Crane and lifting hoist winches · line pull and speed by rope layer, drum capacity, reeving and rope strength, holding and control brakes, minimum wraps and drive
A hoist winch is the powered drum unit that raises and lowers a load or boom by winding wire rope, through a gear reduction from an electric or hydraulic motor, with brakes that hold the load when the drive stops; it is built into cranes, drill rigs, offshore and construction lifting equipment. Ask three things first: what line pull and speed it gives on the rope layers you will use, how much rope of what size the drum holds, and how the brakes and rope arrangement keep the load safe.
Hoisting winches for cranes and lifting equipment: hydraulic planetary hoists and electric winches, single or multi-layer drums, including boom hoists. Electric wire rope hoists as complete overhead units, recovery and vehicle winches, mooring winches, crane drums and drives sold alone are outside this page except where compared.
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01
Braden's PD Series hydraulic planetary hoists, built with gearing inside the drum, a brake valve for load control, dynamic and multi-disc static brakes and an overrunning clutch against fall-back, are offered for mobile and offshore cranes, personnel handling and drill rigs, with rated line pulls from 7,000 to 21,000 lb. [1] For the PD12C it lists line pull of 12,000 lb (5,443 kg) at 160 fpm (48.8 m/min) on the first layer, falling to 10,930, 10,040 and 9,280 lb on layers 2 to 4 while speed rises to 176, 190 and 207 fpm, based on 2,400 psi (166 bar), 65 gpm (246 L/min), 13 mm rope and a 64 cc motor, with drum capacity for 13 mm rope rising from 73 ft (22.3 m) on layer 1 to 338 ft (103 m) on layer 4. [2]
The same data sheet lists gear ratios of 59:1, 41:1, 29:1 and 21:1, unit weights of 170 to 467 kg, rope diameters of 10 to 14 mm, freefall and controlled-freefall options, grooved drums and tension rollers, and notes that actual performance varies with hydraulic system, motor, drum and rope. [2]
Editorial calculation: on layer 4 the PD12C delivers 9,280 / 12,000 ≈ 77% of its first-layer pull. At first-layer rating, 5,443 kg × 9.81 ≈ 53.4 kN at 48.8 m/min (0.81 m/s) is about 53.4 × 0.81 ≈ 43 kW of output at the rope. Size the winch so the top layer you will use still meets the required pull.
Give the supplier the machine and duty (crane main or boom hoist, rig, offshore, personnel), required line pull and line speed at the working layer, rope diameter, construction and length, number of layers and drum size limits, reeving (parts of line), power source (hydraulic pressure and flow, or electric supply), brake and freefall requirements, duty cycle, environment and the design code or certification required (for example API 2C where applicable).
02
US overhead crane rules in 29 CFR 1910.179 require every independent hoisting unit to have at least one self-setting holding brake on the motor shaft or gear train, plus control braking to prevent overspeed unless a worm gear prevents the load accelerating when lowering. Holding brakes must provide at least 125% of full-load hoisting torque with non-mechanical control braking, 100% with mechanical control braking or 100% each where two are fitted, and apply automatically when power is removed. The rated load divided by the number of rope parts must not exceed 20% of the rope's nominal breaking strength, and at least two wraps must remain on the drum at the hook's lowest position. [3]
The crawler, locomotive and truck crane rule 29 CFR 1910.180 likewise forbids lowering load or boom below two full wraps on their drums and lists cracked or worn drums and excessive wear on brake and clutch linings, pawls and ratchets among inspection items. [4] For base-mounted drum hoists in construction, 29 CFR 1926.553 requires guarding of moving parts, controls within easy reach, and for electric hoists a disconnect on power failure that stops restart until the controller is off, overspeed prevention where applicable, and stopping of remotely operated hoists when a control fails. [5]
Editorial calculation: a 20 t load on four parts of rope puts 20 / 4 = 5 t on each part, so under the 20% rule each part's rope needs a nominal breaking strength of at least 5 / 0.2 = 25 t (about 245 kN). Load and reeving are assumed examples; follow the rule and design code that apply to your machine.
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Suppliers linked to this page list hoist winches; each card links to the page reviewed.
Listings include electric winches and mooring winches, electric hoists and winches offered with overhead and gantry cranes, open winch trolleys for cranes, and electric and mini winches from a trading company. Ask each for line pull and speed by layer, drum capacity, brake design and the code the winch is built to.
04
This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not one maker's specification.
| Part | Role | Fix in the order |
|---|---|---|
| Drum | Stores rope; capacity by layer. [2] | Size, grooving, layers. |
| Gear reduction | Planetary gearing in the drum. [1] | Ratio. |
| Motor | Hydraulic or electric drive. [2] [5] | Motor size and supply. |
| Holding brake | Holds load when power is off. [3] [1] | Type and torque margin. |
| Control braking or brake valve | Controls lowering speed. [3] [1] | Valve or control method. |
| Overrunning clutch | Prevents fall-back. [1] | Design. |
| Rope anchor and guide | Secures rope; tension roller. [3] [2] | Anchor and spooling aids. |
05
A hoist winch quotation needs values for your machine and duty. The table explains each field, gives published values where a reviewed source states them, and says what to obtain from the supplier.
| Field | What it means and published values | Ask the supplier for |
|---|---|---|
| Rated Lifting Capacity (t) | Load on the hook with reeving. [3] | Capacity and reeving. |
| Rope Pull (kN) | Falls with layer: 12,000 to 9,280 lb on PD12C. [2] | Pull per layer. |
| Line Speed (m/min) | Rises with layer: 48.8 to 63.1 m/min. [2] | Speed per layer. |
| Rope Diameter (mm) | Example: 10–14 mm. [2] | Diameter and construction. |
| Drum Capacity (m) | Example: 22.3–103 m of 13 mm rope over 4 layers. [2] | Capacity per layer. |
| Operating Pressure (MPa) | Example basis: 166 bar (16.6 MPa). [2] | Pressure and flow. |
| Motor Power (kW) | Drive power. | Power at rated pull and speed. |
| Operating Temperature (°C) | Climate and fluid. | Range. |
| Protection Class | Electric motors. | Rating. |
| Weight (kg) | Example: 170–467 kg. [2] | Weight. |
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Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.
Duty: [machine; main or boom hoist; personnel] Pull: [required pull at working layer; speed] Rope: [diameter; construction; length; parts of line] Drum: [layers; size limits; grooving] Power: [hydraulic pressure and flow, or electric supply] Brakes: [holding; control; freefall] Code: [design standard; certification]
These companies list hoist winches.
Lists electric winches including electric mooring winches.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists electric hoists and winches with overhead and gantry cranes.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists electric hoists and winches with cranes and precast bridge equipment.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists open winch trolleys, for example 10 t, for overhead cranes.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Explore company information and manufacturing capabilities, then discuss the scope of your project with a relevant supplier.
Makers rate pull by layer; Braden's PD12C falls from 12,000 lb on layer 1 to 9,280 lb on layer 4 while speed rises. [2]
29 CFR 1910.179 and 1910.180 require at least two wraps at the lowest hook or boom position. [3] [4]
Under 29 CFR 1910.179 the rated load divided by the parts of rope must not exceed 20% of the rope's nominal breaking strength. [3]
Sources checked 2026-10-11. The three US OSHA rules are safety regulations for cranes and hoists; Braden (Arrowhead Winch) is a winch maker publishing data for its own hoists, which are examples rather than limits for other makes.
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