Conexpo crawlers

There were three new crawlers to take in at the Conexpo show in Las Vegas: two large and one small. All have interesting applications.

Manitowoc showed the first 441 US ton (400t) 16000 to come out of serial production.

The crane is intended to fill a large gap between the 300 US ton capacity 2250 and 660 US ton 18000.

The crane can lift 441 US tons at 21ft radius with 60 US tons (54t) of carbody counterweight and 166 US tons (150.5t) of upperworks counterweight.

The crane features a 300ft (92m) heavy-lift boom and up to 275ft (84m) luffing jib. Standard line pull is 35,000 lb (155kN).

With 275ft luffing jib and 157ft main boom, the crane can lift 40 US tons (36.3t) to a height of 430ft (130m) and 100ft (30m) radius, which makes it a contender for smaller onshore wind turbine erection. The crane can also hoist 4.6 US tons (4.2t) at a radius of 275ft.

Luffing jib and MAX-ER heavy lift version will be available later this year.

A detachable upper boom point is available as an option.

The main power plant is a 500 HP (372kW) Cummins QSX15-C500 six-cylinder diesel engine.

The crane packs into 18 trailer loads.

Kobelco CK4000

At the show, Kobelco North America launched a 385 US ton (350t) crawler crane originally designed and built two years ago for a Chinese customer. Although nine have been sold in China, none have yet been sold in the USA (as the CK4000), according to Kobelco North America president Maruo Tatsuo. The Kobelco 7350, as it is known internationally, was not physically shown – but there was a video.

The crane was commissioned because Kobelco’s next largest, the 300t capacity 7300-2, was not big enough, and its 650t capacity 7650 was too big.

Asia has few really large crawler cranes, said Kobelco general manager Jack Fendrick. There are few big Manitowocs and Liebherrs, and Japanese cranes are relatively small. Hitachi-Sumitomo’s cranes stop at 350t capacity with the SCX3500 and IHI’s biggest is the 200t capacity CCH2000.

The crane is intended to lift steel beams weighing 10t and 100t to heights of 50m to 90m above ground level. All of the crane orders included the luffing jib.

Chinese customers were thermal power plant construction companies, including Northwest No.1 & No.3 Power Plant Construction Company, Shanxi No.3 Power Plant Construction Company and Jiangxi Power Plant Construction Company.

Maximum main boom length is 236ft (72m), or 256ft (78m) in super heavy lift (SHL) configuration. Maximum jib length is 217ft (66m). With 157ft (48m) main boom and 217 ft jib, the crane can lift 17,800 lbs (8t) out to 280 ft (85m). Maximum line speed is 130m/min.

The crane runs on a Hino K13C-UV diesel engine that produces 394 HP (294kW). Fully laden, it carries 120t of counterweight and 41t of carbody counterweight, plus 35t additional optional counterweight.

Link-Belt

Link-Belt has shipped the first unit of the 218 Hylab HSL crawler crane in February, the star of Link-Belt’s stand at Conexpo.

Twenty-two orders had been taken since the company informed dealers in January, according to product manager Pat Collins.

The crane is the first fruit of the alliance between Hitachi and Sumitomo, first announced three years ago.

The 110 US ton (100t) capacity 218’s superstructure has “no common components” with previous cranes badged by Link-Belt, though the boom extensions and luffer attachments from the previous model, the 218 H5, will fit.

The crane is Link-Belt’s first to be equipped with wet disc brakes. “It takes some getting used to. It’s not the same as a band brake, but it’s the next best thing,” says Pat Collins, Link Belt’s senior product manager, lattice cranes.

Collins admits that the brake is more difficult to control than a band brake, which is easier to apply gradually, but says that the disc brake is easier to maintain.

The brake has been moved from before, to after, gear reduction. According to Collins, the braking force applies more directly to the drum than before. “It was like controlling a car at the driveshaft,” Collins said. “Now we’re at the wheel ends.”

As a consequence, the brake gains less mechanical advantage, and so must be built much larger.

Collins says the 218 Hylab’s load chart is about 10% better than the 218 H5 that it replaces. But he admits that the crane now has an extra 20,000 lb (9t) of counterweight (to a total of 85,000 lb (38.5t)). Maximum main boom tip height is 230 ft (70m).

The crane also features a new counterweight raising system, new load moment indicator and redesigned cab. A Mitsubishi 6D24-TLAZL diesel engine provides 266 horsepower. Without counterweight and boom, the crane weighs 50 US tons (44t), including rope drums.