Manitowoc believes that the KZTM100 hoist rope offers several benefits. The firm says that it is 80% lighter than wire rope and its torque neutral construction eliminates load spin and cabling. The manufacturer also says that the new hoist material also allows easy handling, reeving and installation, reducing kinking, bird caging and damage from other types of cable-spooling issues. The KZ100 is corrosion resistant and requires no lubrication.
Manitowoc worked with Washington-based company Samson. The two companies conducted several thousand hours of extensive lab testing and a field trial program to perfect the hoist rope’s performance and longevity characteristics. Describing the process, Manitowoc said that a combination of lab tests and field trials consumed 7,500m of rope over the course of 14,000 cycles of reliability testing.
The KZTM100 will appear at CONEXPO on the 65t capacity RT770E, a new rough terrain crane from Grove. The rope, sold exclusively through Manitowoc, will be available as an option on all Grove rough terrain cranes in late 2014.
The RT770E has a 42m boom. Its five-section, full-power boom features single-cylinder technology that eliminates the need for a hydraulic hose reel, which lightens the boom. The manufacturer says that the design also eliminates the need to install boom inserts, which requires an assist crane, saving both time and money for customers.
Paul Cutchall, rough-terrain product manager for Manitowoc Cranes in North America said: "We’re launching the RT770E into probably the most popular capacity class, so we had to distinguish it from the competition. And with its unique boom design, we’ve done exactly that. We were able to lengthen the boom without adding more size and weight to the chassis. This enables the crane to be maneuverable, while delivering greater lift capacity and longer reach than other cranes in its class. The combination of the RT770E and the KZTM100 hoist rope is going to generate plenty of interest here at ConExpo."
