FcStrato-Lift, a manufacturer of articulating arm aerial work platforms, has introduced its first scissorlift, the JRX-19. According to Bill DeAngelo, senior management for Strato-Lift, the company saw a need for a more compact machine.

"With the articulating arm design, you have an arm that holds the platform much like a waiter carries a tray," he says. "The inherent problem with this design is that, for any platform height, the length of the articulating arm is determined by that height. So the higher you need it to go, the longer the arm must be, increasing the overall length of the unit."

The JRX-19 has a width of 31 inches, a wheelbase of 52 1/2 inches and a gross weight of 2,800 pounds. These features, along with an overall retracted height of 78 1/2 inches and its high-angle turning radius, result in a highly maneuverable platform easily used within any facility, according to the company.

Another feature highlighted by the company is the JRX-19's spring-applied, hydraulically released dry disc brakes. "Many of the manufacturers use multiple disc brakes immersed in oil," DeAngelo says. "In this situation, you need more discs, and you have a potential for oil leakage. With dry disc brakes, you minimize leakage, and you can achieve greater holding power with fewer discs. Running a disc in oil is like running a car on a wet street - it's harder to stop because the wheels don't have the holding power."

The JRX-19 also features proportional controls in both travel and elevation. "Without [those], you have 'bang-bang' valves that open and close instantly," DeAngelo says. "You hit a switch and the oil flows to the lift cylinder, and you can't slow it down. It's tantamount to NASA. Therefore, it's more difficult to position the unit. With proportional controls, you meter the amount of oil from zero to full flow for more precise positioning." This "feathering" action provides infinite proportional control for easier access in confined areas, according to the company.