Liebherr launches largest model in “Tough Ones” tower crane series

Staff Report,

3 Feb 2022

New 470 EC-B flat-top model offers lift capacities of 16 and 20t with high capacities at the end of their 80m jib

Liebherr has added a new model to its EC-B series of tower cranes, with the new 470 EC-B flat-top model expanding the “Tough Ones” family further with its largest member yet.

With a maximum lifting capacity of 16 or 20 tonnes, this largest of the Tough Ones tower cranes sports Liebherr’s new steel rope design to meet all the relevant requirements of a modern crane fleet, said the manufacturer.

The 470 EC-B, which went on sale last month, is Liebherr’s flagship crane and comes with intelligent assistance systems, offering a jib length of 80 metres. This reach can be increased to 83m by means of a jib extension, “thereby breaking new ground in the competitive market”, said the company. At a jib length of 80m, the 16t version of the 470 EC-B has a jib head load capacity of up to 3.2t while the 20t version offers a jib head load capacity of up to 3t. The jib can be divided into 2.5m sections so that it can be adapted to meet a variety of operational requirements, added Liebherr.

Assembly and transport were key areas of focus in the crane’s development, said Liebherr, with the result that the jib and counter-jib can be attached to the slewing platform easily and safely with Liebherr’s quick assembly connections. Only five trucks are needed to transport the slewing part with jib, including counter-ballast, to the job-site. This saves time and money, and also helps reduce emissions.

Liebherr added that the 470 EC-B features a connection for both 24 HC 420 and 24 HC 630 tower systems. The 24 HC tower system is a match for large cranes with high lifting capacities. Its compact dimensions allow individual elements to be moved cost-efficiently from A to B.

The 470 EC-B has been optimised for the 24 HC 420 tower system and together form a cost-effective combination for freestanding hook heights of up to 67.8m, said Liebherr. The maximum freestanding hook height of up to 96m is achieved with the 24 HC 630 system.

The top-slewing crane is available with one of three versions of Liebherr’s LiCAB crane operator’s cab: LiCAB Basic, LiCAB Air or LiCAB AirPlus. All three offer a floor space of more than two square metres, an unrestricted view for precision lifting and an ergonomic control stand. These and other comfort features enable the crane operator to stay fully focused on the job at hand, said Liebherr, while the cab’s extensive field of vision gives the operator a clear view of the site and the load to be lifted, which contributes to the safety of both operator and machine.

The statement from Liebherr added: “Also included in the cab is the newly developed 12-inch display screen with intuitive operability. The Tower Crane Operating System (TC-OS) provides crane operators and assembly engineers with specific menus, an extensive choice of languages and user-friendly units of measurement. The intention is that every user should be able to find the parameters relevant to their work without difficulty. Users navigate their way through the streamlined menu structure via touchscreen. To maintain an overview during crane operation or scaling, display masks can be combined in various ways. The exceptional usability of the TC-OS means that training and familiarisation times are reduced.”

Liebherr added that LED advertising panel lighting can be configured on the new model to ensure long-distance visibility, particularly at the onset of twilight and at night. With a total area of 8.6 square metres, the lighting is capable of delivering a powerful and effective promotional impact. The panels don’t have to be mounted separately during assembly and can remain in place on the counter-jib end section during transport.

As they don’t have a tower head structure, several EC-B series Flat-Top cranes are able to work together safely on the same site, even in tight conditions. According to Liebherr, in terms of transport, assembly, handling capacity and safety, EC-B cranes are specifically designed to meet the requirements of modern construction sites. They cover a wide performance spectrum, ranging from small city to large handling cranes. The new 470 EC-B completes the top end of Liebherr’s successful series, with the crane reflecting the construction industry’s trend towards ever heavier components, said Liebherr.