If 2000 was the year of the 100 tonners, the German all-terrain crane manufacturers have made 2001 the year of the 200 tonners. New product development in this class is sure to make for fierce competition.
In fact, the only all-new machine on a jobsite near you this year is the Liebherr LTM 1200/1, deliveries of which began just last month. But in April at Bauma Tadano Faun showed the prototype of its ATF 200-6, which will be available soon. And Grove has revised its 180t GMK 5180, enhancing the capacities and re-rating it at 200t. The resulting GMK 5200 can be considered a ‘new’ machine. The established player in the class is Demag, which in 1999 did what Grove has now done and upgraded its 180t offering, the AC 180, to produce the AC 200.
Comparisons are not straightforward. The Liebherr is a five axle crane; the Grove is five-axle as standard but available on six; the Demag is standard on six but with an option for five; while the Faun comes on six axles only.
When making any comparisons of the charts, therefore, it is especially important to ensure that one is comparing like with like. That said, when comparing the competing five-axle machines, it seems that while the Liebherr’s strong, light oviform boom comes out ahead at the extremities of the chart, on full boom and maximum reach, it is not always the strongest at shorter radius lifts. Overall, however, it seems unlikely that the charts will be the sole determining factor in purchasing choices in this particular category. Other features will count.
The AC 200 is offered as a five-axle crane as an option mainly to address the needs of the North American market where the key issue is axle spacings rather than total weight. In either case, the carrier is basically the same, so the load chart is unaffected by whichever version is chosen. Under European regulations, the six-axle crane is the more attractive proposition because it can carry 6.1t of counterweight, a jib extension and a second hoist and stay within the 12t/axle load configuration. The five-axle version cannot take any counterweight on the road with it. In spite of this, there are still some European customers that have bought the five axle version because it can be easier to get a road permit for a vehicle with a gross weight of less than 60t.
Grove has taken a different approach. The standard crane in this class is the five-axle GMK 5200, while the variant is the six-axle GMK 6220. The latter is simply the upper of the 5200 mounted onto the carrier of the GMK 6300. Unlike with Demag, Grove has separate load charts for the different versions, since the six-axle carrier results in an altogether stronger crane with a 220t rating.
All of the ATs in this class offer a maximum main boom length of around 60m with broadly identical maximum height under hook of 100m (though Faun has yet to confirm details of its boom attachments). Grove believes that its hydraulic luffing swingaway jib is a strong selling point. This allows the operator to change the offset from the crane cab, without having to bring the boom down. Grove product specialist Neil Hollingshead says that this is ideally suited to working in confined spaces and is also an advantage when a miscalculation has been made setting the jib, allowing it to be adjusted without de-rigging the crane.
While Demag, Faun and Grove can all highlight the benefits of offering a six-axle crane, Liebherr says that its LTM 1200/1, at just over 15m in length, has the shortest turning circle in the class. At the tail of the crane, the radius of the counterweight is 4.85m, which according to Liebherr, is less than its competitors.
The LTM 1200/1 does not replace the 1995-designed 160t-capacity LTM 1160/2 but it does offer buyers a modern upgrade. Lifting capacities are 25% greater than the 1160/2, it has 69t full counterweight instead of 50t on the 1160/2, modern bus systems for the power train management and for crane steering, and the full LICCON safety system. It is also the only crane in this class to have a Euro III compliant engine.
Both Liebherr and Faun use the new ZF AS-Tronic manual transmission with automatic clutch actuation. It is claimed that among the benefits of this system is a 15% fuel saving. The AC 200 has an older ZF system, the WSK 14 gear automatic transmission. Only Grove is still relying on what used to be the industry’s favourite supplier of transmission systems, Allison. Demag says that has identified a new transmission from DaimlerChrysler, a rival to the ZF AS-Tronic, as its preferred system for the future.
For Faun, the ATF 200-6 is a significant product development for two reasons. Firstly, it is its biggest ever model, although parent company Tadano has produced some big beasts for Japanese customers. It has taken Grove a few years to make its mark in the larger sized all-terrain classes. This crane represents the start of Faun’s efforts to follow suit. Faun’s 200 tonner is a big crane all round, with an overall length of 17m, and the only one in its class to offer 200t capacity through 360°, making it ‘a true 200 tonner’ in the words of Faun’s sales people.
Secondly, this crane represents the first genuine joint product development initiative between Tadano and Faun since the former acquired the latter in 1990. The carrier is pure Faun, while the boom system is Japanese designed.
One feature that Faun is keen to point out is the innovative operator cabin. While its rivals have tilting cabs, where the whole box moves, on this crane there is a module within the box that moves, so that only the seat, floor and operating console actually tilt, rather than the whole cabin. Faun says it gives the operator a larger field of vision and makes general operation easier. Anyone who climbed into the prototype on show at Bauma might be inclined to agree.
With the AC 200 now more than two years old, Liebherr has high expectations for its LTM 1200/1. Before it was launched in August, more than 60 orders had been received. A market share of 50% is the aim, Liebherr says.
Finally, as ever, other key issues in buyers’ minds will be availability, price and the attitude of the dealer. How soon can you get the crane, what kind of deal is being offered, and do you feel comfortable with the level of support that the manufacturer’s representative is likely to give you?
