There are five Grove all-terrain cranes on the Manitowoc booth at bauma 2016, including the new GMK5150L which is being launched at the show. Two others are recent introductions – the GMK5250L and the GMK4100L-1 – and are making their first appearance at a major international trade show. The remaining models are the GMK6400, one of the most popular six-axle cranes in the world, and the GMK3060, which was unveiled three years ago at bauma 2013. At bauma 2016 Grove will be emphasizing the taxi capabilities of its all-terrain cranes, demonstrating the superior transportation options the units offer in addition to class-leading capacity and reach.
Today’s Grove cranes are most notable for their class-leading specifications and a host of unique capabilities. Features such as the pioneering use of a single-engine design with Fuel Saver function; the Megadrive hydrostatic drive; and the self-rigging, capacity-enhancing MegaWingLift have redefined standards of excellence in the industry.
Jens Ennen, senior vice president of all-terrain and truck-mounted cranes at Manitowoc, said the company constantly strives to design cranes that will improve return on investment for customers.
“We have focused strongly on bringing more reliability, ease of transportation, user friendliness and capacity to our cranes,” he said. “The mobile crane industry continues to evolve, and we want to lead the way in showing our customers what more they can achieve and how our innovative designs can deliver better financial returns for them. We want to bring new features to our cranes and also bring greater versatility to the features that are already there.”
Grove GMK4100L-1
Grove was the first manufacturer to produce a 100 t capacity crane on four axles when it introduced the GMK4100L. Now the new GMK4100L-1 will raise the bar even higher with some notable improvements. First, the use of a single engine versus the previous two-engine design means the crane is able to carry more counterweight, delivering superior lifting ability.
In fact, the GMK4100L-1 offers the best load charts in this class when configured both with its full complement of counterweight, or when configured as a taxi crane with a Gross Vehicle Weight of less than 12 t per axle (a common requirement in many countries). Customers in North America will also benefit from the crane’s fully removable counterweight that brings the basic crane’s Gross Vehicle Weight down to the lowest level for a four-axle machine with a 100 t rating and a 60 m boom.
The new crane is also more compact than its predecessor, boasting a 2.55 m width versus the 2.75 m of the GMK4100L, and its carrier is also 0.5 m shorter, making it more maneuverable on job sites. Better profitability for owners is available through the inclusion of the Fuel Saver function on the Tier IV Final/EUROMOT 4 engine. Operator efficiency is also maximized with Manitowoc’s new Crane Control System (CCS) which includes the intelligent Boom Configurator Mode. This allows the operator to simply input the weight of the load, radius and height to be lifted to, and then the system automatically configures the correct boom length at the touch of a button.
The aesthetic of the crane is improved with a facelift that includes a new ergonomic carrier cab. As expected, trademark features, such as the Twin-Lock boom pinning system, Megaform boom shaping and Megatrak active suspension, are all included in the new crane. The GMK4100L-1 was officially presented this February, and deliveries of the crane will start shortly after the show.
Grove GMK5250L
The Grove GMK5250L is the largest of three new five-axle all-terrain cranes that Manitowoc launched in 2015. It was introduced in April and was followed in July by the launch of the GMK5180-1 and the GMK5200-1. As with all Grove all-terrain crane launches, the GMK5250L offers several notable innovations, perhaps the most striking of which is its inclusion of the VIAB turbo clutch and integrated retarder – the first ever mobile crane to feature the system.
The VIAB module eliminates both fluid overheating and clutch burning, and delivers wear-free starting and braking, exceptional maneuverability and better fuel economy. Fuel usage for the GMK5250L is estimated to be up to 30% lower than that of its predecessor, the GMK5220. The GMK5250L is the strongest long-boom five-axle machine on the market yet its compact dimensions and a maximum outrigger width of only 7.8 m (0.5 m less than other machines in this segment) mean the crane can still get into the tightest of job sites.
The main boom is an impressive 70 m, and boosting overall reach is a 21 m hydraulic swing-away jib that can be extended with either an 8 m boom extension, two 8 m jib inserts or a combination of both for a total possible jib length of 37 m. For optimum usage, the full jib can also be operated while the crane is working with its full 70 m boom. Another benefit is the ability to offset the jib by up to 50° compared to 40o on other Grove cranes. An optional integrated heavy duty jib is available too.
Like the GMK4100L-1, the GMK5250L has CCS with Boom Configurator Mode and again power is delivered via a single-engine design, in this case a Tier IV Final/EUROMOT 4 Mercedes-Benz OM471LA, a six-cylinder diesel engine with a 390 kW (520 hp) rating. With its 12 t per axle configuration and dimensions suited to global roading requirements, the compact Grove GMK5250L offers excellent capability to function as a Taxi crane. Compared with the GMK5220, the Gross Vehicle Weight has been reduced to give customers more transportation options, including the ability to carry more equipment. Special attention has also been paid to the axle group spacing and specifically the fact that this exceeds 8 ft (2.4 m) – a strict requirement for North America.
Once on the job site, the crane can be moved with its full counterweight of 80 t, saving valuable time that would otherwise be spent installing or removing counterweight sections. Additionally, some of the counterweight slabs are interchangeable with those of the GMK6300L, optimizing logistics and reducing transport costs for customers. An optional self-rigging auxiliary hoist that eliminates the need for an assist crane during on-site rigging is also available. The GMK5250L was launched in the middle of last year, and the first units have been delivered to customers.
Grove GMK3060
The Grove GMK3060 features a powerful 43 m boom on a three-axle carrier, making it highly versatile and ideal for a variety of general lifting and contractor duties in tight locations and at busy job sites. In addition to an improved load chart, the GMK3060 has a new operator cab. The GMK3060 was also one of the first Grove mobile cranes to feature CCS with its Boom Configurator Mode.
Grove GMK6400
With a 400 t capacity, the GMK6400 is one of the modern success stories of the all-terrain crane industry. The GMK6400 is one of the strongest cranes on six axles and delivers better return on investment to customers through its superior design. Its fast rigging times, optimized transportation and fuel economy make it cheaper to run and more productive, while its single-engine design and focus on strength mean it can deliver lifting abilities more commonly associated with seven-axle or eight-axle cranes.
Another design innovation is the crane’s MegaDrive, which gives the GMK6400 both traditional and hydrostatic drive capabilities. The hydrostatic drive gives the crane powerful and precise control when maneuvering at slow speeds, while at speeds over 20 km/h, it disengages and the crane uses a traditional transmission. Lifting capacity is optimized through the inclusion of MegaWingLift, Grove’s patented tensioning system that increases the strength of the crane while the boom is working at a steep angle. The MegaWingLift is self-rigging and can be fitted in just 20 minutes.