New giant Sany tower crane

New from Sany is the 3,360 tonne-metre rated SFT3360 flat top tower crane for power plants and other large infrastructure projects. Photo: Sany

Sany Heavy Industry has launched its largest tower crane to date. The 3,360 tonne-metre flat top is for bridge and power station construction.

The SFT3360 lifts 180 tonnes and still has a capacity of 32 tonnes at the end of its 85 metre maximum jib. The jib can be set at 12 lengths between 30 metres and the maximum.

Freestanding height is up to 85 metres and the maximum lifting height is 350 metres.

Designed to increase operational efficiency by 20 per cent, Sany said, the crane is built for thermal power plant projects, bridges, hydropower stations, and other large infrastructure jobs.

The first unit was deployed on the project to build the Qinzhou thermal power station in Guangxi Province, China. Installations of steel beams were completed 40 % faster than conventional methods, the manufacturer said.

Tough jobs

Sany designed the crane to address the challenges presented by tough infrastructure applications. For durability the SFT3360 uses Q460C (460 MPa yield strength) high grade steel. The structure is designed to exceed European standards for rigidity and durability.

Both the jib and counter jib are four sided lattice structures to give sufficient stability in the high winds encountered at height.

Electronic control technology employed on the new crane includes a SkyEye monitoring system to alert the operator of potential hazards, a collision avoidance system, brake release detection and wear monitoring.

“Conventional cranes face 30 % higher brake failure risks above 200 metres. The SFT3360 reduces this risk to less than 0.5 per cent, thanks to its intelligent safety features,” said Qin Zhisheng, Sany chief engineer during field testing of the new crane.

To help speed up assembly and dismantling, by as much as 20 %, there is an hydraulic system for the mast, jib, and counter jib. It also reduces the risk of working at height. Installation efficiency is further improved by having auxiliary mechanisms to reeve and attach the ropes.

As part of a sustainability drive, the newly designed SFT3360 consumes 15 % less energy per lift, Sany said.

At the time of writing the CE certification process was underway for sale in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.