Crawler crane (lattice boom crawler crane)

01

Match the load chart and boom configuration

SANY's SCC1800A crawler crane page lists a 180 t maximum lifting capacity, a 1,056 t·m maximum lifting moment, a main boom of up to 82 m, fixed jibs of 13–31 m (longest combination 70 m boom + 31 m jib), luffing jibs of 22–52 m (longest 52 m + 52 m), and a Cummins QSL8.9 engine of 242 kW. The smaller SCA1350A lists 135 t, 668 t·m and a 76 m maximum boom. [1]

Editorial calculation: 1,056 t·m divided by the 180 t maximum gives about 5.9 m, so the maximum capacity is only available close in; a 30 t lift would need no more than about 1,056 / 30 ≈ 35 m by moment alone. The load chart for the actual boom, jib and counterweight configuration, not the moment figure, governs every lift. [1]

Kobelco's US specification for its 1100 crawler crane (covered under ground preparation below) rates 99,800 kg at an 11 ft (about 3.4 m) operating radius on the 12.2 m basic boom, a maximum boom of 61.0 m and a maximum boom-and-jib combination of 57.9 m + 18.3 m, with a 213 kW Tier 4 Final diesel and a maximum hydraulic pressure of 31.9 MPa. [3]

Editorial note: send the supplier each critical lift with radius, height and rigging weight so that boom and jib lengths and counterweight can be selected.

Give the supplier the heaviest and furthest lifts, hook heights, rigging weights, whether lifts are pick-and-carry, site space for assembly, ground investigation data, transport limits for crane parts, operating climate, the standard and inspection regime, and assembly and dismantling support needed.

02

Prepare ground and confirm safety devices

OSHA's construction crane rule 29 CFR 1926.1402 bars assembly or use unless ground conditions are firm, drained and graded enough, with supporting materials such as mats or cribbing if needed, to meet the equipment manufacturer's specifications for support and level. The controlling entity must provide that ground preparation and tell the crane user and operator about known hazards beneath the set-up area such as voids, tanks and utilities. [2]

Under 1926.1415 cranes need a crane level indicator, boom stops (except hydraulic booms), jib stops where a jib is fitted and a horn; under 1926.1416 they need operational aids including boom angle or radius indicators, anti two-block devices and, for equipment other than derricks and articulating cranes, made after 29 March 2003 with a rated capacity over 6,000 lb, a load weighing device or load moment indicator or limiter. [2]

Kobelco's US specification for its 1100 hydraulic crawler crane (110 US tons) shows the figures needed to design the ground: a working weight of about 90,050 kg and a ground bearing pressure of about 88.9 kPa on 0.91 m shoes, with crawlers 6.28 m long and 5.24 m wide overall, and 40% gradeability — calculated with the upper and lower works, counterweights, carbody weights and a 12.2 m (40 ft) boom. The counterweight totals 31,310 kg (one 8,310 kg base and four 5,750 kg blocks) plus 14,400 kg of carbody weights; travel speed is 1.7/1.1 km/h and maximum swing speed 4.0 rpm. [3]

Editorial calculation: the counterweight and carbody weights (31,310 + 14,400 = 45,710 kg) are about half the 90,050 kg working weight, which is why the transport plan and assembly sequence matter as much as the lifting chart; and because the 88.9 kPa figure is for a 40 ft boom without load, ask for track pressure under your heaviest lift configuration. [3]

Editorial note: ask the supplier for the ground bearing pressure under the tracks for your heaviest lift configuration, so the ground and mats can be designed to it.

03

Check the duty the crane is designed for under EN 13000

For cranes placed on the European market, EN 13000:2010+A1:2014 covers the design, construction, installation of safety devices, information for use, maintenance and testing of mobile cranes as defined in ISO 4306-2, and is listed against the EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC. It states that the cranes it covers "are designed for a limited number of stress cycles" with smooth application of driving forces and loading conditions according to ISO 4301-2:1985, group A1, and that duty cycles "such as grab, magnet or similar work" need additional provisions outside its scope. It excludes loader cranes, offshore and floating cranes, telehandlers, mobile self-erecting tower cranes and earth-moving machinery used for object handling, and does not cover lifting of persons. [4]

SANY and Kobelco publish load charts for lifting duty [1] [3]; if the crane will run a grab, clamshell or magnet, ask the supplier for the duty-cycle rating and the additional provisions applied, since EN 13000 puts that work outside its scope [4].

In the United States, the OSHA construction crane rules on this page cover ground conditions, safety devices and operational aids [2]. For a crane supplied to Europe, ask for the EU declaration of conformity naming EN 13000 and the Machinery Directive, and for the list of safety devices fitted, alongside the load charts for each boom and jib configuration.

Editorial calculation: EN 13000:2010 was current from 1 April 2010 until the consolidated A1 edition replaced it on 1 August 2014, about four years and four months. [4]

Values are from the Standard Norge catalogue pages for NS-EN 13000:2010 and NS-EN 13000:2010+A1:2014; the full standard was not reviewed.

04

From Cathay's mini crawlers up to SANY's 180 t SCC1800A

SANY lists the SCC1800A and SCA1350A, Sinovo heavy-duty crawler cranes beside piling rigs, Cathay mini crawler cranes, and Sinoway and CNS crawler cranes beside truck and other mobile cranes.

Ask each of them for load charts by configuration, lifting moment, boom and jib options, counterweight, ground bearing pressure, transport dimensions and weights, and the safety devices fitted.

05

Carbody and tracks, lattice boom, jibs, counterweight, hoists and required devices

Boom, jib and hoist rows use SANY's SCC1800A figures, the counterweight row Kobelco's 1100 breakdown, and the tracks and devices rows the OSHA ground and safety-device rules.

06

Capacity, boom length, power, travel, ground pressure, weight and design standard for a crawler crane quote

Values come from two cranes of different size — SANY's 180 t SCC1800A and Kobelco's 110 US ton 1100 — so compare each figure with the class of crane it belongs to; hook height, temperature and IP rows have no published figure here.

07

Send the lift, ground and site data together

Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.

Lifts: [load; radius; height; rigging]
Configuration: [boom; jib; counterweight]
Ground: [investigation; mats]
Site: [assembly space; access]
Safety: [LMI; anti two-block; level indicator]
Transport: [parts; weights]
Support: [assembly; operator; inspection]

See manufacturer records Send an enquiry through CNFX