Kobelco SL4500

Unveiled at Intermat on April 20, 2009, the Kobelco SL4500 marked a significant milestone in the manufacturer’s strategy to redesign and upgrade its crawler crane lineup between 300 and 800 tons. This 400-ton model is the product of close collaboration with major global lifting contractors, including Weldex, who received the first unit for operation in Scotland.

The SL4500 delivers a maximum load moment of 4,700 tonne-metres and can be configured with up to 84 meters of main boom paired with a 54-meter luffing jib, or 78 meters main boom with a 66-meter luffing jib, reaching a total lifting height of 144 meters. This flexibility allows the crane to adapt to the most demanding jobs in infrastructure, energy, and industrial applications.

The crane features multiple lifting configurations—standard, light, and super heavy lift—allowing it to balance capacity and transport efficiency. Each component, including boom sections and counterweights, is designed to stay within 3-meter wide transport limits, making it globally compliant and logistically practical. The SL4500 also integrates a self-assembly system, reducing the need for an assist crane and speeding up rigging.

Its innovative upper frame design improves structural strength while keeping the total machine weight optimized. Boom-mounted winches and wide-drum hoisting systems ensure high rope capacity—up to 790 meters of 28 mm wire rope—and hoist speeds up to 110 m/min. Each winch offers 14-ton single-line pull, allowing the SL4500 to handle heavy-duty tasks like wind turbine assembly and modular bridge erection.

The crane is powered by a Hino E13C-UV diesel engine, producing 320 kW at 2,000 rpm, compliant with Tier III/Stage IIIA emission standards. The hydraulic system uses six variable pumps operating at 32 MPa, supported by a 710-liter hydraulic tank and 600-liter fuel tank, providing long run times and reliable performance.

Operator comfort and safety are at the forefront, with a 15° tilting cab, wide visibility, an LCD monitor system for real-time load, height, and status information, and integrated alarms for over-wind and external hazards. The crane also supports dual luffing jib erection methods—inside holding and extension-style—for site flexibility.

Key Features

• Excellent lifting capacity and high load moment
• Compact, transport-optimized design (under 3 m width)
• Fast rigging with a self-assembly system
• Boom-mounted high-speed, high-capacity winches
• Wide drums and long rope capacity ideal for high-rise lifting
• User-friendly cab with excellent visibility and interface
• Robust engine and efficient hydraulic systems
• Built with global transport and jobsite compliance in mind

Milestone

• April 2009: Weldex, based in Scotland, became the first recipient of the SL4500, with the crane displayed at its global debut during Intermat 2009 in Paris.