Wolffkran’s New 8076 Compact Puts Big Capacity Into a Tight Package

Dec. 28, 2021 – Wolffkran’s new Wolff 8076 Compact saddle-jib tower crane has a maximum jib radius of 262’ and is the company’s first trolley jib crane in the 5,786,402-ft.-lb. (800 tm) class.

Wolffkran confirmed that the 8076 Compact will be available in North America but could not confirm exactly when.

Wolffkran said the new model was developed to handle the larger prefabricated that are becoming more common on construction projects.

"We wanted to design a large yet economical crane and get the maximum capacity out of the steel structure,” said Wouter van Loon, product manager at Wolffkran. “That's why we opted for a low-top design, which we call Compact."

Despite a tower top around 33’ lower than that of a Wolff Cross model, the Wolff 8076 Compact offers a maximum lifting capacity of 44 USt and a jib-tip capacity of 9.24 USt at 262’.

"And that is as a pure two-fall crane, making the Wolff 8076 Compact not only the strongest saddle-jib crane in our range but also best in class," said van Loon.

Also new is the four-chord design of the first three jib sections, instead of the usual three-chord design. “This allowed us to optimize the transfer of forces along the jib and reduce individual component weights, resulting in around 40% higher lifting capacity than with the three-chord design,” added van Loon.

Standing Tall

The Wolff 8076 Compact connects to the 9’6”x9’6” TV 29 tower. Combined with the next-larger Wolff TV 33 tower, it can reach a freestanding height of up 320’. That is a time-saving and economical solution for high-rise buildings or bridge projects where tie-ins are not possible, said Wolffkran.

The proven and powerful 132-kW (177-hp) HW 40132 FU hoist winch delivers line speeds to 311’ per minute. Even when lifting 44-USt maximum load, the winch still can reach a line speed of 55.7’ per minute.

Strong Team Player

The jib of the Wolff 8076 Compact can be extended from 98.4’ to 262’ in 16.4’ increments.

A hoist rope support on the jib reduces rope slack from 33’ to only 5’. That lowers the risk of another crane getting caught in the hoist rope when slewing.

The counter jib can also be shortened from 99.4’ to 73.2’, depending on the maximum jib radius.

The 8076 Compact’s short top and other features make it well suited for sites where cranes operate close to one another. For example, when fitted with a 180.4’ jib and shortened counter jib, its 44,474-lb. tip-load capacity makes it ideal even on multi-crane job sites.

Safety and Comfort

Thanks to the compact tower top and four-chord jib, the Wolff 8076 Compact can be erected using a standard 385-USt mobile crane.

An auxiliary device on the tower top enables the erection team to align the tie rods of the jib and counter jib without a mobile crane. A wider access to the cab, a maintenance platform for the slewing drive, and galvanized Class-1 access to the trolley drive and hoist winch further increase safety and comfort during erection and maintenance.

The crane’s many standard features include electronic overload protection with Wolff Boost, an anti-collision interface, fine drive modes, automatic power optimization of the trolley and hoisting gear, and the Wolff Link remote maintenance system with a real-time view of the crane display.

First in a Family

Wolffkran’s new 8076 Compact is bound to get company sooner or later. “We are evaluating a heavier lift version of this model, as well as one with longer reach,” said van Loon. Both models will be designed around the same basic components of the new Wolff 8076 Compact.