There are as many aerial work platform innovations as there are companies in the business. Manufacturers continue to develop new technologies that make lift equipment more versatile and easier to service. Some examples include all-hydraulic high-reach booms that eliminate extension chains; elimination of jacks to extend axles; advanced electronic control systems for better machine operating diagnostics; improved articulation joints for three-dimensional jib boom movement; new boom geometry for faster boom deployment; electric-drive systems that provide hydraulic-like drive while extending time between battery recharges; and high-strength steels resulting in lighter booms.
UpRight has introduced an industry first with its SB80 high-reach boom with the Power-Out extendible-axle design. The SB80 has hydraulic cylinders in both the front and rear axles that can extend or retract while the machine is driven.
In restricted areas, the axles can be extended or retracted by driving the machine back and forth in as little as 5 feet in each direction. The Power-Out system eliminates having to lift the chassis off the ground with hydraulic jacks to deploy the axles and the related problem of jacks' not lifting in soft terrain. On the SB80, the company says, the axles can be extended in as little as 10 seconds without the operator leaving the platform versus the three to 10 minutes required with other machines.
The SB80's hydraulic design is unique with three boom sections that extend by using two synchronously linked hydraulic cylinders in the middle boom section. Chains and cables, with their attendant maintenance problems and tendency of fouling, have been eliminated. Not only is there less wear-and-tear, but repairs can be done without disassembling the entire boom, the company says.
Snorkel raised the bar on electric-powered articulating booms' control systems with its 1998 introduction of the Controller Area Network protocol technology.
The CAN/bus system, originally developed for the automobile industry, is built around operator controls,microprocessors, sensors and their connections - referred to as "bus" - to manage all of a machine's functions. The system has proven to be reliable and provides ease of maintenance because it uses only two wires to connect the various components, the company says.
Snorkel's CAN/bus technology, called the Guardian System, offers operating simplification and better operator feedback, the company says. Boom control is achieved via a single joystick and touch-pad controls with raised switches for easy operation. Trouble-shooting and repair are also easier than using the older multi-wire systems, the company says.
Snorkel also incorporated LED digital displays designed to monitor machine functions and instantly alert the operator with error codes.
JLG Industries has since introduced its own series of electric-powered articulating boomlift controls on its E300 Series that also use CAN/bus technology and incorporate a diagnostic port at the ground control station that a distributor can plug into to get a complete readout of a machine's functions, the company says.
E300 machines also have "personality settings" that allow for customized operating speed of the machine for particular applications. For instance, if used to do delicate work, the machine can be programmed to operate slower. For an application where the operator has to go up and down frequently, it can be set to operate more quickly.
The faster a boom elevates or retracts, the more effective the operator can perform on the job and the greater range of movement it has.
JLG's Model E300AJ has an articulated boomlift with an articulating jib boom, which provides access to places other machines can't reach, the company says. It has vertical rotation from a nearly straight up position at plus 86 degrees from horizontal to minus 55 degrees below horizontal, a total range of 141 degrees.
Another machine in the E300 Series incorporates the JibPLUS feature, which uses hydraulically powered helical gears to rotate the jib horizontally through a 180-degree path. This means that the boom has a work envelope where the upper boom can move the jib and platform through a confined opening, the company says. Then the jib boom can rotate both horizontally and vertically giving the platform a three-dimensional workspace, which is especially useful in hard-to-reach overhead locations.
On its larger 800 Series, JLG's QuikStik feature reduces the time needed to raise or lower the boom by using a new geometry called the upright link, which is the connecting link between the riser and the tower booms. It also incorporates a more powerful hydraulic cylinder and a load-sensing pump to power it.
The pump has significantly greater efficiency so its hydraulic fluid doesn't require a large reservoir or external cooling system, the company says. Even though the QuikStik feature uses a larger cylinder to raise the boom, the pump eliminates the need for any increase in engine power. It is rated at 15 percent greater energy efficiency than piston pumps and 30 percent over gear pumps.
Because of the power of the new load-sensing pump, three boom functions can be undertaken simultaneously, the company says. The boom sections can operate simultaneously for faster deployment, and the platform can be lowered to the ground while the tower boom is still fully raised and extended.
Rapid boom deployment may not be a benefit to all users, but when an operator has to go up and down several times an hour, the time wasted can be considerable. The new QuikStik booms reach maximum extension in 50 seconds, while other products take two minutes to reach their full height, the company says. Those other products take even longer while descending since each boom section must retract completely before the next section begins, the company says.
Saving time is important on a jobsite; so is operator comfort. Therefore, finding a machine that operates smoothly is essential. Snorkel's ATB Series of articulating booms features three battery-powered machines that use two DC motors on the drive wheels fitted with speed sensors and a closed-loop speed control with a microprocessor to regulate power. The system makes the units feel and operate like a hydraulic machine, rather than an electric one, the company says.
The microprocessor automatically matches machine speed to that signaled by the position on the joystick so that motor torque is automatically increased under heavy loads such as driving up a hill, the company says. Conversely, on downgrades, torque is reduced or reversed to maintain command speed.
With speed sensors on both drive wheels, the electric-drive system also balances the inside and outside wheels so speed is maintained while turning either direction without tire skidding, the company says.
Another feature of the Snorkel electric-drive system is "regenerative braking," which is designed to reduce energy waste and extend battery-operating time. When the brakes are applied, the two drive motors become generators, converting the machine's energy of motion into electricity that recharges the batteries. Not only is battery life extended, but component life is as well, the company says.
Effective traction control is essential to enhancing operator performance and safety. The two rear-drive wheels on JLG's E300 Series lifts are each powered by an electric motor and work independently for improved traction on uneven surfaces for driving out of holes or over curbs, the company says. They perform like a limited slip differential on an automobile.
A special innovation of traction control is its anti-rollback feature. Power sent to the drive motors as the brake is released is designed to prevent the machine from rolling backwards when on an incline. This is an advantage for distributor delivery or pickup when the machine must be driven on the ramp of a truck bed. Now the driver can stop and reverse or go forward if there is a problem loading or unloading a machine.
A lighter machine is also advantageous in the loading process and maneuvering around a jobsite. With new high-strength steel introduced by JLG, less steel is needed to maintain the integrity of the booms, making them significantly lighter. Snorkel uses high-strength aluminum alloy extrusions to achieve weight reduction with less deflection than steel booms. In both cases, lower boom weight translates to greater reach with less counterweight needed in the base.
New technologies, new designs and new components add up to one important factor for rental centers - the use and demand for aerial work platforms will continue to grow. Thanks to the creativity of manufacturers and their engineers, the new machines are more versatile, easier to use and provide ease of service. As potential customers discover the utility of booms, they will perpetuate the expansion of the market and introduce others to the many advantages of using aerial work platforms.
