Month: November 2020

Deciding what piece of equipment to purchase can be a tough choice, especially when time and resources are limited. When it comes to boom trucks and knuckle boom cranes, that decision can be even more difficult due to the similar work applications and capabilities of both. While there are many reasons to choose either type of crane, it often comes down to a customer’s personal preference and intended work applications. Both boom truck and knuckle boom cranes offer distinct advantages based on their intended use.

Which Type of Crane is Right for Me?

The first step in determining which type of crane to purchase is to consider where and how you intend to use it. These truck mounted cranes can be used for multiple work applications, such as electric line maintenance and construction for both transmission and distribution infrastructure, tree trimming and removal, material delivery, and general day-trade construction use. Additionally, it’s important to understand the basic structural differences of each type of crane.

To better help you choose which crane you need, we’ll cover work applications and basic features that apply to both pieces of equipment.

Knuckle Boom Cranes

A knuckle boom crane (also known as an articulating crane) is a piece of heavy equipment designed to lift loads, handle and deliver material and conduct work at the boom tip through a variety of attachments. These cranes are created to be lightweight and highly maneuverable for maximum payload while working in tight spaces.

Telescopic Boom Trucks

A boom truck crane, or a telescoping crane, uses high-boom angles and a hoist to lift loads. These cranes are designed for strength and stability and are typically used to lift heavy loads vertically.

Work Applications

Load placement, the weight of your load and your ability to transport it are all essential factors to consider when deciding which type of crane will best fit your daily work needs.

When it comes to load placement, a knuckle boom crane can be a good choice for moving loads point to point, whereas a boom truck crane is sometimes better at moving a load vertically or up and over obstacles such as structures or trees.

If you’re considering the size and weight of a load, heavier items that need to be moved farther away are best lifted by a boom truck crane. Larger loads that need to be moved to a jobsite are best carried by a knuckle boom crane because it doesn’t have the limitation of having a boom stow over the bed.

Support from Start to Finish

Altec offers both telescoping and articulating (knuckle boom) cranes. Altec’s telescopic boom truck cranes are available direct from our factory. For knuckle boom cranes, Altec is the exclusive distributor of Effer Cranes in the US. Regardless of which type of crane is needed, we offer our customers world-class lifting solutions that are designed and manufactured to meet their needs and specifications.

At Altec, we pride ourselves on maintaining consistent relationships with our customers that continue beyond your initial purchase. From the day of your purchase through the life cycle of your equipment, Altec is here to support you every step of the way with service, financing, safety training, tools, parts, fleet management and more.

This includes:

• The Altec Service, the industry’s most extensive fleet of mobile service vehicles and technicians covering both the entire United States and parts of Canada.
• Altec Capital offers financing solutions with market expertise, industry knowledge and unparalleled quality of service.
• Altec Sentry, our technical support and training organization, Altec offers knuckle boom and boom truck service training.
• Altec Connect, a one-stop shop for ordering tools, supplies, accessories, replacement parts and more for your knuckle boom or boom truck crane.
• Altec Fleet Services provides proven fleet management solutions focusing on the objectives most important to you: Safety, Compliance, Performance and Economics.

In addition to this support, both Altec boom truck cranes and knuckle boom cranes are the safest equipment solutions in the industry. From overload protection to outrigger boom interlocks and anti-two block devices, our cranes are designed and built with safety features that help owners and operators comply with the most up-to-date OSHA safety standards.

Are you interested in seeing what an Altec boom truck or knuckle boom crane can do for your business? Call 800-958-2555 or contact an Altec representative online.

This Altec Sentry short course explains the function, testing and inspection of the Altec anti-two block system (ATB). Note: before using this system, you must complete general training and familiarization for every model of crane you will operate. Read and follow the safety and operating instructions in the operator’s manual and unit instructional placards. Follow all applicable work rules and regulations and use the required personal protective equipment.

