40
ACT
APRIL 2015
TECHNOLOGYREPORT
REMOTE CONTROLS
D.Ann Shiffler
discusses
how remote control
operation of some
cranes canmean greater
productivity and
enhance safety.
control optionson theirnewboom
trucks,” saidRandyRobertson, director
of sales andmarketing,Manitex. “The
predominant applications arepower
line constructionandmaintenance;
sign erectionandoutdoor advertising;
telecommunications,which covers cell
towerupgrades andmaintenance; and
inoil andgas, especially in the tar sands
regionsofCanada.”
In fact, Robertson said that inparticular
cases, in some regionsofCanada it’s
mandatory that the cranesbeoperatedby
remote control.
“There are someplaces inBritish
Columbiawhere it’snot anoption for
theoperator tobe in the cabor at the
controls,”he said. “Theywant theoperator
a safedistance fromwhere the crane is
working.”
Manitexoffers remote control operation
formanyof itsmodels, including the
TC700, TC500, TC400, theGT500and the
35124C in theCMSeries and theSC130 in
theSCSeries. “Remote control operation
is especiallyoptimalwhen the crane is
working in tight quarters, suchasnext toa
building,where theoperator can standon
topof thebuildingandmake the lift,” said
Robertson. “He can lift theHVAC system
up to the topof thebuildingwherehe can
seewhere toplace it. This is also common
in theoutdoor advertising segment.”
“Manitexdesigned thenew lineofTC
Series cranes so that it’s easy toadda
remote control system,”he said, “but
more andmore customersbuy the system
when theyorder the crane.” Manitex
International, parent companyof
Manitex, recentlypurchased thePM line
of knuckleboom cranes,whichalsooffer
remote control operation.
“Remote control allows for greater
productivitywhenusingaboom truckor a
I
t’shard to imagine a craneperforming
itsworkwithout anoperator in the
cab, butmore andmore that’s the
case as remote control craneoperation
isproliferating, especially in the realm
of boom trucks, knuckleboom cranes,
tower cranes, all terrain cranes and even
telescopic crawler cranes.
“Radio remotes canbenefit almost every
jobas it empowers theoperator tobe at
theoptimumposition for loadhandling
activities,” said JustinA. Pilgrim, P.E.,
global product director, boom trucks
and industrial cranes forManitowoc’s
National brand. “If remotes are equipped
onour 23-ton800Dmodel boom truck,
this creates an idealmeans to set roofing
trussesbyallowing theoperator tobe
closer to theworkerspositioning the
trusseson thebuilding, asopposed to
communicatingvia radioorhand signals,
for example.”
Remote control operation is suited for a
growing list of boom truckapplications.
“We seemore customerswanting remote
knuckleboom crane,”Robertson said.
TerexCraneshas also seenmore interest
in remote control operatedboom trucks.
DavidKuhlman, senior salesmanager,
TerexCranes, said that customers are
interested in remote control systems for
the19 through30-ton capacityboom
truckmodels in the shorterboom lengths.
“Theyareprimarilyusedwhena load
riggingperson isnot available, and
remote control is alsoused forplace,
set and install applications, suchas
miningoperations formaintenanceof
Beyond
the cab
control
Radio remotes can benefit almost every job
as it empowers the operator to be at the
optimum position for load handling activities.
