Pictured is the GMK6300L erecting the first sections of a wind turbine.
The first of Grove’s new GMK6300L all-terrain cranes is in the field working, offering its high capacity and excellent mobility to help contractors erect wind turbines in Germany.
German rental company Schuch is using a GMK6300L to erect the first stages of a wind turbine at a site in Mensinghausen, near Hannover.
Winnie Backer, the crane’s operator for Schuch, said strength and movement were two key reasons the crane was an ideal pick for this job.
“This crane was perfect for erecting the first sections of this wind turbine,” he said. “We chose it because it’s very strong and we knew with the Megatrak suspension it would be easy to move on the rough ground. Another great feature is the crane’s availability to rig its own counterweight, which saved the need for an auxiliary crane and made things faster and less costly for our client. In addition, we were able to drive the crane on the job site with the full counterweight attached.”
The crane erected tower sections of an Enercon E82 wind turbine, which has a 2.5 MW output. To lift the tower sections, the GMK6300L extended its main boom to 31.5 m and worked with its maximum counterweight of 92.5 t. In this configuration, the crane was able to lift 74 t loads and place them at a radius of 11.2 m.
On this job the crane showed its strength working with a shorter boom length. But one of the most significant advantages of the GMK6300L is the excellent lift capability it offers with a full main boom of 80 m – the longest on any 300 t capacity crane. The boom has seven sections and includes Twin-Lock pinning and Manitowoc’s patented Megaform design for optimized rigidity and capacity.
For further reach, a 37 m jib is available. Maximum available length is 117 m and the crane can still lift an impressive 2 t at this height. A second jib is also offered, a heavy-duty jib with a capacity of 38 t, for superior lift capability at tall heights.
The GMK6300L is also the only crane among its competitors to offer a fully automatic transmission with torque convertor for unmatched performance. The Allison transmission is a strong, reliable and cost-effective drive-train solution. Its capabilities are proven in the most arduous conditions, and the electronic controls allow it to adapt to its surroundings and provide self-diagnostics for easier maintenance. An integral retarder offers enhanced braking on hills and greater confidence for the operator when moving a heavy vehicle.
The Allison transmission and Grove’s Megatrak system provide optimum travel for both on and off the road. The all-wheel steered GMK6300L has the latest steer-by-wire technology included on the fifth and sixth axles. Steer-by-wire uses fewer components making for better use of space and optimized steering angles, reducing tire wear.
Additional design features include a new cab for the carrier. It is similar to Grove’s four- and five-axle all-terrain cranes, but it has been adapted to fit the wider carrier of the six-axle crane. It can comfortably accommodate up to three crew members and has more ergonomic positioning of the instruments and controls. Visibility, heating, air conditioning, aerodynamics and noise reduction are also all improved.
Since the crane appeared at bauma 2010 in Munich, Germany, it has been shipped to the Americas and Asia, appearing at Manitowoc’s Crane Expo event at its Shady Grove, Pa., U.S. facility in October and the Crane Industry Council of Australia Annual Conference in Perth, Western Australia.
The crane working in Mensinghausen, Germany is as part of Manitowoc’s Pre Production Program, in which cranes are closely monitored and their performance assessed by Manitowoc’s engineering team.