The new Grove TMS9000-2 truck crane comes with improved roadability, reach and capacity.

Grove has unveiled the TMS9000-2 truck crane with new features. The new 100 t (115 USt) capacity truck crane features a number of improvements over previous models that will enable owners to increase their utilisation and lifting capabilities. It is lighter, which increases roadability and helps customers meet North American gross vehicle weight requirements. It has a longer boom, which increases reach and enables lifters to complete a wider variety of applications. And the crane is stronger, with best-in-class load charts for all counterweight configurations.

The Grove TMS9000-2 is a clear example of The Manitowoc Way in action,? said Harrison Hipple, Product Manager for truck-mounted cranes at Manitowoc.?We brought our customers in at the earliest stages of designing this crane to ensure we made a product that fits their lifting needs. It was engineered with one goal in mind: to increase utilisation rates for customers and increase their return on investment in a truck crane.

Lighter, longer, stronger
The TMS9000-2 is approximately 363 kg (800 lbs), lighter than its predecessor, the TMS9000E. Its reduced, best-in-class gross vehicle weight enables a wider range of flexibility in carrying counterweight, cribbing and other items, which will help lifters optimise the crane for a variety of applications. The optimised truck crane will meet a diverse range of roading regulations across North America.

Though the TMS9000-2 is lighter, its boom length and capacity have both increased. The crane features a new, 51.6 m (169.3 ft), six-section MEGAFORM boom that utilises Grove?s Twin-Lock pinning system. It is a greaseless boom, which reduces maintenance for owners. The improved reach will enable customers to complete a wider variety of applications with the crane, but from a compact chassis [width: 2.6 m (8.5 ft); length: 13.4 m (43.8 ft)]. The crane will offer manual or hydraulic swingaways, along with additional inserts, to provide further reach options.

With this increased reach comes increased capacity across all load charts. The crane?s 100 t (115 USt) capacity makes it the strongest four-axle truck crane on the market with the best load charts in its class. Both the boom and chassis are stronger on the TMS9000-2 than the previous cranes, so there is more capacity across all radii. On an average, load charts with maximum counterweight have improved by approximately 5 per cent over its predecessor.

The new model also shares the same counterweight system as the TMS9000E, so owners can interchange counterweights and wing weights from the previous-generation crane, giving them flexibility in configurations across an entire fleet. In essence, the leading GVW enables owners to win and complete more jobs at a lower cost, improving their return on investment.

Feature laden
Overall operational efficiency is improved with the inclusion of the Crane Control System (CCS), Manitowoc?s standardised operating system that works across several crane brands and models. The TMS9000-2 not only offers six simple predefined boom sequences to maximise crane utilisation, it incorporates powerful features found in CCS-equipped Grove all-terrain products. This includes a highly intuitive Boom Configurator Mode that makes it quick and easy to select the optimum boom position and length for a specific lift, maximising the cranes capabilities. The operator simply inputs lift parameters and the system calculates the best configuration.

Along with CCS, the crane?s cab
has other improvements, such as a new air-conditioning system and ergonomic controls. A series of cameras on the TMS9000-2 assist operators while driving the crane or lifting. Reverse and passenger-side blind spot cameras ensure operators can manoeuvre the crane with ease. And when lifting, a hoist camera provides convenient visibility of the hoists.

A new outrigger system gives the TMS9000-2 added flexibility to position the crane on the job site. While the previous-generation truck cranes had only three configurations, the new model has four: 0 per cent, 33 per cent, 66 per cent and 100 per cent. The new system is also 0.3 m (1 ft) slimmer, measuring only 7 m (23 ft) at full span, making the crane more compact on the job site.

The crane is powered by a Cummins ISX12 powertrain, an on-highway, EPA-certified engine that features 336 kW (450 bhp) at 1,800 rpm, and a maximum 2,102 Nm (1,550 lb-ft) torque. The engine is required in North America and fits even the strictest environmental requirements, such as those found in California. The TMS9000-2?s drivetrain, air suspension, brake and wheel systems are similar to those found on the TMS9000E. Customers also now have the choice of either a manual or an automated manual transmission.

The Manitowoc Way
The Grove TMS9000-2 reflects advancements in design and manufacturing borne from The Manitowoc Way, the company?s program to deliver innovation at increased velocity that improves customer ROI. At its core, The Manitowoc Way puts the customer at the focus of new products and seeks to include them early in the design stage.

For the TMS9000-2, a multi-disciplinary, cross-functional team
was put together to design the new-generation crane. This included representatives from design and engineering, quality control, production planning, sales, purchasing, manufacturing and more. Manitowoc customers were also included, as they were asked to provide feedback that would directly benefit them on the job site and increase their own profitability.

This quickly accomplished two goals: First, customers had direct influence on the crane at an earlier stage, which will lead to increased utilisation and ROI in the field. Second, the speed at which the crane was brought to market was dramatically improved, with the TMS9000-2 being produced at only one-third of the time it took to introduce the previous generation cranes.

Other reflections of The Manitowoc Way in the crane?s design and engineering include a Manitowoc hoist that features a best-in-class maximum line pull of 10,659 kg (23,500 lbs) and 293 m (960 ft) cable capacity. And like all mobile cranes engineered at Manitowoc?s facility in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, each and every component of the TMS9000-2 has been scrutinised at its Product Verification Center to ensure durability and reliability from the ground up.