8 great cranes

Last month, we looked at the top truck brands in order of sales. However, you can't quantify cranes in the same way. They are often built for a very specific function, using a variety of different technologies. This then, is a list which highlights the most extraordinary in engineering terms.

Terex-Demag CC8800-1

Launched to huge acclaim here in Dubai back in 2007, the CC8800-1 Twin features an unusual arrangement.

Instead of a ringer, the top section of the crane receives additional support from an integrated circular track with rollers on the crawler base, around the slewing ring. This means the two top sections can be carried on an extended crawler base, allowing the crane to pick and carry even on congested sites.

 The makers say that the ‘Twin' represents a considerable saving of both time and space - when compared with ring lift cranes and jacking towers.

The crane belongs to Al Jaber Heavy Lift, who played a significant part in its inception.

Wolffkran 1250B

The title for the world's largest tower crane is disputed at the moment, as Wilbert claim to have made such a machine larger than the recently launched - and huge - Wolff 1250B.

What is not in doubt, though is the size and quality of the Wolffkran luffer. Lifting capacity on this crane is 60 tonnes - which is very large for a tower. The 132 kW hoisting gear gives 20 tonnes capacity in one-fall operation, 40 tonnes on two falls and 60 tonnes on three falls.  It is also possible to order a four-fall 80 tonne capacity version.

 Surprisingly, for such a large tower crane, the counter-jib only protrudes by 9.8 meters, permitting the use of the crane in tight spaces. Equally, the patented re-reeving assistance allows faster and safer operation than its rivals.

However, we think that this crane really scores in the style stakes. The red giant has a poise and elegance that few other industrial machines can match. These cranes are popular where round the clock  lifting of heavy sections is necessary.

Cranes of the Ancients

An unusual one this - we all know that the ancient people moved seriously large rocks, what we don't know is how.

In the Lebanese town of Baalbek, there are the remains of some early Roman temples, which is not surprising for the region, but what is of great curiosity is the stones used. The three largest building blocks ever used in a man-made structure sit side by side on the fifth level of a wall, yet they have been placed with great accuracy.

Even the largest of Dubai's mobile crane fleet would struggle with such a weight today, so we can only speculate what kind of machinery was employed all those years ago. None of these groups were adverse to using slave labour as ‘engines', but even with the right number of people, we have little explanation, other than a few sketches of Roman cranes that show how something so strong could have been built with ‘primitive' frames and rigging.

Liebherr LTM 11200-9.1

This is the king of all-terrain cranes by some margin. The German factory have said that the production run of this model is strictly limited to eight pieces - and Al Faris of Dubai got the first one.  The LTM 11200-9.1 is the strongest telescopic crane on the market and has the longest telescopic boom in the world. The eight-part boom is fully automatically extended to and fixed at the desired length. In addition, various lattice extensions are available. The Y-shaped guying system offers increases in load capacity and the active, speed-dependent rear-axle steering  is integrated into the nine-axle chassis.

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