Knuckle boom cranes: elegantly articulated

With the opportunity for original equipment manufacturers to showcase their latest product ranges to the rest of the world at the triennial Bauma trade show in Germany it’s perhaps no surprise that there are plenty of new articulating crane products (also known as knuckle boom cranes) on the market.

Hyva Edge Line knuckle boom cranes

Some manufacturers took the opportunity to launch complete crane series, such as Netherlands-founded hydraulic crane maker Hyva, which used the show as a platform to showcase its new Edge Line series. The series comprises up to 40 crane models ranging from 9 to 66 tonne-metres with five boom configurations available. Telescopic models are designated as the HT series. HB denotes basic articulated models. HC series models have a double linkage. HC-K models have a short retractive secondary boom to lift heavy loads close in to the column. The fifth configuration is continuous slewing and as many as eight extensions can be specified, depending on the model.

Edge Line cranes incorporate stability control systems and load limiting devices, while a Magic Touch function can automatically fold and unfold the crane.

Hyva offers an extended warranty of three years overall and, specifically on structural elements, it is five years.

“The Edge Line represents an important milestone for Hyva,” said Davide Catellani, line of business director, cranes. “We’re committed to the delivery of first-class products that meet the needs of our customers and partners and help them grow their business. The Edge Line reflects Hyva’s core values of innovative engineering, robustness, light weight, ergonomics and aesthetics which perfectly match the latest automotive design trends, and – ultimately – adds continuity and value to truck investment.”

Hyva sister brand Kennis showed an electrically driven roll loader crane called E-Power. Kennis claims the crane offers better energy efficiency and no engine exhaust or noise pollution. Light and heavy-duty versions will be available, each with stationary plug-in or on-board mobile charging options.

According to Kennis, it developed the articulating boom truck mounted crane in response to customer requirements and market trends for increased sustainability. Instead of a diesel engine driving a hydraulic pump the Kennis E-Power uses an electric motor (with a battery pack), an electronic control system to optimise the power supply and a display showing the battery status.

The system is an MRT Powertrain system from Italian electric mobility solutions developer IET. IET also supplied a high-density battery pack with thermal management. Operation is possible with the truck engine switched off, making it suitable for urban areas, for night work and for indoor use, says Kennis.

New loader cranes by Palfinger

Another company with a large number of new loader cranes on display at Bauma 2019 was Austrian hydraulic loader crane manufacturer Palfinger, with the company announcing ten new TEC models and five new SLD models for 2019.

The company describes its TEC cranes as being best-suited to specialised crane operations, while the SLD models are more for everyday operations. TEC range cranes have a teardrop-shaped, polygonal P profile, while SLD range cranes have an extension boom system with a conventional hexagonal profile.

The TEC cranes range between 25-37 tonne metres and four of the ten new models will have a continuous slewing system. The new PK 37.002 TEC 7 and PK 30.002 TEC 7 models are equipped with Palfinger’s Mext and Tool assistance and comfort systems and can be operated using Palfinger’s PALcom P7 radio remote control. In the TEC 5 line-up, the PK 35.502 TEC 5 and PK 28.502 TEC 5 models have a selection of assistance systems, and radio remote control also comes as standard.

The new models in the TEC range have an outreach of up to 21.6 metres, which can be extended using a fly jib. Palfinger has also developed two new P profile fly jibs - the PJ090 and the PJ075 - which can be used with all new TEC 5 and TEC 7 models.

Palfinger’s six new TEC rack and pinion slewing cranes will be launched over the course of 2019. The TEC 3, TEC 5 and TEC 7 will all have a slewing angle of 410°, says Palfinger.

The five new SLD cranes range between 20–25 tonne metre class. The most basic model is the PK 21.501 SLD 1, which is a manually-controlled crane without overload protection or CE certification. The PK 21.501 SLD 3 has the same lifting capacity as the SLD 1 but has a Paltronic 40 control system, making it CE-compliant. The PK 22.501 SLD 3 is Palfinger’s second non-CE market crane; it has a manually-controlled high-power lifting system. The PK 24.001 SLD 5 has Palfinger’s A HPLS system to increase lifting capacity when required. It is also equipped with radio remote control as standard. The PK 24.001 SLD 6 is the top of the range and is the first SLD model to be available with Palfinger’s state-of-the-art Paltronic 150 electronic control system.

Palfinger also displayed a PK 18502 SH loader crane. This crane can be operated with a plug-in electric drive as well as fully autonomously with a battery pack, which can in turn be supplied either by the power grid or via a generator.

More new articulating loader cranes for 2019

Italian articulating loader crane manufacturer Fassi debuted the F345RB six-extension medium-duty crane at Bauma 2019. The crane’s boom is decagonal in shape and is part of the 33 tm lifting category. It is part of Fassi’s XE-dynamic series models with continuous slewing.

It comes with a full array of electro-hydraulic controls including Automatic Dynamic Control, a D850 digital hydraulic distributor, an RCH/RCS radio control unit, an FX500 control unit, Fassi Stability Control, and Crane Position Monitoring, amongst others.

The crane has a decagonal extension boom which Fassi says allows the boom’s thickness, and thus the crane’s overall weight, to be reduced. It also says the decagonal boom results in a better distribution of forces between the guide shoe and the beam. It also enables maintenance of the guide shoes without removing the arms or adjusting the side runners.

Two more models, in the 29 tm and 31 tm categories, will follow, Fassi says.

Italian brand Effer has announced it will launch a new light range of cranes. The first will be the 105 and the 120, followed by more models in the 6-11 mt capacity range over the next year. Effer is also actively promoting its R.A.C.E. (Remote Assistance Control Effer) connectivity system which, in addition to displaying full crane data, enables remote access and remote assistance to be available to the operator.

Danish-founded loader crane specialist HMF was demonstrating its new 7020 and 9520 models, which replace the 6020 and 8520 respectively. The 7020 has a capacity of 50 tonne-metres and the 9520 has a capacity of 75 tonne metres.

With eight extensions the 9520K8-RCS model can lift lifts 2,860 kg at a horizontal outreach of 20.1 metres. The 7020K8-RCS with eight extensions lifts 2,050 kg at a maximum horizontal outreach of 20.4 m. Fly jibs are available on both.

New features include: PowerHoist – which, on winch-equipped cranes, winds in the wire rope as the crane folds in; PowerSwing – which proportionally distributes hydraulic oil so that outrigger functions can be operated at the same time; and PowerDisplay - a new colour screen.

A new two-speed slewing system offers better speed control and more precise positioning, the Danish manufacturer said.

And finally, German hydraulic loader crane and excavator manufacturer Atlas has launched the N series of models for sale outside Europe. Designed to be simpler, they have no electronics and only enough basic electrics to allow the addition of a radio remote control system. The N-Series versions available to date are 57N, 88N, 116N, 152N, 186N and 292N.

The company has also launched a new construction crane: the 262V ST. It is a 26 tonne-metre model available in A11, A12, A13 and A14 versions aimed at the brick and block market in Germany.

Existing behind-the-cab models 256.3 and 226.3 have been redesigned and updated, saving up to 400 kg in weight per crane over their predecessors, Atlas said. Part of the change is that there is more folded steel and fewer welds, the structure has been optimised using finite element analysis and there is more use of 900 grade high strength steel. They have different electronics and there is a higher level of safety, Atlas said.