TIDD brings crane safety to the fore

The pick-and-carry style crane has become the most versatile and popular machine in a broad range of industries, thanks to its toughness, simplicity and effectiveness.

It features an articulated chassis and forward-control cab with a boom mounted over the operator, and is offered in Australia by several manufacturers, namely Australia’s Franna and Humma; Ace from India; and XCMG from China.

But a new player from across the ditch has dug deeper and is offering not just efficient load-hauling and mechanical simplicity with its pick-and-carry products, but also safety features not available in other cranes on the market.

The pick-and-carry crane design has been regarded as an Australian product, which evolved from trailered cranes towed behind trucks with a turntable mount.

Australian engineer, Laurie Hardman, redesigned it in the war years to include an articulated mount between the axles. It was manufactured by crane and machinery firm, Fowler, in Australia in the mid-1940s with a 5-tonne capacity and remained in production into the 1970s.

Later, the BHB crane that was based on the Australian Chamberlain industrial tractor entered the frame. That was then followed by the Franna crane in the early 1980s which placed the cab on the front of the chassis, under the boom, so the operator had a better view when using the crane and driving it on the road.

On-road capabilities were a welcome addition for operators as they catered to the geographical spread of Australia and the need for operators to travel long distances between jobs.

Having just broken into the pick-and-carry crane segment in 2013, NZ-based heavy equipment specialist, Tidd Ross Todd (TRT) could be considered a newcomer to the market.

Its TIDD pick-and-carry product is designed and made in New Zealand and exclusively distributed in Western Australia and South Australia by crane specialist, WATM.

“It uses a Mercedes engine, Allison transmission and Rockwell diffs, so it’s very good equipment,” said WATM managing director, Anthony Lazenby.

“But one of the best features from a user’s view, is the very high safety equipment - more than any of its rivals.”

One of the prominent safety features, as mentioned by Lazenby, is the Slew Safe system developed by TRT for the TIDD range. It has been specifically designed to prevent rollovers and give the machine a high level of stability without the use of outriggers.

It works with a number of features including audible alarms, LMI warnings and restricted power steering to prevent further slewing in the event of overloading.

The TIDD machines also feature on-the-move adjustable tyre air pressure which improves safety when driving over a variety of terrains. The tyre pressure can also be adjusted when parked and moving loads to ensure the machine maintains a stable platform at all times.

Lazenby said TRT tests all its machines thoroughly before they go to market, right down to the 20-ply radial tyres.

“This is because the tyres are specific to the machines they make,” he said.

“For this reason, we ensure we stock at least two of these tyres at each of our sites.”

While the TIDD crane is mainly sold to mining and construction companies, Lazenby said there are many industries that can benefit from this type of crane due to its versatility.

“You tend to see pick-and-carry cranes like the TIDD pretty much everywhere,” he said.

TIDD machines available from WATM include the PC25 with a 25-tonne lift capacity and the PC28 with a 28-tonne capacity.

The PC25 has one of the highest main boom tip height in its class at 19.14m, according to TRT. The PC28, on the other hand, has a maximum reach height of 18.64m.

The PC25 has a slewing scope of up to 42 degrees which creates a tight turning circle ideal for work on tight construction sites. A small frontal projection promotes manoeuvrability and operator visibility.

It has a wheelbase of 4.4m and is only 2.5m wide, further enhancing its ability to work in small or crowded spaces.

The PC25 has a hydro pneumatic front suspension with a lock-out to prevent side roll when lifting loads, and a leaf-sprung rear suspension with a 15-tonne capacity.

Other safety features include:

The PC25 has been built with well-known and tried-and-tested parts including a Mercedes-Benz OM906 206kW engine, an Allison 3000 automatic transmission with Cushman two-speed transfer case, Kessler hub reduction drive axles and Wabco ABS brakes.

The PC28 has a similar design with the same features but offers a bigger capacity of 28 tonnes, a longer 4.75m wheelbase and 44-degree slew.

TRT’s patented Slew Safe system is available on all new TIDD PC28 cranes and can be retrofitted on to all existing TIDD PC25 models.

Find TIDD cranes for sale

Find cranes and lifting equipment for sale