Mise en oeuvre

Lattice crane

Crane at work

Such a crane implementation take a lot of time. Carrier, boom parts, counterweights, electric power supply..., its not less than 10 elements you need to bring on lifting zone. It take me more than 2 hours to takes those implementation photos.

Parts transport

In real life, cranes are transported part by part.Booms need at least 4 or 5 trucks ! It takes a lot of place into my car...

Assembly

First of all you have to install carrier, and deploy outriggers. Big plates are put under outriggers to reduce efforts on the ground.

Then main boom is adjust and counterweights take place.

Then fly jib and A-frames are installed.

Boom lifting

It's an impressive operation : a little electric drive lift a 2m40 high structure ! Cables tension is important due to short length of main A-frame. Superlift should be useful !

See here boom lifting sequence

Performances

Of course I tried to reach crane limits ! I've made a lift with heavy charge. Crane has lift a charge over 4kg500 in this configuration, only using Lego electric drive.

Superstructure was crackling a lot and I stopped the test. I haven't done this kind of trial in high configuration, it's too dangerous, and I don't want to break some parts.

Machine weight - used parts

Carrier and superstructure, without counterweight reaches 5kg400, booms 1kg400 and counterweights 2kg500 : so over 9kg during a lift (without any battery pack). I estimate the amount of used parts between 5000 and 7000. But you need at least 3 or 4 time this amount to construct this kind of model.

Electric drives list

The crane use 7 electric drives :
- 1 modelism 12w motor for main drive
- 1 9V gear motor for superstructure rotation
- 1 9V gear motor for carrier steering
- 2 9V gear motors for rear winches
- 2 9V motors for front winches.