Here in Australia, many in the tree industry have now seen the benefits of the spider lift; a machine concept that offers versatility, accessibility and transportability all rolled into one. With around 10 brands now available in Australia, the options presented can be confusing.
We are all looking for the most versatile of spider lifts, the machine that can offer the most and cover all your needs and more. There are many aspects to consider when deciding what makes the best in design, and this will relate to each of the height classes. Ideally, the best spider lift should be a highperformance machine in all aspects of specifications.
Selecting a spider lift
Following is the breakdown of the major areas to consider when overviewing spider lifts:
Configuration
• This can make or break a machine’s performance
• The most practical of configurations are the Double Articulated Parallelogram or ZED-style lower-boom systems with an upper telescopic. The reason for this is that you receive more versatility and a larger work envelope. The best machines will not be weight regulated on their outreach.
The true ZED is a more compact design that provides
• Zero tail swing
• Superior up-and-over capability
• A fuller working envelope
• The ability to vertically raise and lower, making aerial positioning more natural and up to two-and-a-half times faster than arching movements.
An actual ZED provides one single action to raise the lower booms vertically to full height, giving maximum outreach at 2m throughout the entire work envelope. This reduces set-up times and provides more utilisable work area.
A design that is not weight regulated with its outreach is preferred, as the maintenance of electronic governances is a common problem among owners. A superior fixed 200kg work envelope is excellent for reliability.
Other benefits to look for in the boom design
• Clean booms with all the hydraulic and electrical services housed within, to avoid hook-ups and damages
• A fly jib is essential for versatility out on the edge of the working envelope.
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Accessibility
The more compact the machine, the better for access. The width of the machine obviously plays a factor here, and 800mm is the mark for total access versatility in this area. When it comes to gradability, one cannot compromise stability. The longer and wider the track, the better stability, especially considering spider lifts are top-heavy. 31-per-cent gradability is a good target to aim for when looking at tracked access machines.
Compact dimensions and weight
An innovative tight boom design allows for better accessibility and functionality in tighter work areas. The lighter the machine, the less impact it would have in sensitive areas, both internally and externally, not to mention allowing for an easier and more cost-effective approach to transport.
Site Set
Combining competitively sized footprints with zero tail swing design is an essential part of versatility for those tighter work areas.
Electronics
As with most machines these days, there are many electronics involved. Spiders are renowned for their issues in this area. Standards Australia’s 1418.10:2011 regulations call for the electronic protection of the machine’s stability to ensure operator safety. With smarter design we can eliminate many of the problematic electrical issues that plague these lifters, such as the outreach limiting systems, that do catch out even the technicians. Single-control stations also eliminate the problem of integrating two separate stations, in turn reducing electrical interface problems (all regulations call for the electronic protection of the machine’s stability to ensure operator safety). The best idea here is to ‘keep it simple’, as today the only safe position to control a machine at heights is from the basket.
Overall
When looking at the performance specifications of a spider lift overall, we must determine if it carries the attributes that we need. Just selecting one aspect that is appealing would not be an active, informed choice.
One manufacturer has taken into account all of these requirements and more for lifts up to 27m.
To date, CTE is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of EWPs, with a production of more than 1000 aerial platforms per year, and with a network of dealers in more than 100 different countries.
Before CTE began to design and build in this market 16 years ago, it approached the major spider-lift sub-hirers in the UK and Europe. These companies own, operate and hire all the machines available.
trust for sales, backup and support.
With the experts help, CTE went about designing what were to be the best machines available in the highly utilised 13.5m, 17m, 20m, 23m and 27m hire classes. It went about this by using product knowledge and experience, and the result was a new design in each class to outperform all others, increased performance and reliability, and lower maintenance costs – thus the CTE Traccess range was born.
CTE Traccess is the design that has surpassed all others as the most versatile in their classes, due to their uncompromised approach to performance. They offer a 17m lift that outperforms most 18m and 19m machines, with a low tare weight and simplified electronic systems. CTE’s 20m and 23m spider can pass through a doorway, and has up to 12m of outreach. These machines fulfil all the elements discussed above that a superior spider lift requires to be the best access solution on the market up to 27m.
The Lift group can also offer a full range of steel-framed trailers to suite all CTE models, keeping weight down to below 3.5 tonnes for Lift products up to the 20m model.
Lift also provides a full range of non-insulated and insulated vehicle-mounted EWPs ranging from 10m to 60m working heights. During over 18 years of experience manufacturing these units at depots in Queensland, Lift has learned from customers and offers packages to suit all requirements within the arbor industry.
If you need to work at height and are looking for a quality machine to work with, call the Lift Group and talk to one of the experts to help secure the machine that fits your needs.
For more information, contact CTE’s exclusive dealer in Australia, Lift Industries, on 1800 882 762, sales@liftindustries. com.au or visit www.platformsales.com.au.