Manitowoc has introduced a new carrier cab on specific four- and five-axle Grove all-terrain cranes, with the new cab featuring a more modern design that incorporates the latest certified crash protection features and more storage space within the same exterior dimensions.
The global cranes heavyweight said in statement that the new cab is now available on the Grove GMK4090-1, GMK4100L-2, GMK5150-1 and GMK5150L-1 all-terrain cranes and has obtained the European ECE R29-3 safety standard approval and meets al its latest crash-test requirements. Crane operators benefit from increased space within the cab, while the overall compact dimensions of the all-terrain cranes remain unchanged. Within a 2.55m width, Manitowoc accommodates more features than before in the interior, such as practical compartments in the dashboard, between the seats and integrated into the vehicle’s doors offering more space to store loose items and documents – even in DIN A 4 format. There is further storage space between the driver and passenger seat.
The cab interior also incorporates cupholders and USB ports that allow mobile phones and other electronic devices to be charged. An ergonomic driver’s seat with air suspension, armrests and seat heating comes as standard. Operators can easily move between the driver and passenger side as the central console does not divide the new cab. Overall, the generous layout of the new operator environment offers a feeling of increased space.
Andreas Cremer, vice-president for product management, mobile cranes at Manitowoc, said: “User-friendliness and driver ergonomics were our priorities in the development of the new generation of Grove carrier cabs, so an understanding of operators’ day-to-day work conditions was essential to the process. The operator needs to feel comfortable to and from any jobsite.
“We introduced the prototype of the new generation of Grove carrier cabs ‘cab2020’ to the market at Bauma 2019 as part of a design study. The feedback was already extremely positive at that point, yet we still took the opportunity to speak directly with customers and operators and included their comments in the final development stages of the new carrier cab.”
The CCS (Crane Control System) can be reached comfortably from a seated position and has been ergonomically integrated into the cab. The intuitive interface makes the operator’s job much easier as the most frequently used settings, such as chassis level and axle locking, can be selected via the CCS. Different drive modes can also be chosen en route via the CCS screen. As all CCS displays offer the same layout and navigation throughout the GMK model range, it is easy for operators to switch from one Grove all-terrain crane to another.
Manitowoc had earlier launched a new driver’s cab on its Grove three-axle all-terrain crane models GMK3050-3, GMK3060-2 and GMK3060L-1. It is now extending the New Generation cabs to its larger four- and five-axle GMK cranes up to 150t capacity. The new generation of Grove carrier cabs lends the GMK4090-1, GMK4100L-2, GMK5150-1 and GMK5150L-1 all-terrain cranes a more modern appearance and offers crane operators greater comfort on their way to and from the jobsite.
