The new Tadano AC 2.040-1 all terrain crane

The new Tadano AC 2.040-1 all terrain crane is the first joint model launches one-brand strategy.

The market launch for the Tadano AC 2.040-1 is a world first in two ways: on one hand, it is the first all terrain crane to be developed jointly by Tadano’s Lauf and Zweibrücken locations in Germany. On the other, the AC 2.040-1 is the very first member of the future Tadano AC family. In addition, this signals the completion of the announced brand merger – all Tadano Group cranes will be sold exclusively under the Tadano brand name.

“That’s why this market launch is really special for us – after all, the new AC 2.040-1 is the first crane to combine the best of our two worlds with the know-how from Zweibrücken and Lauf,” All Terrain Crane Product Line VP Dr. Frank Schröder proudly points out. This also means that the AC 2.040-1 is blazing a trail that all Tadano cranes will be following in the future: It is the first crane in the new Tadano AC family. And all future models will share the same DNA with the AC 2.040-1: a standardized crane control system, cab, and technologies. At the same time, the AC 2.040-1 is part of the company’s innovation push, which will see 15 new crane models come onto the market in the next few years under the Tadano brand name. “The slogan for our one-brand strategy is Your Passion. Our DNA. As far as we’re concerned, cranes are more than just a product we sell. In addition, we also want to convey an exclusive sense of purpose and dedication: No other manufacturer is as undividedly focused on lifting equipment as we are, and this goes both for our company as a whole and for each individual member of our team. For us, ever single lift that is performed out there is just as important as it is to the customer carrying it out,” CEO Jens Ennen says while explaining the idea behind the strategy.

For the AC 2.040-1, the Tadano engineers from Lauf and Zweibrücken combined the best of both worlds. Like all future models, it features the innovative IC 1 Plus control system with automatic counterweight detection, a capacity radar, and a work area display. The system determines the crane’s lifting capacity for every boom position as a function of the superstructure’s slewing angle. This enables the AC 2.040-1 to always make use of the maximum available lifting capacity with any outrigger configuration, including asymmetrical ones. This advantage is literally maximized when combined with the Flex Base system, which makes it possible to extend the outriggers to any point within their range. In addition, the crane features the one-of-a-kind Tadano Surround View camera system, which shows both the maximum possible extension lengths for the outriggers and the counterweight tailswing radius. As a result, Tadano Surround View makes it significantly easier to optimally position the crane at work sites. In addition, the system provides assistance on the way to the work site by making it easier for crane operators to notice pedestrians and cyclists when turning. 

The crane also comes with the IC 1 Remote telematics solution, which makes efficient crane and fleet management possible and shows both the location of the AC 2.040-1 and all its operating information on the monitor. This system helps with scheduling projects and routine maintenance, ensuring that the crane will have the highest possible availability for assignments. Moreover, it can be used to read error codes so that service team members can read the corresponding data “remotely” and run fault analyses to quickly diagnose and fix problems.

The ESTA-award-winning E-Pack with its 32-kW electric motor is also optionally available and enables the AC 2.040-1 to work whisper-quiet and with zero emissions indoors and at nighttime in residential areas, for example. This makes the two-axle crane the third Tadano AC to be compatible with the E-Pack, with the two others being the AC 3.045-1 City and the AC 4.080-1. Finally, like all future Tadano cranes, it comes with the particularly ergonomic cab, previously only used on Zweibrücken produced all terrain cranes. In other words, the Tadano AC 2.040-1 indisputably fulfills the company’s promise of taking the best technology from both worlds and offering it in a single package. 

On top of this, the AC 2.040-1 offers an entire series of model-specific advantages: As a two-axle crane, it is extraordinarily compact and perfect for use at constrained work sites. The crane owes its exceptional maneuverability where space is tight to a number of factors, including its steerable rear axle with automatic programs for extremely tight radii and crab steering. Moreover, the compact design with an optimized weight also improves the new Tadano’s roadworthiness, giving it outstanding taxi crane capabilities: It can carry up to 1.1 tonnes of counterweight while staying under an axle load limit of twelve tonnes. Also, the AC 2.040-1 will not need any extra permits thanks to its EU Stage V classification, which means it fulfills the latest emission standards. In fact, its state-of-the-art Cummins engine rounds out this picture: The 310-hp (231-kW) diesel engine offers enormous power reserves that provide both low fuel consumption and a long drive train service life.

The team at Tadano is also extremely proud of the AC 2.040-1 crane’s carrier. Every single technical detail in it embodies the heavy-duty construction and high reliability for which Lauf and its carriers have always been known. This is also reflected in the company’s decision to split production responsibilities between the two locations, with superstructures to be made in Zweibrücken and carriers in Lauf in the future. “This will allow us to take full advantage of the unrivaled carrier development and manufacturing know-how of our Lauf location,” Schröder highlights. More specifically, the AC 2.040-1 delivers excellent gradeability and acceleration, as well as quiet travel operation, particularly in comparison to larger cranes – an aspect that is becoming increasingly important against the backdrop of stricter noise emission limits in urban environments, for instance. In addition, the AC 2.040-1 also features a rear storage box, which has been carried over from the successful Tadano ATF 40G. The box continues to be available with or without a wood rack and is removable. “This solution is extremely popular among our customers, and we expect it to be a fixture in all future AC developments,” Schröder announces.

In terms of its lifting performance, the Tadano AC 2.040-1 raises the bar particularly when it comes to steep boom positions: with a fully extended boom length of 35.2 meters at a radius of eight meters, it can lift loads of up to 7.6 tonnes – something that no other crane in this class can do. In addition, the enormously powerful hydraulic boom makes it possible to take care of heavy lifts involving loads of up to 31.9 tonnes without requiring any additional sheaves. “This enables the AC 2.040-1 to take care of a very broad range of lifts without carrying out time-consuming setup changes, making it both a fast and versatile machine,” says Dr. Frank Schröder. The crane also makes a compelling case when it comes to its ability to telescope under load with impressive lifting capacities. Moreover, the runner ensures fast and efficient work at work sites, and can be carried directly on the crane to the left of the main boom. Finally, if the maximum main boom length of 35.2 meters is not enough, the crane’s range can be extended with a nine-meter-long extension that can be offset by up to 40°.

Its technical characteristics, including a fully hydraulic boom, make the new Tadano AC 2.040-1 all terrain crane an extraordinarily versatile taxi crane that is quickly ready for work. The crane is a perfect solution for a wide range of assignments, including roofing projects, photovoltaic system installations, and lifting containers and work material at work sites. And when it comes to assembling and disassembling machines indoors, the zero-emission E-Pack makes it the perfect crane for the job.