XCA4000 Truck Crane: How China Sets Records

China continues to develop high technologies: an example of this can be all the new models of truck cranes, the lifting capacity of which is amazing. However, giants are not made just for the sake of records, but for a completely practical purpose.


For example, XCA4000 from XCMG is needed for installation of large wind turbines. But it can also be used for other purposes: for example, in the construction of skyscrapers, industrial and other high-rise buildings.


There are more and more "wind turbines" in China: moreover, their capacity increases year by year, and, consequently, their dimensions. It is necessary to somehow lift the units and parts to such a height. The described equipment is intended to assist in the installation of wind generators developing 10 MW or more.

What is a truck crane?

This is a chassis with as many as eleven axles (ten of which are driving) and, accordingly, 22 single wheels. The main boom includes six sections and can extend 85 meters. The lattice-shaped extension extends exactly the same distance. It resembles a tower crane boom. The machine is equipped with counterweights, the mass of which reaches 300 tons.


A special technology was used in the manufacture of the boom, which makes this element elastic and also limits the space under the hooks when installing the object. This reduces the installation time of the "wind turbine" by 20-30%.


The machine itself has a solid lifting capacity, since it has to transport the boom and outriggers (extendable supports), the total weight of which reaches 400 tons. And the XCA4000 model weighs more than 900 tons in total!

How to operate a truck crane

The equipment reaches the site under its own power. But this is not enough: five more trucks will be needed to deliver a set of equipment to perform the lifting. A whole team of workers – several dozen people – is engaged in servicing the installation process.

The test is

The public first saw this creation of Chinese engineers in March of this year. And two weeks later, the truck crane went to the installation site of the 2 MW "wind turbine". Testing took place in Hebei Province during the installation of another generator.


Its 130 m high reinforced concrete tower was already ready. All that was left was to deliver the last section, 30 m long and weighing 70 t, to the top. Then the XCA4000 truck crane was able to lift the nacelle with the turbine weighing 120 t. Then three 162-meter blades, each weighing 95 t, and a 28-ton hub “came” to a height of 40 m. But this is just a warm-up for the giant. The maximum capabilities of this construction equipment are a height of 170 m and a load of 230 t.

Competitors

The closest of them is also produced by the Chinese company Sany. The boom length of the SAC40000T truck crane, first shown on 31.10.2024, is 81 m, and when a 124 m extension is attached, the lifting height exceeds 200 m. All this "economy" is placed on a 22-meter chassis with nine axles. Its turning radius is 16 m. The surmountable slope can be up to 18 °.


As for the greatest possibilities, here the height and weight of the load are combined. For example, at 100 m the truck crane will lift 376 tons, and at 170 m – 230 tons. In the latter case, the whole process will take no more than 25 minutes.

And what about us?

The USSR had its own record holder, the KS-10471 truck crane. The monster's chassis consisted of two MAZ-543s. The machine could lift 250 tons to a height of about 100 m. The equipment was made in Odessa in 1985, and the following year it was shown at VDNKh.


But alas, the truck crane was manufactured in a single copy and it did not go into production. It remains to be seen: today, China is the country that produces the most powerful lifting equipment.