Anti two-block or ATB systems help prevent the ball block from contacting the boom tip. This is called two-blocking and can cause injury or death as well as damage to the crane, load line and ball or block. The Altec ATB system consists of a load line weight suspended from a chain, connected to a boom tip ATB switch. The ATB switch connects to the crane’s LMAP system through a wire or battery-powered transmitter.

Two-blocking can occur by:

• Winching up too far
• Booming down
• Extending the boom without paying out enough load line

If this happens, the ATB system triggers an audible alarm and an alert on the LMAP screen. It also disables certain crane functions. Examine and test the ATB system during the pre-operational inspection and whenever it is reinstalled. Check that the cotter pins on the ATB weight and switch are secure and in good condition. The ATB chain has a quick connect link. This allows easy assembly when the crane is reconfigured for certain crane functions such as lifting personnel. During your visual inspection, ensure this quick connect link is fully closed and that the chain is the proper length. If the pins or quick connect link are damaged or inoperable, it could cause the weight to fall while the crane is in use.

To test the ATB system, slowly raise the winch until the ATB weight is lifted. Verify the LMAP anti-two block alarm activates.

Check the following control functions do not operate:

• Winch raise
• Boom lower
• Boom extend
• Rotate (on some units)

The winch lower, boom raise and boom retract functions will operate normally. To complete the test, lower the winch to turn off the alarm and LMAP two-block warning. Verify normal winch and boom functions are restored. If any deficiencies are found, remove the unit from service and contact a qualified mechanic. The anti-two block system is a critical safety component on your Altec crane. Inspecting and testing it helps prevent death, injury, or equipment damage during crane operations.

Visit Altec Sentry’s website to access operator safety and maintenance courses. For questions about Sentry training or to register for a class, email sentrypost@altec.com.

One of the first things to happen during a storm is a loss of power and communications services. What does it take to restore these services? Bucket trucks and linemen. And lots of them. Bucket trucks and their operators are the lifeblood of emergency response teams in areas affected by storms. Arriving at their work stations at all hours and in all types of weather, these linemen are true heroes.

Linemen and their Bucket Trucks

For linemen, bucket trucks (also known as aerial devices) are both a means of transportation and an office. He or she relies on this truck for their livelihood and for the livelihood of others who depend on power and phone lines to keep their lives on course.

This is especially true during the aftermath of a storm. The bucket truck is essential for emergency post-storm clean-up and restorations. Using their bucket trucks, skilled linemen can safely repair damaged structures, utility lines, signs and street lights. As line crews leave to assist with storm recovery, they are faced with many challenges, severe weather, less than ideal sleeping conditions, and physically demanding work, all while being away from family and friends for extended periods of time.

What role does Altec play in storm recovery?

At Altec, we take pride in our work. We know the equipment we manufacture and support is more than just a product; it has the potential to keep communites safe and businesses running. Each Altec associate plays a vital role in making sure our equipment is built for safe and efficient work in the field. Whether we are welding steel, assembling units, designing new safety features, or testing equipment, we work to reach higher, to build our trucks to the highest standards for the linemen that serve our communities.

In addition to our bucket trucks, Altec cranes play a vital role in storm cleanup and restoration. The cranes are used to fix broken transmission lines and lift damaged trees from homes and businesses.

When it comes to storm recovery, Altec’s Service Group stays ready to help to assist our equipment operators and owners. No matter the time or day, our team is available to offer 24/7 emergency equipment repair and maintenance services.

Supporting the Industry

We take our support of the electric utility industry seriously and work to understand the difficulties linemen face so we can continue to build a better product. We strive to keep the linemen that use our equipment safe and productive and offer our full support to them – be it the services and products we provide or listening to their unique challenges to design new solutions.

At the end of the day, our work is more than just equipment or parts. It’s helping the best way we know how – by listening and working together to make a tangible difference in the lives of both our customers and communities at large.

Are you interested to learn more about what an Altec aerial device can do for your business? Call 800-958-2555 or contact an Altec representative online.