Manitowoc Crane Group

The new Grove GMK6300L, which Manitowoc will present at bauma 2010, offers some of the strongest lifting abilities of any six-axle all-terrain crane and offers more power when lifting at tall heights. It has been designed to offer unprecedented ease in applications such as tower crane erection, placing auxiliary services (air conditioning units, elevator equipment etc.) on downtown buildings and chimney work.

Michael Preikschas, senior regional product manager for all-terrain cranes in EMEA, said the new crane has notable advantages over others in its class.

“The GMK6300L is a really strong lifter with significant advantages over other cranes with similar boom lengths,” he said. “We’ve designed it for impressive picks on its main boom, without the need to rig the jib. For example, with the boom extended to 74.8 m it will lift 14.3 t, and with the full boom of 80 m it lifts 12 t.”

Lifting abilities on the 300 t capacity GMK6300L make it ideal for erecting tower cranes such as Potain’s MDT 308 topless crane, MD 265 C saddle jib crane or the MR 415 luffing jib crane. For example, the MDT 308 has a 70 m boom which is erected in 14.3 t sections. The Potain crane has a maximum height under hook of 65 m, allowing the GMK6300L to position the sections comfortably when working with its boom at 74.8 m.

In addition to offering a high-capacity crane with the best boom characteristics in its class, the GMK6300L is also the only crane among its competitors to offer a fully automatic transmission for the best drivability on site. The Allison 4500 SP is a strong, reliable and cost effective drive-train solution. Its capabilities are proven in even the most arduous conditions and the electronic controls allow it to adapt to its surroundings and provide self-diagnostics for easier maintenance. An integral retarder offers enhanced braking on hills and greater confidence for the operator when moving a heavy vehicle.

The Allison transmission combines well with Grove’s unique Megatrak independent suspension system which uses patented technology to offer greater movement in the wheels over any comparable system. On the all-wheel steered GMK6300L, the latest “steer by wire” technology is also included on the fifth and sixth axles. Steer by wire uses fewer components, allowing better space utilization.

Additional new design features include a new cab for the carrier. It has similar styling to Grove’s four- and five-axle all-terrain cranes, but it has been adapted to fit the wider carrier of the six-axle crane. It can accommodate up to three crew members comfortably and has more ergonomic positioning of the instruments for better driving. In addition, the visibility, heating, air conditioning, aerodynamics and noise reduction are all improved.

While the Allison transmission and Megatrak offer better maneuvering on site, improved positioning is available through the wide choice of outrigger settings. There is a choice of five outrigger positions, more than any other crane in this capacity class, giving ultimate flexibility, even in the narrowest of sites. As an additional feature, the suspension can now be controlled from the outrigger control boxes on each side of the carrier for improved and faster rigging. Dimensions for the crane show a boom overhang on the front of 1.73 m over the 15.4 m carrier – again this is better than the competition. Axle spacings are also favorable, with 3.2 m between the first pair of axles and 2.5 m between the second.

Maximum counterweight of 92.5 t is made up of two 10 t, five 9.5 t and two 9 t slabs in addition to the 7 t base plate. The optional auxiliary hoist can be rigged together with the counterweight without the help of an auxiliary crane, which saves additional transport. Power for the superstructure comes from a Mercedes OM 926 LA and power for the carrier comes from a Mercedes OM 502 LA. Both comply with the latest requirements of Tier 4 and Euromot IIIB legislation. The OM 502 LA is an eight cylinder engine that generates 405 kW while the OM 926 LA is a six cylinder engine that produces 210 kW.

Excellent reach is available on the crane with its 80 m, 7-section Twin-Lock boom that includes patented Megaform designs for optimized rigidity and capacity. For further reach, a 29 m jib is available consisting of a 21 m bi-fold swingaway plus an 8 m intermediate section. In total this gives a maximum available length of 109 m which, when combined with the excellent lifting duties, means the crane is perfect for lifting large loads to tall heights. A second jib is also offered, a heavy-duty jib with a capacity of 38 t. This is offsettable to 38 degrees.

The GMK6300L will be branded the GMK6350L for sale in the U.S. where it will have a maximum capacity rating of 350 USt. Control comes from Grove’s well-established ECOS system and an EKS 5 with full graphic display is included for monitoring lift activities. CraneSTAR, Manitowoc’s telematics-based remote monitoring system, will also come with all new GMK6300L cranes.

Grove GMK6300L