Lifting engineering is the branch of engineering that studies, designs and executes the maneuvers necessary for lifting and positioning loads. This term is usually reserved for loads that are especially difficult to position, due to their weight, dimensions or other circumstances. This term comes from the English lifting engineering, usually used as a synonym for Heavy lifting.

Special maneuvers appear as a complement to what could be called standard maneuvers; that is, the use of "Crane (machine)" cranes of any type, without the need to develop a study or specific maneuvering procedure.

The concept that a special maneuver is anything that is not done with a crane "Crane (machine)") is erroneous. Sometimes those that require the use of cranes can be included in the concept of special maneuvers.

Factors

Among the technical factors is, first and most basic, the impossibility of using standard means. Sometimes, the loads are so high that standard machinery is not available to perform the movements, and custom equipment must be designed.

It is also possible that high precision in movements is necessary. In this aspect, the use of cable jacks monitored in real time (precision of the order of the millimeter) stands out.

Certain pieces to be moved are especially delicate or have particularities in their structural behavior, which require the development of a special maneuver.

Other times it is the work area that requires the development of these maneuvers, either because there is no space to place standard means (inside buildings, for example), or because the bearing capacity of the ground is low, etc.

The technical factors can be summarized as:

Economic factors

The maneuvers carried out by lifting engineering are not usually “competitive” of standard maneuvers, due to economic factors. Both work procedures really complement each other. In any case, the theory that “if it can be done with standard means, it is cheaper with standard means” is not always correct, and its blind application can lead to significant errors. Sometimes special maneuvers will be more economical and other times standard ones.