Depenbrock, Germany
Interview
- Andreas Handel, Head of Mechanical Engineering Hydro Construction - Depenbrock
- Ludger Holtmann, Technical Director - Depenbrock
Why did you choose the LR 1400 SX and which features were particularly convincing?
The lifting capacity of the LR 1400 SX was decisive. The new crane is to replace a 300-tonne crane and will operate on the jack-up platform Simone. Due to the available reserves, a larger crane can be used. Hence, the decision to install a 400-tonne crane.
The application possibilities of a jack-up platform with 400-tonne crawler crane are considerably higher. Specifically, the wide crawlers and the ground pressure reduction plates convinced us. The free-fall winches, which are required for some applications, were also decisive for the purchase. The possibility of retrofitting a derrick boom makes the machine very interesting too.
For which applications will you use the new crane?
The LR 1400 SX will be used as a lifting device in hydro construction, as well as for pile driving with vibrators and hammers. Mainly, it will be used for assembly work.
In operation with the large LRH 600 swinging leader, it is particularly important to us that the hydraulic supply and control of the leader's periphery (e.g. the winches) is provided by the LR 1400 SX.
Why is the crane mainly being used on the jack-up platform or barge? Which features of the LR 1400 SX are particularly important for barge operation?
For barge operation, the available barge load charts for any configuration and any possible counterweight combination are crucial. The modular counterweight system is very good. If a smaller counterweight is sufficient, the unit can also be used on a correspondingly smaller barge/jack-up platform. This makes the use of the LR 1400 SX very flexible. The 'blocked crawlers' function significantly increases the lifting capacities and can be used on the jack-up platform for many operations in the future.
Personnel lifting is important for assembly work. The Eco-Silent Mode and the associated reduction in noise emissions further improve the working conditions on the jack-up platform/barge.
We also offer digital solutions to make the operations easier. Keyword: Crane Planner. How important is it for you to be able to plan operations?
The ability to plan operations makes things considerably easier. Using the Crane Planner 2.0 we can take modular counterweights into account, as well as plan and define the load cases in advance. The pre-planning and calculation of the loads for 'blocked crawlers' is very interesting.