New Wolffkran saddle jib crane

In order to meet increasing demand for higher capacity cranes to lift prefabricated parts crane manufacturer Wolffkran has launched the Wolff 8076 Compact low top crane.

It has a maximum jib radius of 80 metres and is Wolffkran’s first trolley jib crane in the 800-metre-tonne range.

The tower crane has a maximum lifting capacity of 40 tonnes and a tip load capacity of 8.4 tonnes at 80 metres. As a low top, the top of the Wolff 8076 is ten metres lower than that of a Wolff Cross model.

Low top design

"We wanted to design a large yet economical crane and get the maximum capacity out of the steel structure,” said Wouter van Loon, product manager at Wolffkran. “That's why we opted for a low top design, which we call Compact. As a pure two-fall crane the Wolff 8076 Compact is not only the strongest saddle jib crane in our range but also best-in-class compared to its competitors.”

Four-chord design

The crane has a new four-chord design for the first three jib sections instead of the usual three-chord design. “This allowed us to optimise the transfer of forces along the jib and reduce individual components weights, resulting in around 40% higher lifting capacity than with the three-chord design,” explained van Loon.

Tower and hoist systems

The Wolff 8076 Compact connects to the 2.9 x 2.9 metre TV 29 tower system. Combined with the next largest Wolff TV 33 tower system, a freestanding height of up 100 metres can be achieved. Wolffkran says this is a time-saving and economical solution for high-rise buildings or bridge projects where tie-ins are not possible. A 132-kW HW 40132 FU hoist winch allows for operating speeds of up to 95 m/min and the crane’s maximum load of 40 tonnes can be lifted at a speed of 17 m/min.

Suitability for multi-crane sites

The jib of the Wolff 8076 Compact can be extended from 30 to 80 metres in five-metre increments. A hoist rope support on the jib reduces rope slack from 10 to 1.5 metres, lowering the risk of another crane getting caught in the hoist rope when slewing. The counter jib can also be shortened from 30.3 to 22.3 metres, depending on the maximum jib radius. In combination with its compact tower top, the new XXL crane is well suited for construction sites where cranes operate close to one another and the overall crane concept has to be kept low, said Wolffkran. For example, when fitted with a 55-metre jib and shortened counter jib, it offers a tip load capacity of 16.6 tonnes, making it suitable for multi-crane job sites requiring high lifting capacities.

Safety and comfort

Due to the compact tower top and four-chord jib design, the Wolff 8076 Compact can be erected using a standard 350-tonne mobile crane. An auxiliary device on the tower top enables the erection team to align the tie rods of the jib and counter jib without a mobile crane. Wider access to the cab, a maintenance platform for the slewing drive, and galvanised Class-1 access to the trolley drive and hoist winch are designed to increase safety and comfort during erection and maintenance.

Thecrane includes electronic overload protection, Wolff Boost (for more power and load capacity), an anti-collision interface, fine drive modes, automatic power optimisation of the trolley and hoisting gear, and the Wolff Link remote maintenance system with a real-time view of the crane display as standard.

More models to come

According to Wolffkran, a heavier lift version of the Wolff 8076 Compact, plus one with a longer reach, could follow the 8076 Compact. Both models will be designed around the same basic components as the new Wolff 8076 Compact. “We are evaluating a heavier lift version of this model, as well as one with a longer reach,” confirmed van Loon.