 t | W27×94 | W30×108 | W36×135 or plate girder |
| 25–40 t | W30×108 | W36×135/150 | Welded box / plate girder |
Starting points for budgeting — the crane supplier's wheel loads and the fatigue class finalize the section.
Fatigue Changes the Steel Choices
- Duty classes (CMAA A–F / ISO M3–M8): light machine-shop cranes sit low; steel-mill and 24/7 handling cranes top the scale. Higher duty → toughness and weldability matter more than raw yield.
- Grades: S355JR / A572 Gr50 are the volume picks; S355J2 for cold stores and low-temperature plants. Avoid re-welding repairs on fatigue members — order extra length instead.
- Rail: A45/A55/A75 crane rails supplied with the beams; rail clips and wear pads quoted with the drilling layout.
What We Deliver for Runway Packages
- Hot-rolled W27–W36 sections or welded plate girders, cut to bay lengths ±2 mm.
- Drilling to the rail-clip and splice layout (±0.5 mm) — the beam arrives bolt-ready: processing details →
- Shot blast SA2.5 + epoxy primer 60–80 µm; final paint on site.
- Mill certificates 3.1 per heat; UT on butt welds of plate girders.
- Container loading plans: runway sections are long — 12 m lengths ship in 40GP →
Related: full warehouse framing guide · weight calculator · W series chart
Crane data in, runway package out
Send crane capacity, span and wheel loads to [email protected] or WhatsApp +86 191 5745 8011 — drilled, primed runway beams quoted with rail and clips in one working day.
Request Runway Beam Quote