PRESS RELEASE

PALFINGER High Performance for maximum comfort and safety

¨         Crane technology at its finest

¨         Intelligent control technologies

¨         Maintenance-free extension boom system

¨         Complex safety system

¨         Functional design for greater comfort and safety.

PALFINGER is the undeniable technology leader in the knuckle boom crane market. There are very good reasons for this: Well above-average commitment to the field of research and development has always been a tradition at PALFINGER and guarantees products that are state of the art in crane technology. The new High Performance crane range is impressive due to numerous comfort and safety functions which make the user''''s everyday work easier.

Increasingly high demands are also being placed on hydraulic equipment and lifting systems in respect of automation, operating comfort, ergonomics and intelligent control technologies.  PALFINGER faces up to this challenge with intelligent implementation in its products. Functional design elements and finger-tip controls increase working comfort and make everyday use easier.

With the help of sophisticated control technologies it is possible to employ enormous forces to achieve pinpoint accuracy using a finger-tip touch. A range of crane functions can be switched on and off by means of PALFINGER''''s radio remote control system: The PALTRONIC 50, the active oscillation system (AOS) and the high power lifting system (E-HPLS) plus other additional functions may be activated via the radio remote control system. The interaction of PALTRONIC 50 and PALFINGER''''s radio remote control system allows the crane to be used to its best advantage in respect of lifting power and outreach taking all safety aspects into account.

The PALTRONIC 50 (PAL 50) monitors and controls crane functions by means of electronic data transfer. Following from complex special applications for railway cranes (PAL 100 and PAL 200), PALFINGER developed the PAL 50 as a customized electronic safety system for the series-production crane. The reliability of the PALTRONIC 50 is based on a decade of experience in the use of electronic systems. The PALTRONIC 50 meets all the requirements of the EN 12999 crane standard.

The active oscillation system (AOS) available exclusively from PALFINGER compensates impacts and severe load changes which occur due to operation of the crane. It is possible due to the lack of oscillations to work more accurately, considerably faster and thus more cost-effectively. This is a huge advantage with large outreaches and when moving heavy loads.

The "Electronic High Power Lifting System" (E-HPLS) reduces the working speed as required and increases the lifting power. The reduced speed also enables precise and delicate positioning of sensitive loads. The load-sensing characteristic of the control valve enables multiple controllability, i.e. several crane functions can be operated at once.

PALFINGER is clearly setting the signals for ease of maintenance and environmental protection with the maintenance-free extension boom system. The use of sliding elements made from special synthetic material combined with time-tested KTL cataphoretic dip painting means that the operator no longer needs to service the boom system.

PALFINGER products move tremendous amounts of material and thus bear a huge responsibility for the safety of all those involved. With numerous features ensuring safety on the crane, PALFINGER not only meets the prescribed requirements of the statutory guidelines but clearly lies above average among its competitors with its safety equipment and its acceptance procedures.

PALFINGER cranes are equipped as standard with bubble levels on the control panel for horizontal alignment of the crane and vehicle, optionally with a transport position monitor for the boom system and for the crane''''s stabilizer support in addition to the patented manual outrigger safety system referred to as the INTERLOCK system.

Other devices that contribute to operational safety are an acoustic warning at an outreach of 12 metres, slew angle dependent lifting capacity limitation specifically for front-mounted cranes and limitation of the slewing range during operations performed from the standing platform.

PALFINGER offers its customers a complex safety system combined with sophisticated control technology. Efficient overload indication is guaranteed with the help of PALFINGER radio remote control. In addition to the standard functions of a conventional radio remote control system, PALFINGER also offers a remote control console with a display to indicate the level of the crane''''s capacity utilization or overload. PALFINGER has not only mounted the overload indicator directly on the console but also an indicator displaying the relevant utilization level of the crane''''s own capacity. An overload situation of the additional knuckle boom or the cable winch for example is also displayed. Regardless of the distance from which the crane is controlled, the display incorporated in the control panel continuously provides the crane operator with information regarding the load utilization situation.

The ISC integrated stability control provides the crane operator with maximum stability during crane operations even where space is restricted.

Functional design for greater comfort and safety. Covers of synthetic material and hydraulic hoses located on the inside are not only more pleasing visually but serve first and foremost to protect both the operator and the crane system. Covers of synthetic material protect sensitive crane parts against dirt and damage. As a result, they decrease the cost and effort of servicing and maintenance and considerably increase the truck-mounted crane''''s service life. It is possible to enhance the crane''''s value enormously by using premium-quality, highly-resistant synthetic materials, which can be used in the temperature range from -40 °C to +80 °C. The control panels are light and easy to dismantle for maintenance and servicing.

LEDs which backlight the control panel make it easier to read off the machine functions and provide the crane driver with a rapid overview of the entire panel during the working process. The integrated tilt display and the redesigned load carrying plate on the crane, which is matched individually to each crane model, provides the operator with a perfect view directly from the control panel. LED warning lights on the supporting cylinders mean greater safety for crane operator and passers-by. The established spiral hose for protecting the hydraulic hoses has now become standard for all PALFINGER cranes from this point on. The larger stabilizer plates of the supporting cylinders are movable and enable better adaptation to the ground surface.