With an emphasis on the middle range of its product line, Iowa Mold Tooling Co. Inc. (IMT), Garner, Iowa, has made significant upgrades to its knuckleboom cranes. All but five of the company’s 22 models are new or improved. The product line now ranges from model 2.5/18, which has a maximum lift capacity of 1,740 pounds, to model 72/516, with a 35,405-pound maximum rating at a radius of 14'5".
“We have added new models and reclassified many of our current models with new ratings to reflect their true capabilities,” says John Cheshier, director of material handling for IMT. Asked why the product line was expanded so extensively, Cheshier says: “We recognize that the marketplace wants as many crane choices as possible to ensure an exact fit for each customer’s specific lift and reach task.”
One of the most significant changes to the lineup is the addition of mid-range cranes with Single Link (SL) or Dual Link (DL) options for the boom. Available on eight models, the linkage systems are designed to provide the most efficient lifting capacity for the application, giving buyers flexibility in specifying a model that best meets their typical lifting application. The Single Power Plus Link arm system provides high lifting capacity when the boom is fully extended. In contrast, the Dual Power Plus Link arm system offers the best lifting capacity under all conditions.
Another new feature found throughout IMT’s knuckleboom line is over-bending, which means the working area between the main boom and the jib is no less than 195°. User input was central to the development of the over-bending feature, which provides greater flexibility when working in narrow passages and under overhead power lines. It also decreases the total height of the crane when the boom is stowed over the deck area.
According to Cheshier, IMT wanted to broaden its product offering to meet the needs of a greater number of applications. “Although the main goal of this new product line is to offer more crane choices, we also incorporated state-of-the-art components that reduce weight while maintaining crane strength and decrease potential maintenance costs through the life of the crane,” he says.
The cranes will make their public debut at the International Construction and Utility Equipment Expo (ICUEE), to be held Oct. 6-8, 2009, in Louisville, Ky. You can read more about IMT’s knuckleboom product line in the June issue of Crane Hot Line or find it online in the June digital issue.
Lift & Access is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.
