System Drives for Large and Medium-Sized Mobile Cranes

System Drives for Large and Medium-Sized Mobile Cranes

Introduction
Drive and control technology is a matter of great
importance in mobile cranes and therefore it is clear
that hydrostatic drive systems have also to be keep
pace with market developments. In addition to
ensuring a favourable basic price for components, it
will consequently also become more and more
important to supply drive units with fully integrated
auxiliary functions eliminating the need for on-site
installation and time-consuming adjustments by the
crane manufacturer. The A8VO series 63 from
Brueninghaus Hydromatik is a new solution which
has been specially developed with this target for
telescopic cranes with two diesel engines, i.e. with a
separate engine for crane operation, and for the
crawler crane sector (see Fig. 1).

Fig. 1a: Telescopic Crane

Fig. 1b: Crawler Crane

Georg Kreissl / VMT7/E
Brueninghaus Hydromatik GmbH
Elchingen plant
Phone +49 (0) 73 08 / 82 24 64
Fax
+49 (0) 73 08 / 53 38
E-Mail: georg.kreissl@bru-hyd.com

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System Drives for Large and Medium-Sized Mobile Cranes

Basic unit A8VO

Among other things, Brueninghaus Hydromatik is
offering two series, namely the A11VO tandem and
A20VO back-to-back pumps in swashplate design,
as well as the A8VO series with the robust bent
axis design for use in multi-circuit open loop drives.
Since the features specific to these two concepts
are differing, the decision as to which pump is to
be used will ultimately depend upon the
application in question.
The new generation of A8VO pumps of series 63
is now available in nominal sizes of 80, 107, 140
and 200 (see Fig. 2). These units are replacing the
former series 61 with nominal sizes of 80, 107 and
160. The large size 200 rounds off the range
additionally.

Nominal size
Max. rpm (at Vg max)
Pressure range

In addition to high permissible input speeds, the

basic design of these pumps is also including a
compact form, direct mounting on the diesel via a
round flange and optimization of the weight as a
point of particular importance in crane
construction.
A large power take-off with high torque is also
provided for mounting additional pumps.

80
2240

107
140
2150
2100
350/400 bar

200
2100

Fig. 2: A8VO series 63

180

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System Drives for Large and Medium-Sized Mobile Cranes

Integrated auxiliary functions

In mobile cranes, the pilot oil can be supplied via
a valve unit on the main control block (possible
with LS systems only) or via a separate gear pump.
With the new A8VO units, this gear pump can now
be mounted on the shovel plate with pilot oil intake
directly from the pump housing of the A8VO. The
associated pressure relief valve is similarly
integrated into the A8VO and the control pressure
is then transmitted via port A3 (see Fig. 3).
An electrically actuated pressure reducing valve is
installed for the load limiting control required
for multi-circuit drives in cranes of this size. The
valve is mounted directly and supplied with oil via
the pilot oil pump (see Fig. 4).
Control is effected via a special load limiting
controller or via the central electronic crane control.
The control pressure built up by the DRE valve is
changing the power setting on the spring controller
of the A8VO pump.
If necessary, these pilot oil supply and load limiting
control functions can be completely installed by
Brueninghaus Hydromatik with all the necessary
piping and settings, thus eliminating the need for
this work by the crane manufacturer.

Fig. 3: Gear Pump Supplying Pilot Oil with Pressure Relief Valve

Fig. 4: Electrically Actuated Pressure Reducing Valve

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System Drives for Large and Medium-Sized Mobile Cranes

Control concept
The compact principle of a spring-loaded controller
has been used here. This control concept is
permitting considerable flexibility with view to the
controller functions required by the market.
Classical pump control can be realized in exactly
the same way as, for instance, a load-sensing
control. Depending on the drive load, the swivel
angle of the pump is decreased by the spring
power controller in accordance with the
characteristic curve of the spring.
Load limiting control is likewise superimposed on
the basic function of the controller (pump control,
load sensing) and is only needing to take the fine
control, adjusting the pump to precisely the load
limit of the diesel engine (see Fig. 5).
In the case of pump controls (see Fig. 6), each
main movement is assigned to a particular pump.
Leaving out the swing drive, this consequently
means that a two-circuit system is obtained with
the two A8VO pumps. No more than two
movements can be executed simultaneously. The
high speed mode for the hoist, for example, is
obtained through a summation circuit. The speed
is preset by adjusting the pump swivel angle via
hydraulic or electrical manual controls. The main
control valves only determine the direction of
movement of the actuator and therefore switch
on/off only. The main advantages of such a system
are to be found in the optimum precision control
range and excellent energy or power balance.
Moreover, is eliminating all reciprocal influence by
the actuators.

