Tadano ATF 400G-6 tothe rescue to secure a bridge on difficult terrain
Lauf an der Pegnitz, Germany, May 15, 2020 - If you want to be able to do things thatnobody else can, you need a crane that can do it all. And this is exactly whythere was no question for Erich Mayer when it came to adding another Tadano tohis fleet. One that can tackle mountainous landscapes like the Allgäu Alps,Tirol, and Vorarlberg without a hitch, and can prove time and again why it isrenowned for being such a powerhouse. So when the time came to dismantle an oldbridge at risk of collapse, the ATF 400G-6 was the obvious choice.
With 18 employees across2 sites in Allgäu, Burgberg and Kempten, Mayer Autokran-Vermietungs-GmbH hasestablished itself as a specialist in the field of crane operations and specialtransportation of all kinds over the past 40 years. And as if that weren’tenough, the owner-operated company has even made a name for itself as a skijump specialist. The company’s fleet includes several Tadano all-terrainvehicles as well as a Tadano truck-mounted crane. Mayer acquired its firstTadano at the end of the 1980s, but it wasn’t until 2011 that it added itsfirst 400-tonner.
Manystrengths in one
The ATF 400G-6 is nowa firm favourite of Managing Director Erich Mayer: “‘The 440-tonner is afantastic crane. Not only does it offer excellent steering and a strong drivetrain, but it is also compact, manoeuvrable and powerful in spite of its size.It can even be used on difficult terrain, such as that in the Damüls skiresort. 1700 metres high? No problem. And then there’s the fact that the400-tonner offers excellent load capacities on the main boom and boomextensions. There’s just no question about it. It’s a strong piece of kit evenwithout boom suspension system or other additional equipment. And when you putit like that, the 400-tonner is the perfect fit for our needs. Just like us, itis up for any challenge thrown at it, and it has all the makings of a topperformer in its class.
Readyfor action in no time
A project that camethrough from the city of Dornbirn in Austria provided the perfect opportunityto prove Managing Director Erich Mayer right in his assessment of the ATF400G-6, which has been part of the crane fleet for 9 years now, and the new ATF400G-6. It was an emergency situation - a bridge measuring 44 metres long andweighing 58 tonnes, suspended above a gorge about 80 metres deep, was in dangerof collapsing. Approximately 10,000 cubic metres of rock had been broken offunder the bridge, and the time had come to dismantle the bridge as quickly aspossible. A task such as this calls for equipment that can be relied on 100%.It has to be able to reach the site quickly and carry enough additionalequipment with it without exceeding the legally permitted 12-tonne axle load.It also has to flexibly support counterweights on site and be ready for actionafter a short set-up time: “A special quality of the ATF 400G-6 comes in theform of its 10 counterweight variants. With a maximum of 11 tonnes per unit,the counterweights can be combined particularly flexibly, which represents anenormous advantage – especially on projects such as this. This enabled us toreact very quickly to changing conditions on site,” explains Erich Mayerlooking back.
Tricky terrain
Thechallenges began even before the actual deployment, as the access road provedto be extremely narrow. Finally on site and the challenges kept on coming, asthere was limited space and huge gradients where the crane had to be set up.But nothing is impossible for a crane that is prepared for everything. Itscompact design makes it particularly manoeuvrable, and with its intelligent AMLcrane control system, it can fully utilise the load potential at any angle ofrotation, even with asymmetrical outriggers. Both 400-tonners carried out thejob with a counterweight of 138 tonnes each. Due to the inclined position ofthe bridge and its weight, the cranes were tasked with securing the loads andpreventing the bridge from swinging. This was the basis for screwing on andremoving the bridge sections step by step. After about 1.5 days, the operationat the “Rappenloch” site was complete – but perhaps only temporarily, as it isnot yet clear how the planned renovation at Rappenloch will continue. If onething is certain, however, it’s that Mayer and its two ATF 400G-6s will berelied upon again.
Handing over the newATF 400G-6 (from left to right): Hans Asam (Tadano Area Sales Manager), Stefan Walk (crane operator at Mayer),Erich Mayer (owner and Managing Director of Mayer), and Christian Schroeder(Head of Sales for Tadano DACH Region)
Secured andstabilised by 2 ATF 400G-6 vehicles: the bridge at Rappenloch near the Austriancity of Dornbirn
Fully extendedoutriggers on difficult terrain? You don’t see that very often. Fortunately,thanks to intelligent AML crane control, the ATF 400G-6 can still use its fullload potential at any turning angle.
On site and set up inno time: it doesn’t take long for the ATF 400G-6 to showcase its full potential– particularly on extraordinary projects.
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Casey Lembke DamienBizjak
Phone +1 346-366-2245 Phone +49 6332 83 1023
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About Tadano Faun GmbH
Tadano Faun GmbH was created 1990 by the takeover ofFaun GmbH by Tadano Ltd. At the 160,000 square metre plant in the Franconiancity of Lauf an der Pegnitz, all-terrain cranes and truck-mounted cranes aredeveloped and manufactured. The site also includes the state-of-the-art spareparts store and a training centre. Around 900 employees work at the Germanlocation. A global sales and service network provides supplies and services tocustomers all over the world. Prior to delivery, every crane is testedthoroughly at the test site (65,000 square metres) 30 km away in Pegnitz. Allthe Tadano products are characterised by the combination of high Japanesequality standard and German engineering skills and ensure reliability anddurability.