The Demag AC 45 City

The Demag AC 45 City is the first city crane for Terex Cranes since its AC 40 City, which started production in 1997 and sold over 1000 units. For the Demag brand’s return to the city crane class, Terex said the core concept of its popular AC 40 City has been retained but improved upon in a number of key areas…

The three-axle Demag AC 45 City crane falls into the 45-tonne lifting capacity class. Its dimensions (8.68 metres long, 2.55 metres wide, and 3.16 metres high) are small for a crane of this class, facilitating even greater access inside narrow buildings and in urban environments – a key attribute of the city crane concept. If required, Terex said, the crane’s height can be further reduced to less than 3 metres.

The base section of the fully hydraulic, 31.2-metre main boom is also compact, with a length of 7.80 metres. This means that the AC 45 City is able to work in buildings with a relatively low clearance while still keeping its boom at a steep angle. This is particularly useful, Terex said, for assembling overhead cranes, as the AC 45 City crane can lift heavy loads at a small radius. In addition, the boom is ready for work immediately, without requiring time spent setting it up.

The main boom can be extended by 7.10 or 13 metres, providing a total possible length of 44.2 metres. By enhancing the telescopic cylinder and increasing the hydraulic operating pressure Terex has been able to increase the telescoping load capacity from 9.5 tonnes to 19.7 tonnes. Increased lifting capacity is offered across the boom extension range; for example; a boom length of 20 m provides a capacity of between 14-15 tonnes.

The flexibility of the configurations available on the Demag AC 45 City makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, Terex stated. For example, it has a reinforced 1.3-metre-long runner for loads of up to 25.9 tonnes, compared to the 15 tonne capacity of the AC 40. The runner can easily be set up or disassembled for ease of travel between jobsites and it has its own storage compartment at the back of the crane. The AC 45 also has a three-sheave hook block, which allows for six-part reeving.

Despite the crane’s compact dimensions, a new cabin offers operators more space than the previous model. Driver comfort is maximised due to an ergonomic air suspension seat and a heating/air-conditioning system. Plus, as a result of EU safety regulation compliance, specifically ECE 29 regulations, the mounting between the new cabin and the superstructure has been reinforced, which minimises noise and vibration. The steering wheel and some other design elements have been carried over from the previous model to help enhance the driver’s sense of familiarity.

The new Demag AC 45 City has an IC-1 Plus control system which calculates the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position depending on its slewing angle in real time. Terex said this means that the lifting capacity for a specific radius is no longer limited to the lowest value for a pre-calculated 360° lifting capacity, as used to be the case; instead, the crane can always use the maximum available lifting capacity. This is particularly useful, Terex claimed, when it comes to lifts in which the outriggers are extended in an asymmetrical configuration, as it enables the Demag AC 45 City crane to carry out jobs that would normally be the preserve of much larger cranes.

In addition to the real time calculation for lifting capacities dependent on slew angle, the IC-1 Plus control system also has a “smart” feature to calculate and show the working range of the real time lifting capacity within +/-30° slew angle. The control system has an automatic counterweight detection function that the crane operator needs to confirm. Together with the IC-1 Plus control system, the new Demag crane is able to work with any outrigger configuration with continuously variable adjustments, meaning that the AC 45 City can be adjusted for all space conditions and load requirements. The crane can utilise the IC-1 Plus control system both when using the runner and when telescoping under load. An automatic levelling system enables the crane to balance itself with computer assistance when the outriggers are extended.

To assist the operator, the Demag AC 45 City comes with features such as an axle load indicator, a hook height indicator, cruise control, and cameras for load, hook and hoist monitoring, as well as reversing. A number of waterproof and water-resistant storage boxes are located around the outside of the crane, too.

To assist compliance with axle loads, the new AC 45 City crane has been designed to stay under a 12 tonne per axle load limit, so that it does not require any additional transport vehicles to get to the jobsite. A number of different axle load configurations are available. With all equipment onboard, the crane’s gross vehicle weight is 34 tonnes (with axle loads of 10 tonnes at the front axle and 12 tonnes on the two rear axles). The next configuration is for a 30 tonne gross vehicle weight configuration. For this the operator has to disassemble the counterweight plate, which is pinned to the superstructure. The third configuration is for 26 tonne gross vehicle weight (with an axle load of 10 tonnes at the front and 8 tonnes on each of the rear axles). For this the operator needs to disassemble all the counterweights, which requires an auxiliary crane.

Like its predecessor, the crane has an Allison transmission – with six forward gears and one reverse gear. However, the gear spacing has been spread out for more comfortable on-road driving. Power is provided by a 260 kW MTU engine which meets Euromot 4 requirements and offers improved braking performance, via an exhaust gas brake plus an engine valve brake, of 250 kW. To further enhance the crane’s stopping power its brakes have been upgraded from drums to discs. Terex said it has also improved the steering system for on-road driving so that it provides better cornering with less tyre wear than the previous model.

Terex estimates that the series production of the AC 45 City should be around June 2018 and will be available for customers by the beginning of July 2018.