Knuckle Boom Cranes
The knuckle boom crane is a well-known crane type in Australia, and many construction companies use the knuckle boom crane for different kinds of projects. The knuckle boom crane is actually a truck with a crane part mounted at the rear end of the truck behind the cabin of the operator, leaving almost the entire back of the truck empty for additional loads. It consists of a two-part mother boom that has two knuckle sections for articulating, so the boom can fold back just like a finger. The knuckle boom crane has a telescopic section boom that extends and retracts from the second knuckle section. Also, it has a hook that can be raised and lowered both from the first and the second knuckle section. The hook is most commonly located at the boom end and has two folding points. For increased stability, the knuckle boom cranes use outriggers.
The knuckle boom crane is a compact machine and does not require a lot of space for storing and maneuvering. The arms of this crane are light in weight and are able to carry extremely heavy loads. In terms of usual crane controls and features, the knuckle boom crane includes seat control, radio remote control and control from the ground. Also, some models of knuckle boom cranes include a computer readout system. It is a system that reads the load of each weight and instantly alerts the operator if the knuckle boom crane is overloaded.
Usually, the knuckle boom cranes do not include a winch mechanism like the straight boom cranes. When the crane is heavily used for lifting heavy loads, the hydraulic cylinders are under big pressure and may break down. Also, the wear and tear of the knuckle boom crane is greater, due to the double folding points as opposed to the single folding point of the straight boom crane. The straight boom crane minimizes the motion of the mechanical parts, the servicing and the owning costs. Additionally, the compact design of the knuckle boom crane makes it better to place the crane behind the cabin of the operator, unlike the straight boom crane that does not allow protrusion from both sides.
It is evident that both straight boom crane and knuckle boom crane have own advantages and disadvantages. The choice of which truck mounted crane to use depends on the nature of your work and applications.
