There is no question that winches are some of the most important and widely used equipment in the industrial sector. In fact, since their conception thousands of years ago they have been through a variety of different iterations and have helped build some of our most famous structures. Take the Great Pyramid of Giza, for example. This would not have been possible without the use of the winch and so we can thank this tool for one of our most incredible structures. Though nowadays the use of the winch is far-reaching and there are a whole host of industries which feature them. So, keep reading to find out more.
Though you may well be wondering what the different types of winches are and we don’t blame you for this. So, in this next section, we will explore all of the winches which are on the market today and what industries they are usually used in. You may well be surprised to hear just how many winches there are.
Electric winch
The electric winch is, undoubtedly, one of the most common of all the winch types, thanks to its ease of use and practical size. While electric winches are usually fairly small in comparison to some other forms of winch, they are still fairly powerful. You will usually find electric winches attached to cars or off-road vehicles as they are perfect for towing vehicles out of difficult situations. Though they are most often found on off-road vehicles, they can be used in a variety of other applications. The electric winch is undoubtedly efficient and holds the reputation of reliability, which is, of course, incredibly valuable in the winch industry.
Hydraulic Winch
Hydraulic winches are powered by a hydraulic motor and this kind of technology means that they are far more capable than the electric winch. Though the motor will mean that the winch is far larger than the relatively small electric variant. Most of these winches are connected to an engine of sorts and use this power to power the motor. Because of the higher lift capacity of hydraulic motors, they are often used in marine roles, which require a huge amount of lifting capabilities. What’s more, marine settings often have more space, which means they can conformably store their large winches on site.
Mechanical Drum Winch
A mechanical drum winch is one of the larger winches on the larger winches on the market and is mainly used in the marine or construction industry. Though this winch has a variety of purposes, it is predominantly used to pull rope around a large drum. With most drum winches, the power is provided either by a vessel’s engine or an independent engine used only for the use of the winch. Due to the engine power of these machines, they can handle a great deal of force which has made them a firm favourite in the marine industry.
Hand-operated Winch
While handheld winches are clearly the least powerful winch on this list, they are, in fact, incredibly popular throughout the world. The main reason for this is their small size. As the winch takes up little room at all, they can be placed on smaller boats or vehicles without obstructing anything. What’s more, despite their modest size and pulling power, they are still very capable objects and will certainly give the user enough power to complete medium-weight hauling. Certainly, handheld winches are far more proficient than most people give them credit for and you should seriously consider them. This is why they are seen on almost every sailboat in the world.
Air Winch
Air winches are arguably the most modern form of winches on this list and they are definitely impressive machines. Essentially, they use a pneumatic motor and channel compressed air into two ports. The air is sent into these two ports in opposite directions, which subsequently makes the drum rotate. All the winch operator needs to do is change the pressure of the airflow, and the winch will either speed up or slow down. This design has been heralded in the industry as one of the most energy-efficient methods of large-scale winching. You should certainly check out our air winches if you want to find out more.
Fishing Boats
There are, of course, many uses for winches, but one of the most common is fishing vessels. Fishing boats often need to pull in large loads from either nets or simply ropes in harbours and ports. These roles require a huge amount of force, which is why the industry has moved toward the use of powered winches to assist them. To put it simply, the modern fishing industry would not be sustainable without the winch, as fishermen could not unload or catch the volume which is required to feed our country. Though what are some other industries that need winches?
Vehicle Recovery
It is any driver’s worst nightmare, but every once in a while, vehicles on motorways and smaller roads need recovering from either crashes or standard breakdowns. As you will well know, cars are extremely heavy and there is no way to move them with only a few people. This is where the winch comes in. Almost every recovery vehicle in the nation is equipped with some form of winch, and it helps them to assist drivers faster and make roads safe in very little time at all. Of course, there are a variety of winches which they can use and many companies will own a few different types.
Off-road driving
While off-road driving is predominantly a hobby, it still requires adequate safety equipment and tools to ensure that people can navigate the terrain effectively. Winches are one of the most common tools for this kind of activity as they assist the vehicles when they get stuck on particularly challenging terrain. The electric winch is usually fastened to the chassis of the car at the front and winch users attach the other end to a nearby tree or large object. Then the winch pulls in the cable, which drags the car out of the area.
Construction
As you might expect, the construction industry uses winches on many occasions to assist with the heavy lifting of objects. When it comes to roofing and large industrial buildings, there are often fairly heavy loads which need lifting into place. Winches make for an ideal helping hand in these situations and allow the site to run far more efficiently. What’s more, building sites which use winches can rely on far less staff to be present,which will drastically reduce the cost of these kinds of operations. After all, construction work is about turning as profit at the end and paying for less staff is a great way to save money.
Drilling
While this may seem fairly similar to construction,it is, in fact, quite different. To start, the drilling industry is even more dependent on winches and without this technology, the level and sophistication of our modern drilling projects would be greatly reduced. What’s more, winches used in the drilling sector are used to lower things rather than lift them, which is far different from the usual application of the machine. Often, once a hole is drilled to specific level, items will need to be lowered into place to continue the work and allow for the next stages to begin. This will, of course, require a heavy duty winch.
Aircraft
Aircraft are often in need of winches but the reasons for this are quite diverse. One of the main uses for winches on aircraft is to lower people or items to the ground. For example, many air ambulance services use winches to lower medical professional to the scene of the accident and lift them and the casualty back up. There is also the question of lifting objects into aircraft, which is again often performed with the aid of a winch system.
If you would like to discuss winches further, then feel free to contact us today. We have many years of experience in the industry and would love to discuss your project in more detail.
