Erecting the new generation of wind turbines while using less counterweight was one of the objectives that Terex Cranes had in mind when developing the Superlift 3800 crawler crane. The newest member of the Terex Cranes family was able to demonstrate its efficient and powerful performance characteristics while erecting an Enercon E101 turbine at the Gödenroth, Germany wind farm in the Hunsrück mountain range. The company performing the erection project was Trier-based Steil Kranarbeiten GmbH & Co. KG.
In April 2013, Steil Kranarbeiten GmbH picked up its new Superlift 3800 crawler crane at the Terex Zweibrücken location and took it directly to its first work site in Gödenroth. The company required a total of 30 trucks, including four heavy goods vehicles, to transport the Superlift 3800 crawler crane including a 138 m boom with 12 m LF, over 305 t of counterweight and all the necessary components. The team started setting up the crane the very same day it was delivered. “The advantages of the Superlift 3800 can mostly be seen in the significantly reduced weights of its individual components and in the fact that you need up to 100 tonnes less counter weight when setting up the long boom system. The new Terex crane’s design makes assembly incredibly easy and helped speed up the setup process,” says Steil project manager and crane operator René Perlich while praising the new crane. When assembling the boom, the team deployed the Terex fall protection system, which comes as standard and enabled the personnel to work at height while being protected by lanyards. With all this, the team was able to carry out the setup process safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively and finish just two days later.
With an LSL+LF_4 138 m + 12 m configuration, the Terex Superlift 3800 crawler crane was ready to lift all of the wind turbine’s components. The first components to be lifted were two tower sections with a weight of 56 and 58 tonnes. Shortly after came the heaviest component: the nacelle, which had a gross weight of 67 tonnes and was lifted to a height of 135 meters. The final step consisted of mounting the rotor blades – the biggest challenge in any wind turbine erection project. For this project, blades were mounted individually, and the new Superlift 3800 crane smoothly handled all the three lifts. From the crane operator’s point of view, “The controls proved to be incredibly sensitive, which made this kind of high precision work much easier. On top of that, the cab is very comfortable and it runs really quietly,” said Perlich.
Performed with support from Terex
As this was Steil’s first jobsite with the Terex Superlift 3800 crawler crane, three Terex team members provided on-site support and training to the Steil team. They briefed Steil’s assembly technicians during the crane setup process and helped the crane operator become familiar with the way his new machine operated. “This collaboration with the technicians from Terex was perfect from the beginning, which means we were able to avoid running into any delays or complications during the setup and the lifts. If we wouldn’t have had Terex support, there might have been a delay in our already tight schedule,” reports project manager René Perlich. After minor delays due to weather conditions, the wind turbine was fully erected in a couple of days making the debut of the Superlift 3800 crawler crane a successful one.
About The Terex® Superlift 3800 crawler crane
The 650 tonne (716 US t) Terex® Superlift 3800 lattice boom crawler crane features a maximum load moment of 8.426 meter tonnes and is designed to provide its owners excellent return on investment according to the company. The crane is designed for worldwide transportation, to reduce erection times, and to lessen the need for additional equipment. A wide array of safety features, including the award winning Terex fall protection system, come standard. The Superlift 3800 can be delivered with an integrated wind kit in a universal main boom system: the crane is capable to erect wind turbines of 117 meters (384 ft) without using the available superlift boom configuration. In this configuration, LH 114 m + 12 m LF, the main boom can be erected without an assist crane. The Superlift 3800 is the first crawler crane to feature the new Terex cabin design. Providing operators with an excellent working environment, it was developed with extensive feedback gathered from customer workshops, leading industrial stylists and experts in ergonomics. The Superlift 3800 conforms to both, the European norm EN 13000 and the US standard ASME B30.5. It can lift a maximum load of 650 tonnes (716 US t) at a radius of 5 to 12 meters (16 to 39 ft).
About Steil Kranarbeiten GmbH & Co. KG
“Heavy things made light” is the motto under which Steil Kranarbeiten offers its comprehensive range of services. The company’s services encompass not only special-purpose crane work for weights of up to 800 tonnes and heavy haulage services, but also recovery and towing services for trucks and buses and industrial and company relocation services. The company is headquartered in Trier, and additional Steil branch offices are located in Wittlich and Saarwellingen in Germany, as well as in Frisange in Luxembourg.
The company’s clientele includes companies such as the Bitburger brewery, BASF, Saarstahl, Deutsche Steinkohle, and Dillinger Hütte.
For more information, please visit www.steil-kranarbeiten.de
About Terex
Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer of a broad range of equipment that is focused on delivering reliable, customer-driven solutions for many applications, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, energy, utility and manufacturing industries. Terex reports in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms; Construction; Cranes; Material Handling & Port Solutions; and Materials Processing. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of equipment through Terex Financial Services. More information can be found at www.terex.com.
To see a video of the crane’s debut, click here.
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