Manitowoc Introduces Boom Inserts To Expand Reach Of MLC300 For Wind Turbine Work

---

Manitowoc has expanded its MLC300 lattice boom crawler crane’s boom insert options to allow for greater reach to keep pace with the growing height of wind turbines. (Photo courtesy of Manitowoc.)

Wind turbines keep getting taller, growing by nearly 60% in the last 20 years, and now reach an average height of 90 metres (295 feet) in the United States. They are expected to continue growing to higher elevations where they can tap stronger winds. To keep up with the increasing heights, Manitowoc has expanded its MLC300 boom insert options to allow for greater reach. The Wide Boom Plus inserts give the MLC300 lattice boom crawler crane the flexibility to complete a variety of jobs with up to 131 m (429.8 ft) of reach when used with the VPC-MAX and extended upper boom points.

According to Brennan Seelinger, product manager for crawler cranes at Manitowoc, to work on a wind turbine above 90 m requires a 400-tonne (450-U.S.-ton) crane, increasing costs of both operation and transportation. Manitowoc’s new boom inserts allow the 350-t (386-U.S.-t) MLC300 to perform the work.

“Our new boom inserts will open up more jobs for our crawler crane owners,” says Seelinger. “They will increase utilisation of our MLC300 crane with added flexibility. Where before crane operators would need to bring in a larger crane to reach heights above 90 m, now they’re able to employ their MLC300 with boom inserts and take advantage of increased reach from its smaller footprint.”

About The MLC300

The MLC300 uses Manitowoc’s Variable Position Counterweight (VPC) technology to engage all counterweight and eliminate the need for carbody weights to reduce transport configuration and maintain a better centre of gravity for reduced ground bearing pressures. With VPC, the MLC300 has a capacity of 350 t and a maximum load moment of 15,515 ft-kips.

Operators can opt for VPC-MAX for even greater capacity and longer boom and jib lengths. VPC-MAX is configured with a 30-m (98.4-ft) fixed mast counterweight beam and standard VPC components to increase the max load moment to 4,119 t-m (29,793 ft-kips). The lattice-boom crawler crane has a 300-t (330-U.S.-t) capacity, a 42-m (137.8-ft) fixed jib, and a 96-m (315-ft) luffing jib with VPC-MAX.

Find Manitowoc Cranes

You’ll find hundreds of new and used Manitowoc cranes for sale on CraneTrader.ae, including lattice boom crawler cranes like the MLC300.

Source: Manitowoc