The fibre rope success story
Vision put to the test
Field tests confirm the findings from test bench analyses regarding the exceptional robustness of fibre rope when exposed to sources of failure e.g. concrete edges. Fibre rope is less susceptible to damage due to the flexible cover surrounding the load-bearing core and, compared to steel rope, is more forgiving of significant errors in crane operation without rope damage being caused.
Minimised downtimes
Rope damage can’t always be avoided, even on today’s construction sites. Thanks to our innovative, flexible and competent services, we are able to restore the fibre rope’s full performance capability, and in most cases directly on site.
In harmony with our customers
Innovation paired with a passion for delivering the highest quality are values that drive our company every day. A combination of experience gained in recent years, feedback from construction sites and the needs of our customers have influenced three key developments.
Success in figures:
- ~ 300 Fibre cranes sold
- > 30 % sales share
- 85 % repair rate*
- 2 % downtime rate**
Simple handling
"Working with the rope day-to-day is genuinely fantastic. Lubrication isn’t required so the crane needs less maintenance – and work gear stays clean."
Jochen Braunger, Service Technician
Short assembly times
The new fibre rope is 80 % lighter than comparable steel rope, so replacement takes less time and needs fewer people. This saves installation costs and reduces downtime.
Low maintenance and clean
Fibre cranes are low maintenance and don’t require lubrication like steel rope cranes. This keeps the crane, assembly engineers and catwalks clean. Despite lubrication, steel rope cuts into the rope pulleys and then needs to be replaced. This task is a thing of the past with Fibre cranes.
Increased safety
The fibre rope cover has a red signal layer to indicate the discard level, which becomes visible as the rope wears. This warning can also be seen at a distance. Plus, the rope is made of high-strength synthetic fibres, ruling out injuries caused by protruding wires.
Water and rust don’t stand a chance
The fibre rope core consists of high-tensile synthetic fibres that make it difficult for water to penetrate and therefore prevent corrosion. Undetected corrosion isn’t a risk, which increases safety, especially in maritime environments.
Cost-effective operation
"Fibre rope is extremely robust and tolerates operating errors. If minor damage does happen, a quick and simple rope repair directly on site is often enough."
Knud Feurig, Managing Director and Partner at Feurig Baumaschinen GmbH
Low total costs (TCO) due to long service life
The test bench trials carried out prior to market launch, which used a realistic load profile, revealed a service life of up to 14 years. The service life of a rope is primarily determined by the number of possible bending cycles. Test bench analyses showed that the fibre rope core’s special structure achieves up to 13 times as many bending cycles compared to steel rope.
Robust in the face of projecting edges
Field tests confirm the findings from test bench analyses regarding the exceptional robustness of fibre rope when exposed to sources of failure e.g. concrete edges. Fibre rope is less susceptible to damage due to the flexible cover surrounding the load-bearing core and, compared to steel rope, is more forgiving of significant errors in crane operation without rope damage being caused.
Excellent repairability
Fibre rope has an extremely high repair rate. It can usually be repaired quickly on site using the fibre repair kit. This is a clear advantage over steel rope, which doesn’t have such repair options. If the damage is irreparable, the rope can be shortened as with steel rope, whereby shortening the rope is more economical due to the fibre rope’s higher value.
Investment security
“We want to convert our entire rental fleet to Fibre cranes here at Beutlhauser Holding GmbH. So we opt entirely for fibre technology when buying new machines and want to convert our existing cranes to fibre technology too.“
Benjamin Grillmeier, Head of Construction at Beutlhauser Holding GmbH
Nagel Mietservice GmbH has exclusively chosen Liebherr tower cranes with fibre technology since 2020. Our rental customers specifically ask us for tower cranes with fibre technology.”
Nagel Mietservice GmbH
Efficient and responsible
“The massive increase in lifting capacity when using existing towers and substructures is amazing. It’s why Utleiecompagniet AS has been using Fibre cranes since 2020.”
