National Crane to Show New Boom Trucks at ConExpo 2014

Tue December 17, 2013
Aggregate Equipment Guide

Visitors to the Manitowoc Cranes booth at ConExpo 2014 will be able to see firsthand a new era of boom truck innovation. The largest National Crane ever built, the new National Crane NBT60, and the new National Crane NBT15 series will be on display for the approximate 130,000 ConExpo attendees that will descend upon Las Vegas.

Ruben Olivas, global product director of truck cranes, boom trucks and carry deck cranes at Manitowoc, explained that these new National Crane models were developed after extensive customer research was conducted.

“For these new National Crane models, we asked customers what they really wanted and needed,” Olivas said. “This ’voice of the customer’ collaboration resulted in boom trucks that will truly meet the demands of the market, whether its size, capacity, lifting power, maneuverability or other advanced new features.”

NBT60

The new NBT60 that will be on display at ConExpo 2014 is the biggest crane in National Crane’s history. This 60 ton (54.4 t) capacity crane features a 128 ft. (39 m) five-section, full-power boom, the longest in its class. A 26 to 45 ft. (7.9 to 13.7 m) two-section, offsettable manual extension also is available for the crane.

Even with the larger size of the NBT60, the crane will still be roadable like other boom truck cranes without the need for additional permits in many regions, allowing customers to perform lifts that sometimes require larger cranes, saving customers time and money before projects begin.

The NBT60 is expected to be especially useful for the oil and gas industry, as well as for crane rentals. Customers working in the oil and gas field were the primary drivers of the NBT60’s creation, as many companies desired a larger National Crane that would still have the flexibility of the boom truck, with the comforts and serviceability that commercially-sourced trucks provide.

Other features on the NBT60 include two-piece, hydraulically removable counterweight slabs that can be stowed on the front outrigger box to provide different roading configurations; ground level and in-cab CanBus outrigger controls with a new beam position sensing system that aids the operator in selecting the right load chart based on the crane’s outrigger footprint; an X-shaped footprint that eliminates the need for a single front outrigger; and front bumper control of the hoist(s) for quick road setup configuration.

NBT15 Series

National Crane’s new NBT15 series models don’t just fill the gap between 10 ton (9.1 t) and 18 ton (16.3 t) cranes, they offer a host of new technologies. The three crane models that comprise the series — the NBT14, NBT15 and NBT16 — offer some of the longest boom lengths and highest capacities for boom truck cranes in their class.

National Crane expects the cranes to be particularly useful in the rental fleet, railroad and municipalities markets, where pricing to the end user market is be very competitive — right down to the ton. The three models give customers more choices between the 10 and 18 ton capacity classes.

All three crane models in the new NBT15 series feature a 60 ft. (18.3 m) three-section boom, the longest in this capacity range. A 22 ft. (6.7 m) single section jib also is available for even greater reach. The NBT14 offers a 14 ton (12.7 t) capacity; the NBT15 provides a 15 ton (13.4 t) capacity; and the NBT16 has a 16 ton (14.5 t) capacity.

The new boom truck cranes also offer heightened precision during operation. User-friendly electronic toggles have replaced hydraulic levers on the crane’s remote controls. Crane operators are reporting that the new radio remote system is easy to use, allowing them to be closer to the load as they perform the lifts, and that the system is a welcome innovation on the job site.

These cranes will bring increased flexibility to the market with their updated “out and down” outriggers in comparison with the older “A” style outriggers that offered only one configuration. The improved outriggers expand between a fully extended 17 ft. 4 in. (5.28 m); mid-span of 12 ft. 4 in. (3.75 m); and retracted span of 7 ft. 4 in. (2.23 m), providing exceptional versatility to adapt to different job site conditions and spaces. Each width brings the crane three different load charts as well.

Especially useful for oilfield and railroad applications, National Crane designed an alternate boom rest that allows a removable boom to be placed from the base of the pedestal to the mid-section of the boom. This enables the crane to lift or carry materials longer than the bed.

Olivas said the new NBT15 series combines all the classic benefits of boom truck cranes with new reach and lifting capabilities.

“These new boom trucks remain ideal for getting into tight spots on the job site and can easily hop on and off of the highway without additional permitting — in many cases, a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is not even required for the NBT14,” he said. “But now the new NBT15 series brings a marked progression in boom lengths — these cranes have the longest boom in their class — and flexibility in lifting capabilities with their strong capacities and variable outrigger positions.”

For more information, visit www.manitowoc.com.

This story also appears on Crane Equipment Guide.