Manitowoc launches Boom Raise System

The new Boom Raise System from Manitowoc will accommodate longer boom lengths for installing nacelles on 100 m high wind turbines without the need for an assist crane.

The system, developed for the 400 tonne (440 US ton) capacity Manitowoc 16000, allows end users to work with 107 m (351 feet) of boom plus 7.6 m (25 feet) of extended upper boom. The maximum load capacity is 87.9 tonnes (96.8 US tons).

Using a large hydraulic cylinder housed in a special 3 m boom insert section attached to the boom, the boom raising cylinder works with the boom hoist by exerting an upward force on the boom.

The system is easy to use, said the manufacturer. Before booming up, the cylinder is manually extended using a switch in the operator's cab. From this point, the operator controls the boom hoist handle while the crane's operating system automatically controls the Boom Raise System. After reaching a boom angle of 38 degrees, the cylinder must be manually retracted. The same steps are performed in reverse for boom lowering.

Manitowoc has begun shipping this new option to Manitowoc 16000 crawler crane owners in North America and to export markets.