A rough terrain crane is a specialised mobile crane designed to operate in demanding and uneven terrains typically across construction sites, industrial facilities and infrastructure projects. Their primary use involves lifting and moving heavy loads on construction sites, particularly in challenging terrains where conventional cranes would struggle. Whether it’s hoisting materials on a construction project, positioning heavy machinery, or aiding in infrastructure development, rough terrain cranes are essential for industries that demand versatility, reliability, and adaptability in their lifting equipment. They are characterised by several key features that enhance their performance and adaptability:
- Large, Heavy-Duty Tyres: Rough terrain cranes are equipped with oversized, robust tyres, providing maximum traction and stability on challenging surfaces such as gravel, mud, and rocky terrain.
- Telescopic Booms: These cranes feature telescopic booms that can be extended, enabling them to reach significant heights and lift heavy loads. This feature makes them versatile for a wide range of lifting tasks.
- Outriggers: The inclusion of outriggers enhances stability when operating on rocky or uneven terrain. Outriggers are extendable legs that can be deployed to create a more secure base for lifting operations, ensuring safety and efficiency.
- Cab-Mounted Controls: Rough terrain cranes typically have controls located in the crane operator’s cab. This setup allows the operator to control the crane from within the cab, improving visibility and ease of operation.
- High Lifting Capacity: These cranes offer impressive lifting capacities, typically ranging from 30 tons to 150 tons or more, making them suitable for a wide variety of heavy lifting tasks in construction and industrial facilities.
- Versatility: They can be used for a variety of applications, including erecting steel structures, placing heavy machinery, and handling construction materials.
Types of rough terrain cranes models
Rough Terrain Cranes with Boom Elevation System:
The latest range of cranes boasts a versatile and robust design. Its three-section, fully powered boom offers a telescoping range of 8.8 meters to 21.2 meters, ensuring precision and control through a single joystick operation. With a maximum tip height of 23 meters, this crane excels in reaching high places. The boom elevation system, featuring a double-acting hydraulic cylinder with a hydraulic lock and counterbalance valve, ensures safe and controlled derricking operations. Additionally, the crane provides a wide range of boom angles, from a maximum of 76 degrees to a minimum of -2 degrees, enhancing its adaptability for various lifting tasks.
The crane frame is constructed from high tensile steel plates and sections, providing the necessary strength and durability for demanding job sites. Its hydraulic slew system, capable of smooth 360-degree rotation at a maximum speed of 2.0 RPM, allows precise positioning of loads. The hoist system, equipped with a hydraulic motor and counterbalance valve, guarantees controlled lowering of loads. Safety features include limit switches to prevent over-lowering. The operator’s cab is designed for comfort and efficiency, with a full-vision tropical cab, ergonomic joystick controls, and essential instrumentation. The crane also incorporates load moment indicators and a load-sensing hydraulic system for enhanced safety and operational efficiency. Finally, it offers optional equipment such as a telescopic boom and a lattice boom extension, expanding its capabilities for a variety of lifting tasks.
Rough Terrain Crane with Electro-Hydraulic System:
The rough terrain crane comes equipped with an accurate and efficient electro-hydraulic system that features load-sensitive variable piston pumps and electronic proportional control valves, enabling stable and accurate control of single and combined movements while minimizing energy loss. The user interface is user-friendly, with a full-color extra-large screen and an electric proportional control handle for comfortable human-machine interaction. Additionally, the outrigger retraction and extension are operational for both the superstructure and carrier, offering practical and convenient functionality. The crane’s compact and flexible carrier is powered by a robust inline six-cylinder diesel engine, providing a maximum power output of 242 kW at 2100 rpm. It incorporates imported axles for efficiency and reliability, a high-quality brake system with disc brakes on all four wheels to enhance safety and stability, and four steering modes for flexibility in maneuvering.
