Mast climbers

self erectors c&a
Easy does it
Manitowoc's latest self erector, the Igo 30, is available
in two versions: a 30 metre jib version that has a tip
capacity of 900kg and a 28 metre jib version that can
handle 1,000kg.
Maximum capacity for both versions
is 2.2 tonnes, which the crane
can take to 14.6 metres radius.
Height under hook is 21 metres
and the jib can luff to either eight
or 20 degrees. With a total weight
of less than 26 tonnes, it can be
transported on a single truck in
most markets, reducing
transportation costs.
Dunham Cranes, the Ramsbottom/
Bury-based distributor for FB Gru
self erectors which introduced its
largest machine, the 1,000kg at
36 metre radius GA136 last year,
has seen the demand for the
longer radius self erecting cranes
increase in the UK. Unfortunately
its request for a larger FB crane
has so far gone unheeded, so it
has entered into an agreement
with Benazzato to distribute
its 40 metre self erector.
Dunham director, Alan
Dunham said: “We now have
an arrangement with
Benazzato and its UK dealer
to take the 40 metre crane
should we need it. We have
been asking FB for a while
to produce a larger self
erecting crane but this does
not look like happening in
the near future.”
Dunham also thinks that the
small city tower crane has
great potential in the UK.
“FB Gru's new GHS 401 is
much lighter and needs a
much smaller base than a
self erector - 2.8 metres by
2.8 metres compared with
36 cranes & access May/June 2009
The crane also features the
SmartCom system that incorporates
special sensors and an on-board
computer to improve efficiency and
bring additional safety to folding and
unfolding operations. For ease of
set-up, it has side ballast, which
means the counterweight does not
need to be moved during erection
and dismantling. This is especially
Looking for
something bigger
about 4.5 metres square,” he says.
Dunham took delivery of the first
GHS 401 in the UK last year.
Designed in six metre modules, the
unit can be easily handled and
transported to site on one truck.
The units can also increase its
height with the addition of more
tower sections, unlike the fixed
height self erector.
useful on job sites where 'free slew'
is not possible or where there are
strict rules regarding the position of
the jib during out-of-service operation.
All of the mechanisms are frequency
controlled and radio remote control
is included.
“The emphasis on the Igo range is
to make everything about the job as
easy as possible,” says Vincent
Milan, Manitowoc's senior
product manager for self-erecting
cranes. “When designing the
cranes, we focus on transporting
it to the site, rigging, maintaining,
operating on site and then
moving on to the next job.”
New four
axle MK
While the UK has something of a
blind spot for self erectors, it does
like the mobile version which can
offer many of the advantages of a
regular self erector while retaining
the mobility of an All Terrain
crane. Liebherr has recently
introduced its four axle MK88 mobile
tower crane, the successor to the
MK80 of which sold nearly 150 units.
Like the three axle MK63 and
five axle MK100 models in the
Liebherr's range, the new MK88
is an extremely compact,
manoeuvrable design and therefore
ideal for use in town centres
where space between buildings is
limited.
Transport dimensions are similar
to the MK80 but the crane
superstructure is distinctly larger
allowing a maximum hook height
with the jib in the 45 degree
'super steep-angle' position to
increase to more than 57 metres
and the maximum working radius to
more than 44 metres.
The completely new design, the
two-section lattice-construction
telescopic tower is said to be
exceptionally rigid and has three
standard steep-angle jib settings:
15, 30 and 45 degrees.
The electric power supply for crane
erecting and operation can be taken
either from the standard compact
48-kVA generator on the superstructure
or by connecting to an outside
source. The generator allows the
crane to be erected and operated
where no suitable outside power
supply is available - a major bonus
in town centres and noise
protection areas.
The cranes radio remote control
includes a full display of the essential
load and operational information,
including actual working radius,
hook height, lifting speeds and the
load on the hook.