April 18, 2014 – Manitowoc Cranes says it will showcase its crane and attachment offerings for the wind power industry at Windpower 2014, including the Manitowoc MLC650 crawler crane.

The 716-ton MLC650 can be rigged with up to 351 ft of Wind Attachment boom with an extended upper boom point in standard live mast configuration. Its Variable Position Counterweight (VPC) system automatically positions the counterweight to fit the required lift. It moves along the rotating bed and is automatically positioned based on changes in boom angle. Advantages for customers include reduced ground preparation, lower ground-bearing pressure and less counterweight, without sacrificing capacity, explains Manitowoc.

“The MLC650 Wind Attachment can be raised unassisted, in live mast configuration, saving setup time and retaining on site mobility. Additionally, the new VPC-MAX capacity-enhancing attachment allows the MLC650 to raise even more boom to service the emerging 394-ft tower market and beyond,” said Dustin Soerens, marketing manager for Manitowoc lattice cranes.

The 16000 Wind Attachment boosts the maximum height and short-radius capacity of the standard Manitowoc 16000 crawler crane, enabling it to install most 2.5MW wind turbines (and several larger ones) on towers ranging from 262 ft to 279 ft, explains the company. Additionally, Manitowoc’s Boom Raising System can be added to the 16000 Wind Attachment, allowing the crane to raise more boom to set wind turbines on towers up to 330 ft without requiring an assist crane. It increases the available boom length to 351 ft, plus 25 ft for the extended upper boom point.