When developing its new AC 4.070-2 all-terrain crane, Tadano made sure to pursue some extremely ambitious goals: “To put it simply, we wanted to bring to life a powerful and cutting-edge 70-tonne crane that would deliver the best performance on the market in as many axle load configurations as possible. And to put it plainly, that’s exactly what we did,” explains project manager Sascha Scholler, who was responsible for the development.

Among the various impressive characteristics, one stands out in particular: The AC 4.070-2 can transport its sizeable maximum counterweight of 11.9 tonnes by itself while staying within an axle load limit of 12 tonnes, and it can still manage an impressive 4.4 tonnes when the axle load is reduced to 10 tonnes instead. Needless to say, this makes the AC 4.070-2 an extremely flexible and versatile taxi crane. And there are also the lifting capacities, which are just as impressive: For example, with a main boom length of 50 meters, the crane can lift a good 7.1 tonnes at a radius of 12 meters, and this goes up to a total of 7.3 tonnes at a radius of 10 meters. “No other crane in its class can reach these lifting capacities,” Sascha Scholler underscores with a glint of pride in his eyes. Among other things, this means that the Tadano AC 4.070-2 is the perfect assist crane for erecting large lattice boom crawler cranes, as well as an outstanding crane for residential and functional building construction projects. Moreover, the crane’s extremely compact design only helps to boost these advantages even further: With a total length of 11.7 meters, a width of 2.55 meters, and a travelling height of 3.8 meters, it is the most compact four-axle unit of its class on the market.

The boom solution also plays a crucial role in the AC 4.070-2 crane’s versatility: Tadano offers two extensions for the crane’s 50-meter main boom – a swing-away jib with a length of 6.5 meters and a double folding swing-away jib with a length of 16 meters, making it possible to reach a system length of up to 66 meters. In addition, there is also an optionally available runner.

Comprehensive standard equipment with IC-1 Plus and Flex Base

It goes without saying that the new Tadano AC 4.070-2 would not have been complete without the highly coveted IC-1 Plus control system, which determines the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position as a function of the superstructure’s slewing angle. Moreover, the way these computations are carried out directly in the cab means that the lifting capacity for a specific radius is no longer limited to the lowest value for a pre-calculated 360° lifting capacity, but is instead determined in real-time. As a result, the AC 4.070-2 is always able to take advantage of the maximum lifting capacity available to it, and the advantages provided by this system literally deliver invaluable support for lifts over the outriggers. And when used together with the Flex Base, an outrigger system that comes as standard and features outriggers that can be extended to any point within their available range, this enables the crane to take care of jobs that would normally be the exclusive purview of larger cranes. In fact, the Flex Base can be used to extend the outriggers in asymmetrical configurations instead of predefined extension positions, making it possible for crane operators to get the outriggers as close to obstacles as possible and use the maximum possible outrigger spread in any scenario. After this, all the IC-1 Plus has to do is to incorporate every single centimetre of outrigger extension into determining the lifting capacity.

In addition to the Flex Base, the innovative Tadano IC-1 Remote telematics solution for location-independent crane and fleet management is also available for the AC 4.070-2. This cloud solution provides remote access to all relevant crane data from anywhere, enabling online troubleshooting by Tadano Support. 

Another highlight behind the new AC 4.070-2 is the one-of-a-kind Tadano Surround View System, which features a separate monitor in the carrier cab that provides 360° visibility and graphically shows the maximum possible extension lengths for the outriggers and the counterweight tail-swing radius from a bird’s eye view perspective. Accordingly, Tadano Surround View makes it significantly easier to optimally position the crane at work sites without the need for additional personnel. The system also provides assistance on the way to the work site by making it easier for crane operators to notice pedestrians and cyclists. For example, the area to the right of the crane, which traditionally does not have the greatest visibility, is highlighted on the monitor when the turn signal is activated.

Featuring an E-Pack prep package

The AC 4.070-2 can also be equipped with another Tadano innovation at the factory: With a special transportation cradle and the required hydraulic connections, the four-axle unit is optionally prepared for work with the ESTA-award-winning E-Pack. This feature is an electro-hydraulic system that comes with an integrated 32-kW electric motor that makes extremely quiet zero-emission crane operation possible. The E-Pack can be used to carry out all AC 4.070-2 crane functions without any negative impact on the corresponding maximum lifting capacity. Not only that, but other performance characteristics are comparable to those achieved with the operation of a diesel engine in many work areas, expanding the range of applications of the AC 4.070-2 to indoor projects and cleanrooms, for example. On top of this, the cost-effective single-engine design allows for climate-friendly crane operation thanks to its compatibility with various alternative diesel fuels, such as HVO. The use of these fuels generates fewer emissions and makes operating the crane more environmentally friendly. The AC 4.070-2 shares these advantages with a number of other units, including Tadano models AC 4.080-1 and AC 4.100L-1, which feature a drive train that is virtually identical – this is also part of Tadano’s current shared component strategy, which is intended to provide customers with standardized controls and easier maintenance options.

The bottom line

With the new AC 4.070-2, Tadano is once more introducing the most compact crane of a class while raising the bar in many areas with the best lifting capacities out there. Thanks to comprehensive standard equipment and a flexible range of accessories, the new four-axle machine is a particularly versatile representative of its class, and technical highlights such as the IC-1 Plus, Flex Base, Surround View, and E-Pack prep package are sure to make it an extremely attractive option for many crane service providers.

Check out the two walkaround videos on AC 4.070-2 below.

This press release was sent by Tadano on 18 October 2022.