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High capacity in a small area
 
Iv-Consult

High capacity in a small area

''Most cranes of these dimensions and capacity cannot be used in densely built-up environments, for example, on a petrochemical plant. After all, this type of environment doesn't offer sufficient space to assemble a crane in a simple manner. A crane is assembled horizontally on the ground, which is virtually impossible where multiple pipelines are present. Mammoet recognised the need for cranes that can operate in small areas, thus the need for a completely new type of crane''. Iv-Consult's Jaco van der Schans, Sector Manager Mechanical Department, tell us more about the new Focus crane that Iv assisted Mammoet to engineer.

Fast vertical assembly

The Mammoet Focus is a high capacity crane foundation capable of working in tight spaces with limited ground bearing pressure. The crane has a footprint of 30 x 40 metres and is erected vertically up to a height of 120 metres. The crane weighs 1500 mT and is quickly assembled. Because the crane is erected vertically, the safety risks associated with assembly above live infrastructures are significantly reduced. The strength and unique technical properties of the crane offer greater efficiency for upgrade and turnaround projects as well as for inner-city civil engineering works.

Collaboration team

“Iv was mainly involved in the provisions for assembling the crane,” says Xander. “We were on-site at the Mammoet offices in Schiedam with five people from Iv during the peak to provide support with the engineering. Our Malaysian colleagues have also helped. Mammoet designed the crane concept, and Iv assisted in producing a design that provided a workable document for the fabricators. We took care of the preparation here in the Netherlands, and our Malaysian colleagues provided the drawings. Our contribution to this project mainly concerned the mechanical parts of the crane and the steel constructions. We also worked on the connections and detailed the assembling of the crane.”

Complex system

“This crane is unique”, Jaco explains. “There are no other cranes of this calibre that can self-erect in such a small area. The assembly system is incredibly complex. The red boom mast section and the grey erection frame must be able to be set up in a confined, crowded environment and function correctly. This was our most significant challenge in this project. The turnaround time also proved to be quite a challenge for the team. We began in March 2019, and construction started in the spring of 2020. Testing followed shortly after, and completion is planned for the end of this year. Two cranes are likely to be built, one for the North America region and one for Europe. The cranes will remain on their designated continents and will be transported locally as separate elements. Transportation in containerised form wasn’t a requirement, but this was queried during the process. In short, this was a complex assignment that we were happy to tackle, and of which gave the Iv workforce involved great enjoyment. We are experts in structural engineering and possess extensive knowledge of mechanical components.

Furthermore, we shared our ideas and provided valuable input for the assembly and production. This project demonstrated a solid collaboration between Iv and Mammoet, a mutually important factor.” The crane has been constructed in Westerdorpe, Zeeland. 90% of the steel construction comes from the Netherlands, and a small portion from Germany. “Mammoet sets very high standards for quality and is keen to produce in this region”, Xander explains.  

Work hard; play hard!

“To sit with the entire Iv team at the client’s office was a new experience for us,” says Xander, “this doesn’t happen very often. Usually, it concerns one or two people, but this time, it varied from five to eight. Iv and Mammoet go back a long way and know each other well, which certainly benefited the collaboration! We have listened attentively to our client’s needs and carefully considered what they had in mind for this project. There have been many discussions about how we were going to approach this challenge. It’s a major investment, so the costs have also been carefully considered. Firstly, Iv provided input for the cost estimates, which was in line with what Mammoet had in mind. It was very nice to work so intensively with the client on such a challenging project. The unique location of the Mammoet office also helped, a beautiful, inspiring location. And a nice team with whom we also visited the pub together after work!” laughs Xander. Jaco adds: “Because we know each other so well, they trust our knowledge and have every confidence in a pleasant collaboration.”
Would you like to know more about this project? Jaco will be pleased to tell you more. Contact Jaco via 088 943 2522 or send him an email.
We are always on the lookout for new talent. How can you strengthen our team? Working at Iv means working on challenging and varied projects every day. At the office or on location. Check now to see if you can find an exciting challenge within your specialism!