The knuckle crane design in Korea has been performed by assuming a cantilever beam type structure and numerically analyzing design data and finally improving the stiffness by replacing material. In our study, a complete finite element model of the knuckle crane is constructed and finite element analysis is conducted using Optistruct. Structural optimization to reduce the weight of the knuckle crane is processed by applying maximum loading condition at the largest radius of motion, which is the worst case of loading condition. As the results, existing over stiff design in a knuckle crane is corrected to meet a desired design limit and overall weight is reduced, which eventually leads to a reduction of $CO_2$ emission.