This crane is well-equipped to handle challenging construction tasks, even on steep gradients, making it a versatile and dependable choice for heavy lifting operations. Its boom consists of five sections in a U-type design, providing a maximum boom length of 49 meters, extendable up to 67 meters with the addition of the jib. This crane boasts a substantial maximum lifting torque of 3658 kN·m, showcasing excellent lifting capacity. The utilization of a double-cylinder wire rope telescoping mechanism ensures higher efficiency and reliability in its operations. The crane’s jib is super-long and practical, with an easy installation process and the ability to achieve elevation angles of 0°, 20°, and 40° for precise lifting. Stable and reliable structural components are integral to this crane’s design, including a double-wall board box-type turntable for increased rigidity and large outrigger spans that enhance stability during operations.
Rough Terrain Crane with High Lifting Capacity:
Incorporating an impressive lifting capacity of 45 tonnes at a height of 3 meters, the latest 360-degree crane proves its remarkable versatility for a multitude of applications within industrial and project settings. This crane is thoughtfully designed with a four-section, full-power synchronized telescopic boom, offering the ability to extend for enhanced reach and flexibility. Operator comfort and efficiency are paramount, as evidenced by the spacious and ergonomic cab equipped with advanced controls. Furthermore, safety takes precedence with the integration of essential features such as load moment indicators, outrigger monitoring systems, and an advanced suspension system, all working together to ensure the utmost precision and safety during crane operations.
Among the standout features of this cutting-edge crane is its advanced engineering, which allows for high-speed clearance of jammed materials and rapid crusher separation, streamlining the process of manganese changes. The crane is tailored to meet the ever-evolving demands of the Indian market and has swiftly become one of the most sought-after lifting solutions for a wide spectrum of projects and industrial requirements. Its lightweight construction, coupled with unwavering stability and stringent safety standards, makes it exceptionally well-suited for deployment in hilly terrains.
Rough Terrain Crane with Automatic Moment Limiter System:
The latest models now come with Automatic Moment Limiter (AML-C) adding advanced safety and monitoring features, including load moment indicators, speed reduction functions, and more. Standard equipment includes Telematics for machine data monitoring, an Eco mode system for efficient operation, and numerous safety features like positive control, over unwinding prevention, and an emergency steering system.
The model is rugged and powerful, designed to excel in demanding construction terrain. With a lifting capacity of 110 tons at a 2.5-meter radius, it offers impressive capabilities. Its high-reaching boom extends up to 56.1 meters, and when combined with the jib, it can achieve a maximum lifting height of 73.6 meters, making it suitable for a wide range of lifting tasks. The crane is equipped with a 6-cylinder direct injection diesel engine that is turbocharged and aftercooled, providing reliable and efficient power for heavy lifting operations. Its 24-volt preheat air inlet heater ensures smooth starting in various weather conditions.
Demand of rough terrain cranes in India
The demand for rough terrain cranes has been steadily increasing due to their versatility and ability to operate in challenging environments. Some key factors contributing to the demand for these cranes include:
1. Infrastructure Development: India has been undergoing significant infrastructure development, including roads, bridges, airports, and industrial facilities. Rough terrain cranes are essential for various construction and maintenance tasks in these projects.
2. Urbanization: As urban areas continue to expand, there is a growing need for construction and maintenance work in congested and challenging urban environments. Rough terrain cranes are well-suited for these situations.
3. Industrial Growth: The growth of industries such as manufacturing, petrochemicals, and power generation demands heavy lifting equipment like rough terrain cranes for material handling and installation of machinery.
4. Mining Operations: Mining companies use rough terrain cranes for tasks like excavating and transporting minerals, equipment maintenance, and constructing infrastructure in challenging terrain.
5. Infrastructure Development: The development of infrastructure in remote or geographically diverse locations, such as bridges, roads, and power transmission lines, requires the use of rough terrain cranes to access and operate effectively in these areas.
Applications of rough terrain cranes
- Construction projects in remote or rugged locations
- Lifting heavy materials or equipment in uneven terrain
- Bridge and highway construction in challenging environments
- Utility and power line installation in challenging landscapes
- Recovery and towing of vehicles in off-road situations
- Emergency response for disaster relief in difficult terrain
- Mining and quarry operations with difficult access points
Conclusion
Rough terrain cranes play a vital role in construction and industrial projects. Their ability to navigate challenging landscapes, lift heavy loads, and provide stability make them indispensable. As technology continues to advance, we can expect further improvements in the design and capabilities of rough terrain cranes, further enhancing their utility in various industries.
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