Kjetil Tettum, Head of Construction at Utleiecompagniet AS
Maximum utilisation of existing systems
Fibre cranes use the same tower sections and substructures as corresponding steel rope counterparts, so no additional investment is required. The same structural heights also apply, so that extra complexity can be minimised both internally and externally. Benefit from a lifting capacity increase of up to 40 %.
The higher the better
The likelihood of the bottom hook block twisting increases with high lifting heights. This can be prevented by adding extra modular weights to the bottom hook block. Structures with high lifting heights require a lot of rope. The reduced weight of the fibre rope therefore has a much greater effect and compensates for the additional weights. The lifting capacity of the 370 EC-B 12 Fibre, for example, increases from + 400 kg at a lifting height of 50 m to + 780 kg at 200 m.
The choice is yours
Increase in handling capacity
The Fibre cranes’ modern control system achieves shorter lifting times under load through adapting speed to the reduced weight. This means that more load cycles are possible on site in the same amount of time.
Reduced energy consumption during operation
Where increasing the number of lifts isn’t an issue, Fibre cranes offer an energy advantage. Up to 5 % of energy costs can be saved during operation.
Reduced carbon footprint
Carbon footprints are often assessed in the form of a cradle-to-grave analysis, which includes all the environmental impacts of a product from the extraction of raw materials through to its disposal. The results of such an analysis show that Fibre cranes are 12 % more carbon efficient and therefore 12 % more sustainable than their steel rope counterparts. As the main component of fibre technology, fibre rope is 100 % energetically recyclable.
Liebherr core values taken further
Liebherr cranes are known for their quality and consequently their long service life, which forms the basis for high resale prices throughout the product life cycle. Fibre technology takes this a step further by significantly increasing the service life of the main wearing part. We are innovative, responsible and deliver the highest quality across everything we do.
Unrivalled performance with maximum safety
Unrivalled performance
Fibre cranes particularly excel in terms of their high performance, significantly improving the lifting capacities of existing systems, especially towers and substructures. As well as the rope itself being 80 % lighter, components such as the hook block are also lighter as a result. The reduced load on the crane through the use of fibre technology is directly reflected in the crane’s performance – dead load becomes working load.
An overview of the lifting capacity increase for each crane model can be found on the next page.
Lifting capacity increase of up to ~40 %
- 240 EC-B 10 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 250 kg (13%)
- 240 EC-B 12 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 350 kg (21%)
- 300 EC-B 12 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 400 kg (22%)
- 370 EC-B 12 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 400 kg (20%)
- 370 EC-B 16 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 400 kg (24%)
- 520 EC-B 20 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 700 kg (39%)
- 1188 EC-H 40 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 2,100 kg (18%)
- 258 HC-L 10/18 Fibre - lifting capacity increase 1,100 kg (43%)
Determining when the rope requires replacing
Responsibility also means making sure that safety risks don’t arise during crane operation. Fibre technology makes it possible to combine this awareness with economic efficiency by being able to determine the latest possible time for rope replacement as precisely as possible. The rope’s outer cover, which reliably indicates the level of wear on the load-bearing rope core, makes it all possible. As the cover wears over time, the red signal layer underneath appears. This is clearly visible, even from far away.
High-tensile fibre rope for tower cranes
Guaranteed safety with Fibre Care
A crane with fibre rope delivers reliable performance and outstanding handling over many years. To give you peace of mind throughout this time, we offer you our Fibre Care extended warranty. In the event of unforeseen damage, we will contribute towards the purchase of a new fibre rope. Depending on the age of your rope, this contribution can be up to 75 % of the new purchase price.
Fibre Care refund model
This allows you to combine the advantages of innovation in crane construction with financial security. Fibre Care is based on 15 % of the gross sales price of the new fibre rope. Fibre Care can be conveniently added when purchasing a new crane and as part of the spare parts service via the relevant portals.