I've had these questions for some time and would really appreciate if someone can enlighten me:

- Why are truck-mounted cranes are painted red? For example, cranes on Unimog, Arocs, Xerion.

- Why does wheel machinery have outriggers, but track machinery doesn't? For example, 42009 vs 42042, 8043 vs 42053.

- What is the diagonal-red-and-white-stripes mark called? I see them on crane arms and outriggers, do they signify moving parts?

Thanks a bunch!

5 minutes ago, nguyengiangoc said:

I've had these questions for some time and would really appreciate if someone can enlighten me:

- Why are truck-mounted cranes are painted red? For example, cranes on Unimog, Arocs, Xerion.

- Why does wheel machinery have outriggers, but track machinery doesn't? For example, 42009 vs 42042, 8043 vs 42053.

- What is the diagonal-red-and-white-stripes mark called? I see them on crane arms and outriggers, do they signify moving parts?

Thanks a bunch!

Cranes are moslty painted red because of manufacturer and their deal with small cooperants (within them there are also paint suppliers)

Wheeled machinery use outriggers for stability - tires have much smaller contact surface that tracks.

Red and white stripes signaliza "oversize" parts of vehicle on the rod. Perhaps this article is helpful

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oversize_load

 

 

Here are some additional thoughts:

1. Cranes has extending boom, extending outriggers, sometimes extending counterweights and work in populated sites, which means they present potential danger. Beside flashing lights and warning sounds, manufacturers also paint them with colors which will make them more visible. For example boom can be yellow, while its tip can be red. Same goes for the outriggers, counterweights...

2. Wheeled machinery, compared to tracked ones, must have outriggers, simply because tires are filled with air and they are easily compressed, especially if the machine is wheeled crane. Without outriggers, tires would just compress and the machine would tip over.

3. Globally, those stripes represent something that can present hazard to road structures, as well as to the traffic. As in the first answer, these are meant to make certain things more visible (usually outriggers, counterweights, cranes tips, bumpers of the oversized vehicles etc).

- SAFETY: most of construction machines are orange, red, yellow or so, for safety reasons. Or at least moving parts are in some bright, visible colour.

- SAFETY: outriggers are there because tires are inherently soft contact. Therefore typically for crane (machines that changes its centre of gravity a lot during work) you need to increase stability of the machine by providing "metal to the ground" contact. Usually as wide as possible - that is why outriggers spread out wide (if technically possible). With tracks it is usually not necessary since tracks are not soft and they cannot compress under the load/pressure + plus contact surface is much larger.

- SAFETY: simple answer - it is for safety reason. manufacturers usually mark moving parts with those red-white stripes (or outer edges of machinery). It helps to prevent accidents, bumping into something or killing somebody at construction sites.

 

 

Edited December 12, 20168 yr by J_C

Others have mostly given you your answers.  I will also add.  look at the bases of the tracked versus wheeled machines your are speaking of.  The tracked vehicles, along with the inherent benefits of the tracks (no compression like tires) are much wider at their base.......

40 minutes ago, Milan said:

 Without outriggers, tires would just compress and the machine would tip over.

Why would the machine tip when the tires compress?

6 minutes ago, nerdsforprez said:

 The tracked vehicles, along with the inherent benefits of the tracks (no compression like tires) are much wider at their base.......

I find that some mobile cranes have wider bases than crawler cranes.

 

 

With their outriggers..... yes.  But that is the whole point of the post.  I think that is what you are referring to.  If not..... I would assume not equally matched cranes.  Perhaps like a huge a Liebherr 11200 versus a small crawler..... but certainly not an equally matched (lifting capacity) crawler crane versus mobile crane......

 

Also, the of the sets in question, 42042 is much wider than 42009 and 8043 is much wider than 42053

25 minutes ago, nguyengiangoc said:

Why would the machine tip when the tires compress?

Imagine a wheeled crane with no outriggers that stands just on its wheels. Now, lets say that it tries to lift some load at its side. Its suspension would compress, and its tires would compress. This, in combination with lack of outrigger's wide and stable base, would make it very prone to tip.

27 minutes ago, nguyengiangoc said:

Why would the machine tip when the tires compress?

Because the center of gravity is high above the ground. Small changes in angle then mean large changes in the position of the center of gravity. And if the center of gravity is not above the contact area, it falls (this is a basic idea in physics).

If you place a 1 x 1 brick on a flat surface, and push against it, it will slide.

If you place a 1 x 1 x 5 brick on a flat surface, and push against it, it will tip and fall.

Another reason is "Corporate Identity". Safety issues aside, while very important, are secondary to 'Corporate  Needs'. Yellow for Volvo and Caterpillar, Red for Sandvik, etc. If safety were the main issue, research has proven that a eye piercing bright lime green has the best visibility in different visual conditions.

If you look at large crawler cranes you will note that the also have outriggers. Their great height presents a weight and moment problem that necessitates outriggers.

Another reason for outriggers on wheeled machines is that wheeled machines are designed to operate within the local laws of public road use, which means that the vehicle width and height is constrained so the outriggers allow the vehicle to have a wider width and stance for better stabilization. All this allows the wheeled machine to transport itself, unlike tracked machines, which must be transported by trailer.

I am unsure if there is a universal name for the striped warning marks but in my profession they are called chevrons. We use large red and yellow chevrons so it is unmistakable for motorists that are hundreds of feet away that something large is in the roadway ahead. Below is an example (not my picture). 

Edited December 12, 20168 yr by thatrabidhobo
a few word changes for clarification

1 hour ago, thatrabidhobo said:

I am unsure if there is a universal name for the striped warning marks but in my profession they are called chevrons. 

That's the universal name for this pattern. 

V shape stripes are called chevrons in heraldy too. (google coat of arm of Cardinal Richelieu - yeap that guy from Dumas' Three musketeers)

Edited December 12, 20168 yr by J_C