Potain launches its first hydraulic topless luffing jib crane

By MEq March 27, 2018 12:52

The all-new Potain MCH 125 has launched, the company’s first hydraulic topless luffing jib crane. Having previewed as a prototype at bauma China 2016 in Shanghai, the first units have since been tested on site with select dealers in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand ahead of the crane’s launch into several international markets. It is the first topless luffing jib model from Potain and its unique hydraulic technology makes it easier to assemble and faster to operate.

With a cutting-edge design and new technology, the crane combines the advantages of Potain’s MCR luffing jib cranes and MCT topless cranes. Contractors will find it particularly straightforward to assemble and disassemble the crane on congested sites, making it an ideal choice for urban projects, city-center work or other job sites where space is limited.

Thibaut Le Besnerais, global product director for tower cranes at Manitowoc, said the new crane reinforces Potain’s reputation for driving innovation and progression in the tower crane industry. “The MCH 125 represents the very latest in tower crane design and is unlike any other crane on the market,” he said. “The positive reception to the prototype at bauma China was followed by a series of highly successful early stage trials with customers in Asia-Pacific. We’re already seeing strong interest in the crane for all kinds of applications.”

Maximum capacity for the MCH 125 is 8 t, while the maximum jib length is 50 m. Tip capacity is 2 t and maximum line speed is 100 m/min when fitted with the 60 LVF 20 hoist. The crane’s unique design offers a number of advantages, including fast erection and dismantling. The topless design means less space is needed on site, as there is no cathead to assemble at ground level before installation.

Uniquely, the crane also uses Potain’s VVH hydraulic luffing technology for vertical movement of the jib, which eliminates the need for luffing wire ropes. With VVH technology, the MCH 125 is able to raise from a horizontal level to 87˚ in less than 2 minutes. The hydraulics are pre-connected at the factory, too, avoiding the need to perform this duty during the crane’s on-site assembly.

The hydraulic luffing design also means the crane has a shorter counter-jib and out-of-service radius when compared with rope-luffing alternatives, freeing up valuable space on congested job sites. Crane operators will enjoy the increased comfort and visibility that comes with the unit’s Vision 140 cab, one of the largest cabs on the market. The entire upperworks of the crane, including its full 50 m of jib, can travel on just four trucks. Assembly to a height of 40 m can be achieved in less than 6 hours.

As with all Potain cranes, operation is smooth and quiet; and for better utilization for fleet owners it can be mounted on existing 1.6 m or 2 m mast sections from the manufacturer’s current range. Jib sections are from the MCR range of luffing jib cranes. There are five jib configurations available, ranging from 30 m to 50 m, in 5 m increments.

“We used advanced simulation tools during the development of the MCH 125 to create a machine that will perform to the levels that Potain customers expect,” Le Besnerais explained. “We’re expecting strong interest in this crane among its launch markets.”

The MCH 125 will be sold and supported through the extensive regional Potain dealer networks. The first production deliveries will begin in early 2018, with the crane available for sale throughout Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, Russia, the CIS countries and Latin America.