Manitowoc Co. Inc., Manitowoc, Wis., introduced the Potain MD 560 B tower crane to its Potain MD product line designed for infrastructure work, such as dams, bridges and other large construction jobs. The MD 560 B has a 550 tonne-meter rating and is available in 27.5 ton (25 tonne) or 44 ton (40 tonne) versions. The first cranes are already at work, helping with major expansion work at Madrid’s Atocha rail terminal–the largest in the Spanish capital.
Several design innovations on the MD 560 B make crane erection easier. Platforms on the counterjib are the same as those on the MD 485 B, and Manitowoc’s engineers have re-examined access to make it easier for riggers. The crane has newly designed and improved tie bars on the counterjib and an updated cat head. The tie bars are integrated into the counterjib for faster and safer erection, and each component in the crane has a clearly positioned plate for simple identification.
For assembling the jib, customers have options. Either the jib can be erected and assembled in the air in three pieces or it can be placed as a single piece. If customers choose to assemble the jib in three pieces, it means smaller lifts are required from the mobile crane erecting the MD 560 B. If the jib is lifted in a single piece, then assembly of the jib can be done beforehand, at ground level. Attaching the jib’s tie bars is simple using Potain’s “pear-shaped”hole system, and assembling the tie bars (and the counterjib) is easier with the integrated auxiliary winch.
“This new crane shares many common features with the rest of the MD range,” said Jean-Pierre Zaffiro, global product manager for Manitowoc tower cranes. “We’ve worked hard to make this crane easier and faster to erect and more productive once it’s working. We’ve improved lifting ability, and customers will see a real advantage in the chart, especially making picks at the jib end.”
There is a choice of mechanisms for trolleying and hoisting, depending on configuration of the crane. The RVF 183 Optima+ slewing mechanism is standard and offers smooth, frequency-controlled rotation of the crane. Lifting power comes from the 100 LVF 63 winch in the 27.5 ton (25 tonne) version or the new 270 LVF 100 for the 44 ton (40 tonne) version. The 270 LVF 100 is a 201 kW hoist with a 11 ton (10 tonne) capacity per line, giving the crane its 44 ton (40 tonne) maximum when working in four falls of rope.
Lift performances, on average, are improved by over 12 percent in comparison to earlier models, and in some cases are much higher, according to Manitowoc. When working with a 262-foot (80 meter) jib (as the cranes are on the Madrid project) the 27.5-ton (25 tonne) MD 560 B has a 26-percent lift advantage, allowing it to lift 6 tons (5.4 tonnes) at the jib end. And the 44-ton (40-tonne) version of the MD 560 B working with a 230-footjib can lift 8.4 tons (7.5 tonnes) at the jib end.
The 27.5-ton (25-tonne) version of the MD 560 B sits on 8×8 feet KR849 mast sections. For the 44-ton (44-tonne) version of the crane, the K850 mast is used, which has the same dimensions as the KR849 but has special reinforcement for lifting larger loads.
All MD 560 B cranes will be equipped with the new Ultra View cab from Potain. The MD range is just below Manitowoc’s MD Maxi range, which is its largest line of tower cranes.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
