Franna & Pick-and-Carry Crane Inspections
"Franna" has become the everyday name for articulated pick-and-carry cranes on Australian sites, much as operators say "cherry picker" for almost any boom platform. Franna is in fact a well-known brand name for the class, but the machines are used and maintained the same way whatever the badge on the counterweight. This page is where you arrange independent inspection and certification for a pick-and-carry crane — Franna-branded or otherwise — to the AS 2550 series for safe use and AS 1418 for the design framework.
A pick-and-carry crane is a distinctive machine: it lifts a load and drives with it, so the load is supported on rubber tyres through an articulated chassis rather than on planted outriggers. That changes what matters in an inspection. Steering articulation, tyres, the chassis and pivot, the boom and its telescoping sections, the winch and rope, and the dynamic rated-capacity and stability systems all take specific attention, because the crane's stability changes as it steers and carries. We assess the whole load path and the systems that keep the load safe while the crane is moving.
Built For
- Crane hire businesses running pick-and-carry fleets
- Construction, fabrication and yard operators who lift and shift loads
- Owner-operators of a single Franna-style articulated crane
- Asset managers keeping pick-and-carry cranes compliant and insurable
- Buyers and sellers needing an independent pick-and-carry condition report
Equipment & Coverage
- Franna-branded articulated pick-and-carry cranes
- Other-make articulated pick-and-carry cranes
- Boom, telescoping sections and winch/rope systems
- Articulated chassis, steering pivot and tyres
- Dynamic rated-capacity and stability limiting systems
The Process
Identify the crane
Franna is a brand name for the pick-and-carry class, so we first confirm the make, model and configuration of your machine so the inspection targets the right components and rating systems. Different makes use different rating charts and stability limiting, and scoping to the actual unit is what makes the findings meaningful.
Assess the mobile load path
The boom, telescoping sections, winch, rope, hook, articulated chassis, steering pivot and tyres are examined — the parts that carry the load while the crane is driving, not just when it is stationary. On a machine that travels under load, this dynamic load path is where wear and fatigue concentrate.
Check stability & rating systems
Because a pick-and-carry crane carries its load on tyres and articulates as it steers, the dynamic rated-capacity and stability limiting systems are checked carefully and recorded.
Test, certify & document
Function and, where warranted, load testing verify performance, defects are rated by severity, and you receive the logbook entries and certification documentation for your records.
Compliance & Standards
Pick-and-carry cranes, including Franna-branded units, are designed within the AS 1418 series and used, sited, maintained and inspected under the AS 2550 series. Because these cranes lift and travel with a load supported on tyres through an articulated chassis, the safe-use regime places particular weight on stability, the rated-capacity system and steering geometry. Routine and periodic inspections keep the crane safe between deeper checks, and a major inspection falls due at the interval set by the relevant standard and equipment class — commonly 5-year or 10-year depending on equipment type and duty. We work independently of any manufacturer and record only what has genuinely been assessed. The dynamic nature of a pick-and-carry crane is exactly why a lapsed inspection is a real risk: stability changes as the machine steers and as the tyres wear or lose pressure, so the rated-capacity chart the operator relies on only holds true if the crane is maintained to the condition it was rated in. Keeping the records current keeps the crane insurable and keeps the duty holder on solid ground, and we will always describe the correct interval for your machine honestly rather than defaulting to a single universal figure.
Why EWP Australia
- Independent inspection of Franna-branded and other pick-and-carry cranes
- Focus on the mobile load path — chassis, pivot, tyres, boom and rope
- Dynamic stability and rated-capacity systems checked, not just the structure
- Clear, severity-rated defect reporting for planning repairs
- Documentation that supports compliance, insurance and resale
- Australia-wide mobile field service — we come to the crane
Common Questions
Is a Franna a specific type of crane?
Franna is a well-known brand name for articulated pick-and-carry cranes, so on site the word is often used for the whole class regardless of make. Whatever the badge, these cranes share the same defining feature — they lift a load and drive with it on tyres through an articulated chassis — and we inspect them accordingly. Using the brand name generically is common in Australia, in the same way "cherry picker" covers many kinds of boom platform, so we simply confirm the actual make and model before we start.
Why is a pick-and-carry crane inspected differently to a mobile crane on outriggers?
Because it carries the load on tyres and articulates as it steers rather than lifting from planted outriggers. That makes the tyres, steering pivot, articulated chassis and the dynamic rated-capacity and stability systems especially important, alongside the boom, winch and rope. The inspection scope reflects how the machine actually works: a crane that travels under load is exposed to forces a static crane never sees, so the components that manage those forces get particular attention.
How often does a pick-and-carry crane need a major inspection?
A major inspection is due at the interval set by the relevant standard and equipment class — commonly 5-year or 10-year depending on the equipment type and how hard the crane is worked. Routine and periodic inspections keep it safe in between. We confirm the correct interval for your specific machine rather than claiming a single universal figure, and we can help you plan the major so it lands at a point that suits your workload rather than catching you by surprise.
Do you inspect any brand of pick-and-carry crane?
Yes. We work independently across all makes of articulated pick-and-carry crane, whether Franna-branded or another manufacturer. Independence keeps our findings objective, and we adapt the inspection to each unit's configuration and rating systems. That matters because rating charts, stability limiting and steering geometry vary between makes and models, and an inspection has to be scoped to the actual machine rather than a generic template if it is going to mean anything.
Why do the tyres matter so much on a pick-and-carry crane?
Because the tyres carry the load. Unlike a crane that plants outriggers, a pick-and-carry crane transfers the entire lifted load to the ground through its rubber, so tyre condition, pressure and matching directly affect stability and the accuracy of the rated-capacity chart. Worn, damaged or incorrectly inflated tyres can undermine a rating that otherwise looks fine on paper, which is why tyres are part of the inspection scope and recorded in the documentation.
Can you inspect our pick-and-carry crane on site?
Yes. EWP Australia is an Australia-wide mobile field service, so inspections are carried out where the crane is based or working rather than at a depot. Pick-and-carry cranes are usually earning their keep on a job or in a yard, and bringing the inspection to the machine keeps it productive. To arrange one, call 0416 689 689, or email info@ewpaustralia.com.au.
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