Turbine crawler

The new Manitowoc Model 16000 which stood as a centrepiece of the MCG booth at ConExpo, is designed to accommodate the niche application of wind turbine installation. An optional detachable upper boom point with a capacity of 99 tons has been designed specifi cally for such projects.

The crane also benefi ts from the company's capacity enhancing Max-Er attachment, which increases capacity at normal working radii. The company says this makes a better Dollar-per-ton investment than larger cranes, and that it also eliminates the time and expense of transporting and setting up a bigger unit.

The Model 16000's 440 ton capacity places it between the 300 ton Model 2250 and the 750 ton Model 18000. The standard main boom is 98 feet, but up to 290 feet of heavy-lift main boom can be supplied. Between 78 and 275 feet of luffi ng jib can be fi tted, using 19 foot and 39 foot inserts, while the maximum combination of main boom and luffi ng jib is 433 feet. Capacity with the luffi ng jib is 165 tons.

Power for the 16000 comes from a 500 hp diesel engine, and the cab features Manitowoc's new EPIC dual LCD color monitors with their easy to read graphic displays. The operator can choose three of eight information modules to be displayed at the same time. That allows data such as radius, boom position and other information to be displayed while the LMI (Load Moment Indicator) screen shows load data.

All Erection in Ohio ordered the fi rst two units of the 16000.