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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2014
access
INTERNATIONAL
SCISSORS
Powering up
Manufacturers are
developing their electric
scissorswith advanced
battery technology,
aswell as combining
their advantages in new
hybrid products.
Euan
Youdale
reports.
E
lectric scissors are amainstay in
access equipment fleets.Genie offers
15GS electric scissors in its range
and it plans to launch a new one soon.All
Genie electric scissors useFloodedLead
Acid (FLA) batteries as standard or optional
AbsorbentGlassMat (AGM) batteries.
“Geniemonitors the changes in the battery
and electric power sources technology and
evaluates the performance versus cost impact
to our customers,”saysMarkPowell, product
manager,TerexAWP,which owns theGenie
brand. “The standardFLA batteries continue
to serve verywell inmostAWP applications.
For certain applications or customer
preference,AGM batteries are optionally
available.”
JLG introduced the 1932RS and 3248RS
electric lifts inFebruary 2012 and offers three
lines of electric scissors: theESSeries,RS
Series andLESeries.Products include 4 x
6V, 220 amp-hour, either lead acid or optional
AGM batteries.CoreyRaymo, JLG’s category
director for scissors, says there are a fewnew
products in theworks that will incorporate
what it has learned through recent customer
input.More information about themwill be
available soon.
“In recent years,AGM batteries have grown
in popularity because they aremaintenance
AGM batteries become an industry standard,
with lithium-ion technology being a value-
added option.Large lithium-ion batteries
are still rather expensive, but as with other
technologies, this is likely to change over
time,”addsMr Raymo.
In general terms, rental companies are
increasing the number of electric scissors
compared to five years ago, saysMr Powell.
“Rental companies are responding to the
demands of their customers where noise
and emissions are becoming an issue. Indoor
applications would naturally require electric
onlymachines.”
AsMr Powell goes on to explain, in outdoor
applications, especially in urban environments
where noise and emission regulations are
becoming increasingly strict, electric only,
machines that can be either electric or internal
combustion, or a combination of both, are
preferred.
According to JLG, the percentage of electric
scissors in any given rental fleet depends on
the applications common to thosemarkets.
“If a region is in an emergingmarket, their
initial fleetsmay includemore rough terrain
free,while lead acid batteries are not,”saysMr
Raymo.
“Lead acid batteries have to bemonitored
so that water levels remain sufficient and the
battery cells don’t begin to burn out.Moving
forward, it would not be surprising to see
JLG’s 1932RS
scissor.
Skyjack has sold 1060 electric scissors and vertical masts to Speedy Hire, based in the UK. The order is part
of Speedy’s access equipment replacement and expansion programme, meaning its oldest machinewas
manufactured in 2013. Andy Connor, supply chain director at Speedy, said, “With energy costs increasing on
a daily basis sowewant the latest products on themarket, both in terms of sustainability and innovation.”
Themajority of Speedy’s order includes enhanced 24v SkyjackDC electric scissorswithworking heights
from 19 ft to 32 ft. Also included in the order are 24v DC electric vertical mast lifts, offering 12 ft or 16 ft
working heights. Speedy also ordered some diesel-powered SJ 6832RT scissor liftswith aworking height
of 32 ft, marking the first time Speedy has invested in diesel-powered access equipment.
In other news, Skyjackwas promoting its newSJ 6832RTE rough terrain electric scissor and its newDC
motor controller technology for scissor lifts at Platformers’ Days inGermany, which took place in September.
The devicemanages theDC electricmotor that
drives the scissor platforms, delivering only the
power required to complete each operation. This
improves performancewithout overcomplicating the
machine’s design. It also offers longer battery life,
lower energy consumption, bettermanoeuvrability
and quieter operation.
SPEEDYWORK
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