Knuckle Boom Crane
Within Europe, Knuckle boom cranes have been extremely popular, as the streets are normally narrow. There are much greater restrictions on trucks in Europe than there are in North America as well.
Knuckle boom cranes have taken some time to break into the material handling market within North America, but these days, more contractors and more business owners are familiar with the advantages of knuckle boom cranes and hence, the demand for this particular kind of machine has increased considerably.
Advantages of Knuckle Boom Technology
An articulated crane or a knuckle boom is similar in looks to a typical crane. The main difference is that similar to a finger, the boom bends at the knuckle in the middle, hence the name. This particular equipment extends a long way but is also capable of folding down to a compact size. These are some of the advantages of using a knuckle boom rather than a stiff-boom or telescopic crane.
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The knuckle boom provides an increased payload as it is more compact and lighter to run. These cranes provide a lower profile as well. To be able to carry loads farther, a stiff-boom crane has to be extended higher. A knuckle boom provides horizontal extensions which allow it to reach longer distances at a lower height.
A telescopic crane was required more in the past to carry out many jobs. These jobs could be completed now using an articulated crane thanks to the long reaches that compete with telescopic cranes. The reach of knuckle booms has increased in the past 10 years. Some models are able to extend as long as 92 feet or 28 meters and even higher.
The precise control the operators have over their load is amongst the key advantages of the knuckle boom crane. As the loads could be positioned exactly where they are required, on the roof, on higher floors of buildings or on the ground, much greater efficiency is attained. Lastly, knuckle boom crane are easy to maneuver around tricky obstacles on a jobsite and thus, are very versatile.