p in bar
pX1
300
30

100%
50%

X3

5 bar
200

100

50

3rd pump

4
28 bar
0

Q in l/min

Fig. 5: Control Concept A8VO/63

Main hoist 1

Boom hoist

Auxiliary hoist

Main hoist 2

Swing drive

Propel drive

A8VO...LA1H2
Fig. 6: Pump Control (Illustrated for a Crawler Crane)

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Once again leaving out the swing drive, a classical

LS control (see Fig. 7) is nothing else but a single-circuit system. The two controllers of the A8VO
unit receive a common LS signal, as the two pumps
are treated as a single unit.
Two-circuit systems can also be realized for certain
applications so that the pumps can be adapted to
the actuators more effectively. The speed is preset
by adjusting the cross-section of the main control
valve. The load is signalled hydraulically to the
pump controllers while p is kept constant at the
control valve by the pump. The fact that primary
movements can be freely combined for parallel
travel is advantageous here. Additional actuators
can be retrofitted without difficulty and little piping
is required around the main valve.
The crane sector is already relatively advanced
where the use of electronics is concerned. For this
reason, crane manufacturers are increasingly
making use of electronic LS systems (see
Fig. 8). Electro-proportional pump controllers are
used for this application, similar to electrical pump
control systems. The LS main control valves are
specifying the required flow via the set crosssection and the pumps are adjusted to that flow
via an electrical control signal. The overall system
can be optimized more extensively with such
electronic systems than with the hydraulic version
of the LS control. System stabilization and the
elimination of reciprocal influences are two
problem areas which can be controlled more easily
by means of suitable software. The LUDV function
and priority switching of individual actuators in the
event of a supply shortage are likewise
implemented electronically.

Boom cylinder

Telescope

Main hoist
Joystick
Swing drive

Load sensing line

A8VO...LA1S
Fig. 7: LS Control (Illustrated for a Telescopic Crane)

Joystick
Microcontroller

Boom cylinder Telescope

Main hoist

Swing drive

A8VO...EP
Fig. 8: Electronic LS System (Illustrated for a Telescopic Crane)

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System Drives for Large and Medium-Sized Mobile Cranes

Slew pumps on the power

take-off
Open or closed loop pumps can basically be used
for the swing drive.
Closed loop pumps are predominating in the
heavier equipment under consideration here. A
new slew control with the type designation A4VG
DWD is now available from Brueninghaus
Hydromatik to supplement the existing types
A4VG/EP (speed control) and A4VG/MS (torque
control). At present, the pumps are available in
nominal sizes of 40, 56, 71, 90, 125 and 180 (see
Fig. 9). The DWD version is a pump control based
on direct control of the pump, in which the pump
swivel angle is additionally controlled by the
generated high pressure via the forces of the rotary
group. The size 40-71 pumps are supplied with
control pressure directly from the manual control,
while the larger size 90 to 180 units are controlled

Nominal size
Max. rpm (at Vg max)
Pressure range

Conclusion
indirectly via a pressure booster. This is resulting
in relatively soft control with the DWD and direct
manual control of the swing drive. The DWD
control is also available with optional adjustable
braking and rapid resetting of the manual control
to zero. A kind of freewheel can even be realized
with this version in extreme cases, thus permitting
the use of a mechanical slewing brake.

Together with the existing swing drive options

available, the new, optimized generation of A8VO
units, which has been consistently developed with
view to producing system drives and reducing
weight, is opening up new prospects for the crane
manufacturers. With the integrated pilot oil supply
and load limiting control functions, customers can
now obtain a complete all-round unit reducing their
installation and adjustment effort.
The compact design is solving the problem of
installation and facilitating to mount the pump
units on the engine. Last but not least, the
optimized weight of these pump units is also
offering major advantages for cranes in particular,
since every kilogram of drive weight saved can now
be used to reinforce the crane construction, thus
permitting higher crane loads with the same axle
loads.

40
56
71
90
125 180
4000 3600 3300 3050 2850 2500
400/450bar

Fig. 9: Swing Drive Pump A4VG...DWD

184

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