As far as the design goes,with newer computerised CAD and such ,a 100years of R&D can happen in less than one year.Heck there are free programs out there than can allow you the freedom to build and test your own designs.No longer is a mock up required to do the R&D..
If I remember correctly the Liebherr LTM1160/2 was the first crane that was conceived,tested,and prototyped before a single piece of steel plate was cut. When the first one rolled of the line it did exactly what the computer model's said it would do,and better.



As for the steel ,Given China's proximity to India and Bangladesh..two major ship breaking area's,combined with the influx of less than garbage scrap ships due to the current global economic situation ,the quality of the steel can almost be guaranteed before it even hits the blast furnace.
a guy could order a load of shaft, by the 1000's of tons, mild steel by the 1000's of tons, stainless ,brass and copper again by the 1000's of tons

About all that be needed is a hand full of nickle or chromium to get the steel you want really cheap.
So the idea of turning rusty tin cans into car's or cranes isn't what China is doing today ,China has access to some of the finest re-claimed steel and metals on the planet,and the fuel to refine it all.

China is the worlds economic super power in waiting ,China is just groomimg itself for the part.We in the west are quickly becomming the old country .

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Q-Ball a wolf in Jesus skin ---the sorcerer of reasonable commentary





I smile & wave

Sometimes I think life is just a rodeo,
The trick is to ride and make it to the bell.

When a country is expanding its exports and building a bigger economy, it needs to develop the tools to do the job, just like the US did during the industrial revolution and other times of growth, same with any other country or area....

What you see with the big cranes and much of the industrial developement is economy of scale... Bigger machines to lift bigger items, bigger plants to produce more.. and less of them... Its always that way. China does NOT have a problem with inferior products.... the stuff they build will get better and better, and they use the best for themselves for awhile and as markets grow outside they will begin to export them also.
The problem with much of the world nowdays is the "not in my back yard syndrome"... you can not build ANYTHING now days without someone protesting it. If you want to see big crane like these being built in large numbers in the USA, then all we have to do is quit listening to all the whining tree huggers and liberal elites.