Bridge crane is one of the ten major categories of cranes, defined as: A crane whose bridge girder is supported on rails or directly on bearing surfaces through traveling mechanisms. According to GB/T 6974.5-2023, we study the "terminology and types" of seven categories of bridge cranes, including general bridge cranes, metallurgical bridge cranes, explosion-proof bridge cranes, electric single-girder cranes, electric hoist bridge cranes, insulated bridge cranes, and nuclear power plant circular cranes.

I. General Bridge Cranes

• General Bridge Crane: A bridge crane for general purposes in normal environments, with lifting devices such as hooks, grabs, electromagnetic discs, or combinations thereof.
• Stacking Bridge Crane: Usually employs forks as lifting devices, guided by columns, used for stacking or retrieving packaged items in warehouses or workshops.
• Automated Storage/Retrieval System (ASRS) Crane: Operates along tracks in automated warehouse aisles, performing storage and retrieval operations.

II. Metallurgical Bridge Cranes

• Metallurgical Bridge Crane: Designed for special requirements in metal smelting, casting, rolling, and heat treatment, directly used in production processes.
• Charging Crane: A metallurgical bridge crane using hoppers or baskets for charging converters or electric furnaces.
• Forging Crane: A metallurgical crane with shock absorption devices for lifting and turning forgings.
• Slab Transfer Crane: A metallurgical crane using slab tongs or electromagnetic plates for handling and stacking slabs.
• Casting Crane: A metallurgical crane for handling molten metal.
• Quenching Crane: A metallurgical crane used in vertical pit heat treatment processes, featuring rapid descent and emergency brake release for hot, large, or elongated workpieces.
• Rake Crane: A metallurgical bridge crane with rakes (or additional electromagnetic plates) for handling and stacking bar billets in steel plant continuous casting and rolling processes.
• Soaking Pit Tong Crane: A metallurgical bridge crane using tongs for charging soaking pits.

III. Explosion-Proof Bridge Cranes

• Explosion-Proof Bridge Crane: Bridge cranes with explosion-proof capabilities for use in explosive gas or dust environments (JB/T 5897-2014).
• Clean Room Bridge Crane: Bridge cranes for use in clean environments with specific cleanliness requirements (JB/T 14201-2022).

IV. Electric Single-Girder Cranes

• Electric Single-Girder Crane: Single main girder bridge crane using electric hoists in general environments.
• Electric Suspended Crane: Bridge crane with the girder suspended below the track, using electric hoists in general environments.
• Flexible Modular Suspended Crane: Bridge crane using electric hoists running under modular profile tracks in general environments.

V. Electric Hoist Bridge Cranes

• Electric Hoist Bridge Crane: Double main girder bridge crane using electric hoists in general environments.

VI. Insulated Bridge Cranes

• Insulated Bridge Crane: Bridge crane with insulation capabilities for non-ferrous metal electrolysis workshops.
• PTM (Pot Tending Machine): Bridge crane with tool trolleys and aluminum extraction trolleys for pre-melted anode aluminum electrolysis.
• FTA (Fume Treatment Anode crane): Bridge crane with vacuum material handling for anode baking furnaces.
• ASC (Anode Stacking Crane): Bridge crane with carbon block grippers for handling and stacking anode blocks.
• Electrolytic Copper Crane: Bridge crane with rigid-guided special lifting devices for electrolytic copper production.

VII. Nuclear Power Plant Circular Cranes

• Nuclear Power Plant Circular Crane: Bridge crane operating on circular tracks in nuclear power plant reactor buildings.
• Spent Fuel Container Crane: Bridge crane for handling spent fuel transport containers.
• Spent Fuel Pool Crane: Bridge crane for loading/unloading new and spent fuel in fuel storage pools.
• Fuel Building Auxiliary Crane: Bridge crane sharing tracks with spent fuel pool crane for handling new fuel and containers.