The knuckle boom crane is quite similar to a typical crane with one key difference. The boom could fold back similar to a finger. In essence, the boom articulates at the "knuckle" near the center. This allows the machinery to be able to transform into a compact size for storage and maneuvering.
Knuckle boom crane arms are somewhat a bit lighter than boom truck cranes. These crane arms are made to enable more payloads to be carried on the back of the vehicle it is mounted on. Nearly all knuckle boom cranes are mounted at the back of the cab. This leaves the whole bed of the truck empty.
Interestingly enough, smaller types of knuckle boom cranes can be used without a licensed crane operator, so long as the maximum capacity is less than 15,000 pounds or if the maximum boom length is less than 25 feet long.
Control systems for these cranes are normally different. Some could control from the ground, radio remote control, stand up and seated control. The radio remote systems are capable of running the crane and starting it. Furthermore, numerous models come outfitted with a computer readout system which provides system readouts immediately reporting if the crane is overloaded or not.
Personnel Lifts
Snorkel Personnel Lifts are designed for facilities maintenance professionals and contractors. These lifts are portable, affordable, lightweight work platforms made for interior use. The patented Girder Lock mast design by Snorkel delivers superb flexibility and excellent reach. This system, used in the UL Series, offers great lift capacity.
The Snorkel PAM Series and UL Series Personnel lifts have been designed and built in order to be easy for one person to operate. These machines could be transported easily. They can easily be pushed into position smoothly and pass through a standard sized doorway. These lifts can be erected in minutes and being able to provide working heights of up to 46 feet, they are an efficient alternative to scaffold towers.