The use of a Hird Maeda spider crane to lift machinery at a quarry has demonstrated the advantages it delivers in terms of operating in very constrained spaces.
The boom of the Maeda MC405 crawler crane had to be guided through a gap with barely millimetres to spare to reach the tip point (circled in the picture above/below) necessary to lift a new hopper into position.
At the same time, the mini crane’s outriggers had to be precisely placed under and around existing machinery to provide a stable and safe lifting platform.
The ability of the Hird operator to manoeuvre and position the highly compact tracked spider crane so precisely was vital to the success of the operation at the quarry in Cumbria.
Simplify lifting process
Hird Managing Director Phil Hird said: “Using a Maeda mini crane to carry out this machinery lift in such a complex environment simplified the installation process, making it the safest, fastest and most cost-effective solution available.
“An alternative method could have involved lifting from above the building through the roof with a mobile crane, which would have been far more expensive and disruptive.
“The project also demonstrates the skill of our appointed person who visited the site and identified that a Maeda mini crane could carry out the lift required, despite the space challenges.”
The Maeda MC405 spider crane was positioned so it could boom out between two hoppers through a gap that contained a stairwell to reach the lift point on the other side of the machinery.
Remote control lifting
The spider crane has a maximum safe working load of 3.83t, a maximum working height of 16.8m, which increases to 20.7m with a jib, and a maximum working radius of 16m (with a max SWL of 210kg).
At just 1380mm wide in tracking mode, the mini crane can be moved into position in highly congested environments as this quarry machinery lifting project amply shows.
Its wireless remote control function played a key role in the lifting project, as it allowed the Hird mini crane operator to position himself at the right location at all times to control the lift safely and effectively.
The Maeda MC405 is one of a range of Maeda mini cranes in the Hird hire fleet. Others include the Maeda MC285-3, with a maximum SWL or 2.82t and fully digital lift controls.
Extensive mini crane options
At the other end of the lifting scale, there is the Maeda MC815 spider crane, with a SWL of 8t, a 1t pick and carry function and auto levelling and stow. Like all Maeda mini cranes in the hire fleet, they can be supplied with electric or diesel power for indoor and outdoor lifting.
Maeda mini cranes are ideal for construction work, such as steel erection, curtain wall installation and glass installation, as well as industrial lifting, for example machinery moving and installation.
Hird also offers an extensive range of Valla pick and carry cranes and glass vacuum lifter equipment for hire, along with accredited mini crane and glass lifting training.
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