Tight squeeze for Hird mobile crane slashes cost of flue lift
The advanced capability of one of Hird’s mobile cranes allowed it to reach a place that others could not – greatly reducing the cost of a lift for an industrial client.
The company’s Liebherr 60t mobile crane could be reversed into a narrow accessway between two buildings allowing it to boom out to the redundant ductwork located 40m away.
Without this capability, the alternative solution was to locate a 200t mobile crane with full ballast around 60m from the flue, located on the site of an electronics factory in Lincolnshire.
Reduced lifting cost
Hird Appointed Person Jake Coulman visited the site and spotted that the compact dimensions of the Liebherr LTM1060 3.1 allowed it to be reversed into the accessway.
He said: “It was a tight squeeze and I had to be sure that, once in place, it would be safe to carry out the lift. But I was sure it could be done, so recommended the solution.
“It was a bonus for the client, because our lift with a 60t Liebherr was less than half the cost of using the 200t mobile crane recommended by another supplier.
“We were pleased to be able to put forward an appropriate and very cost-effective solution.”
The specific capabilities of Hird’s Liebherr LTM1060 3.1 mobile crane were critical to the lift plan’s success.
Advanced stabilisation
As well as being compact enough to be driven into the accessway, it has Liebherr’s computer-controlled VarioBase stabilisation system. This allows outriggers to be deployed to different positions.
Jake Coulman said: “As it turned out, each outrigger had to be set at a different distance, partly due to the presence of underground utilities in the accessway. But the lift could still go ahead.”
Before the crane could be positioned, large crane pads for the rear outriggers were moved into place with a forklift.
While the crane was still outside the accessway, the boom was lifted, slewed to the rear and then lowered.
The crane could then be reversed under an overhead power cable and into the accessway. Then the boom was raised to carry out the lift.
The flue was 12m tall and weighed 200kg. It was lifted out at a radius of 34m and laid down in a space within the accessway behind the crane.
The crane was then boomed to 40m to lift out redundant ducting behind where the flue had been located.
A three-person contract lift team, Jake Coulman, crane operator Craig Jessop and slinger Graham Irwin, carried out the lift.
Smart crane lifting
“We were pleased with the outcome,” said Jake Coulman. “It shows how a combination of the latest, most capable technology, thinking outside the box, and an expert team can carry out lifts to the best advantage of clients.”
The Liebherr LTM1060 3.1 booms from 10.3m up to 48m. With the addition of a lattice jib, maximum tip height reaches 63m.
Fast and smart set up and derigging systems, plus sophisticated wireless remote control, add to the productivity, precision and safety of lifting with the mobile crane.
Hird also operates a 100t Grove GMK4100L mobile crane and a fleet of Valla industrial pick and carry cranes with SLWs up to 25t and Maeda spider cranes with SWLs up to 8t.
Its machinery moving and contract lifting teams can also carry out crane lifts and machinery moving projects across the UK with mobile cranes of any capacity.
For more information about machine moving and contract living services from Hird, call 01482 227333 or email [email protected].