AT a glance

All the leading manufacturers of all terrain cranes report strong demand this year and healthy order books. Add to this the continuing problems that they are having with suppliers of certain components and materials, this means that for certain models deliveries are now running well into 2007.

Despite this, they are finding the time to introduce new models as quickly as they ever have before. It seems that product life cycles get shorter and shorter, with cranes getting stronger, more compact and more operator-friendly.

It is well known that it has been the German manufacturers that have led the way in all terrain technology. However, perhaps we cannot say that anymore: Grove/Krupp and Demag are American, Faun is Japanese and – even if it is only for tax purposes – Liebherr is Swiss. Despite this, we can say that their cranes are designed and assembled by Germans, in Germany.

However, there is one new model this year that is absolutely not German, and on paper has a specification that beats the rest.

Luna

The new AT-90/58 from Spain’s Luna Equipos Industriales is a four-axle model rated at 90t capacity and has a main boom of 58m. This makes it the longest boom of any four-axle mobile crane on the market. In fact, this crane’s boom is 9.5m longer than Faun’s ATF 80-4. It is 8m longer than the Liebherr LTM 1090-4.1 and the Terex-Demag AC 80-2. It is 7m longer than the Grove GMK 4080-1, 6m longer than the LTM 100-4.1. It is longer, in fact, than all the five-axle 100-tonners that are on the market.

The seven-section boom uses single pinning and can have an optional 18m jib. Both upper and carrier have Mercedes engines, the gearbox is ZF AS-Tronic, and drive/steer is 8x8x8. The carrier measures a compact 10.5m long and 2.75m wide.

The AT-90/58 has an integral electronic control with data transmission via a bus system. A large touch screen within the tilting cab displays all crane functions as well as the functions of both engines, including overheating, pressures and rpm. This system also controls the automatic levelling of the suspension and outriggers. The operator can also watch the telescoping procedure on the screen, to monitor the movement of each boom section and the situation of the anchor bolts.

The AT-90/58 is the fifth and largest model in Luna’s line of all terrains.

Tadano Faun

Barring some surprises at the Paris Intermat (taking place after this issue went to press), the most recently announced all terrain model is the ATF 220G-5 from Tadano Faun, the fourth in its new Global series of ATs. Details were revealed in March following an international distributors meeting at the Faun factory in Lauf, Germany.

This five-axle model can lift 220t at 2.5m radius over the rear. At 3m radius it can lift 182.5t through 360 degrees. Other chart highlights show it lifting 30.4t at 20m, 10.6t at 40m and 3.9t at 60m. The seven section telescopic boom extends from 13.2m to 68m in just over seven minutes using a single cylinder. Single cylinder boom operation is a feature of the G series. Previously Faun stood by full-power booms that can telescope under load.

The ATF 220G-5 can also have a 13.2m/37.2m boom extension with integrated 5.4m heavy duty jib that can be offset at 0, 20 and 40 degrees.

Tadano’s Lift Adjuster technology that eliminates load sway comes as standard on this model, as does a working area limiter.

The 10x8x8 drive/steer carrier has ZF AS-Tronic transmission with two-stage transfer case, intarder and fully automatic shifting of the 16 forward and two reverse gears. It also has the Faun steering system with the fourth axle steered electronically up to speeds of 25km/h, minimising turning radius, and the fifth axle electronically steered up to 50km/h.

Tadano Faun has also begun worldwide deliveries this year of the four-axle ATF 65G-4, launched in Germany last year. It replaces Faun’s best-selling all terrain, the ATF 60-4, and the stronger 65t capacity is achieved by using a new ultra-light, ultra-strong boom system with single pinning. As with the other G series ATs, there are also improvements in manoeuvrability and off-road capability thanks to the new Faun steering system.

The ATF 65-4 retains the use of a second engine for crane operations, so Faun retains the distinction of having the smallest twin-engine crane on the market.

The main boom extends to 44m and with a 9m/16m extension, a maximum hook height of 61m is achieved.

New optional features include the Lift Adjuster load sway reduction system, 8×8 drive/steer and an additional 2.5t of counterweight.

Grove

Competing head-to-head with the 220t Faun is Grove’s new GMK 5220 (called the GMK 5275 in the USA), also rated at 220t capacity (or 275 US tons). This model supersedes Grove’s 200t class GMK 5200. As with the Faun, the seven-section main boom extends to 68m, though at 460 seconds, it takes 30 seconds longer than the Faun to reach that length.

Grove has redesigned the profile of its Megaform booms to make them lighter and stronger. This was first seen on the GMK 5130-1 and continues on this year’s new models. The new design has greater stability in the side of the profile, which allows less material to be used while achieving greater strength and length. Because of this, the GMK 5220 can lift a maximum of 14t on its fully extended boom, and 13t on full boom out to a radius of 24m. The addition of a 12m/21m bi-fold luffing swingaway with two 8m inserts gives a maximum tip height of 105m

The GMK 5220 also has Twin-Lock boom pinning, Megatrak suspension and the ECOS operating system that are all familiar to owners of any modern Grove AT.

One new feature, though, is a “steer-by-wire” hydraulic-electronic steering system that Grove says reduces tyre wear and improves drive quality. The engine is a 420kW Mercedes and the transmission is from Allison.

Another new model from Grove is the four-axle GMK 4080-1, rated at 80t. It replaces the 4075-1, which was also rated at 80t.

The big difference between the new and the old model is the boom. Where the predecessor had 43.2m of boom, the new machine extends to 51m. The boom is based on that of the GMK 3055 but has six sections instead of five. Having a six section boom has also enabled the boom overhang at the front to be reduced from more than 2m to 1.8m.

