#Machines 15 February 2021

How a crane becomes a track-mounted drill and pile-driver – a special kind of wedding

The substructure of a 45-t crane and a newly constructed pile driver were successfully assembled in Großbeeren in mid-February using two cranes. The unusual construction is not new, however: SPITZKE has already converted two former Krupp cranes into track-mounted pile-drivers. The newly created Krupp III track-mounted drill and pile-driver extends the SPITZKE technology and rolling stock and can be used flexibly for foundations thanks to its own power unit.

The “pile driver wedding” consisting of the undercarriage and upper-carriage is the result of months of planning and perfect collaboration.

The shiny yellow upper-carriage was completed by the company “Petry Sondermaschinenbau” in early 2021 and installed in February on the undercarriage of the former Krupp crane, which was completely overhauled and repaired in just six months by our SPITZKE specialists. They not only dismantled it down to the smallest screw and completely rebuilt it, but also produced many new components during the extensive overhaul. The result is a state-of-the-art undercarriage which, thanks to its massive construction and high dead weight, forms a perfect basis for the new track-mounted drill and pile-driver. In March, the systems will be slowly started up, the hydraulics and electronics will be coordinated, the axle load and brake technology will be balanced, and the stability is going to be checked.

The new Krupp III track-mounted drill and pile-driver takes more weight, drills with more torque than other drill and pile-drivers and, thanks to its low center of gravity, has a particularly high load capacity. Therefore, it will be used on SPITZKE construction projects where the technology is particularly required, right after the acceptance procedure of the Federal Railway Authority.

The video of the pile-driver wedding in Großbeeren is available here.