On full boom, the GMK 4080-1 can lift 6.6t to a radius of 20m. With optional hydraulic luffing jib and 6m extension, maximum tip height is 7m.

The GMK 4080-1 shares a similar driveline with the GMK 4075-1 (Mercedes engine, ZF AS-Tronic transmission). However, the new machine has a two-step transfer case to improve control at lower speeds. The carrier is also now 265mm shorter, at 12.5m.

Unlike Tadano Faun and Liebherr, Grove has decided to continue using separate engines for upper and carrier in this class.

If these new models replicate the success of Grove’s 100t class GMK 5100, it will be onto a real winner. In December last year Grove delivered its 500th unit to US rental company Dawes Rigging & Crane Rental, part of All Erection & Crane Rental, based in Cleveland, USA. Since its launch in 2000 amid fierce competition from Demag, Liebherr and Faun, this model has proved to be the market’s favourite 100-tonner.

Liebherr

Liebherr continues to enjoy a worldwide market share of 40% or more in the all terrain segment, although this demand means that it also quote some of the longest delivery times, despite its recent factory expansion increasing capacity from 1,000 units a year to 1,500.

Liebherr launched two new ATs at Intermat and showed a third that many will not have seen before, since deliveries only began at the end of 2005. That latter crane is the LTM 1200-5.1, a five-axle model rated at 200t capacity.

LTM 1200-5.1 has a main boom that extends from 13.2m to 72m, the longest in its class and a full 12m longer than Liebherr’s larger LTM 1220-5.1. A 12.2m/22m bi-part swingaway jib can be extended to 36m using two 7m lattice jib sections.

Among the AT manufacturers, Grove has led the way with offering hydraulic luffing jibs, and they are becoming increasingly popular. Liebherr offers this as an option on the LTM 1200-5.1. The jib can be luffed under full load up to an angle of 45 degrees. The 5.3m base section of the swingaway jib can be equipped with a pulley set, which allows it to be used as an erection jib. It is released from the swing-away jib on the main boom by using a hydraulic swingaway jib adjustment system and then erected on the telescopic boom without the need for an auxiliary crane.

The 10x8x10 drive/steer carrier has the ZF AS-Tronic gearbox, integrated retarder, speed control system, automatic brake system, and active, speed-sensitive rear-wheel steering that have become standard technology for Liebherr in recent years. An innovation here, however, and a first for mobile cranes, is the use of air-operated disc brakes. Integrated in the crane axles, they make braking more stable and reduce wear on brake pads, according to Liebherr. The brake pads are fitted with wear indicators.

There are also new engines in both the carrier and the upper, to meet Stage 3 of the European Directive relating to exhaust emissions.

The two new launches seen for the first time at Intermat were the LTM 1160-5.1 and the LTM 1040-2.1.

The 160t-capacity LTM 1160-5.1, another five-axle model, is the successor to the LTM 1150-5.1, which was introduced in 1996 as the LTM 1120/1 and later upgraded to 150t. The boom on the new model is now 6m longer at 62m and lifting capacities are increased by up to 30% at short radii, Liebherr says. A target market for this machine is tower crane erection since it can lift up to 11.5t on the main boom at full vertical reach.

A further 36m of reach can be added with a 22m folding fly jib and two intermediate lattice sections.

Two-axle cranes are the staple product of all mobile crane producers and Liebherr has sold more than 1,500 of its 35t-capacity LTM 1030-2.1 in the past 10 years. The new LTM 1040-2.1 now gives customers a bigger two-axle option. In fact, Liebherr claims that it is the strongest two-axle crane on the market. Lifting capacity improvements are 8% on average and up to 25% at short radii, Liebherr says.

In addition, it also has an extra 5m of main boom, at 35m. The four-section boom operates hydro-mechanically. A single-stage, double-acting hydraulic ram and a double rope and pulley mechanism extends the boom steplessly, even when under load. An optional 9.5m offsettable folding fly jib gives a maximum lifting height of 45m and maximum working radius of 39m.

Terex Demag

Like Liebherr, Terex-Demag also has a new 160t model. The AC 160-2 is a striking 25% stronger than its predecessor model, the AC 160-1, thanks to a newly optimised boom system and a 54t counterweight. The 64m main boom can be extended to 97m with a four-section 9m/33m extension.

Features include the Demag IC-1 crane control system with touch-screen colour display, the Unimec boom telescoping and pinning system, electro-hydraulic rear-axle steering and an AS-Tronic gearbox.

Terex used the Intermat show for the official launch of the AC 55-1, built by Terex-PPM in France. This model replaces the AC 55 that was launched in 2003.

The significant feature of the AC 55-1 is its new telescoping system that uses a double-action single lifting cylinder. A small rod is fixed in the base section of the boom, there is an intermediate rod fixed to the second boom section, and the cylinder body is fixed to the third boom section. This means that it can still telescope hydraulically under load, like the old AC 55, and extend in half the time it takes to extend a similar sized pinned boom. However, the reduced weight of having a single cylinder reduces axle loads and increases lifting capacity, especially with long boom lengths at medium radii. With the boom extended to its full length of 40m, it lifts 20% more than its predecessor at a 10m radius.

The reduction in weight achieved by the new boom system means that the AC 55-1 can travel at 12t per axle gross vehicle weight equipped with 16:00 tyres, 5.15t of counterweight, a 15m boom extension and hook blocks

Another sign of the growing popularity of hydraulic powered luffing jibs is that they are offered as an option on this crane, with lengths of either 8m or 15m. These are also now being offered on the other PPM models, the AC 35, AC 35L and AC 55L.