9 tips for choosing a manipulator: rent or buy

Transporting cargo of various sizes often requires careful but quick loading onto a vehicle using a crane. But service customers do not always have the desire to pay separately for loading and for the vehicle for transportation. In this case, an indispensable option is a car equipped with a special boom. That is why most often a manipulator is ordered to deliver oversized cargo relatively cheaply and in complete safety. Read more about loading and unloading operations and transportation using a manipulator in today’s article.

Peculiarities

To organize the transportation of objects and structures using a manipulator, it is worth knowing what kind of vehicle it is. A manipulator (or CMU) is a flatbed truck equipped with a special boom (mini crane) for performing manipulations with loading and unloading cargo. CMUs are in great demand among many transport companies, as they have an impressive carrying capacity (about 15 tons) and allow loading and unloading work to be performed faster, but with lower financial costs. Using the CMU, they most often transport:

• garages;
• cabins;
• cars;
• long structures;
• building materials;
• mail containers.

Of course, the list of luggage is not limited to the stated items; it all depends on the capabilities of the manipulator.

To deliver to KMU, you must consider:

1. Load capacity. Depending on the type of luggage being transported, in most transport organizations you can choose a vehicle that matches the cargo capacity (from 3 to 25 tons). This is most relevant in the case when large or heavy objects and structures are to be transported.
2. Arrow flight. The distance to which the boom of the CMU lift extends is important. This function is noted as one of the most important when choosing a vehicle. Reach length is the maximum distance from the vehicle that a load can be lifted. In some varieties this length reaches 20 meters.
3. Body dimensions. Length, width, height of sides. When transporting materials for construction, timber, and agricultural products, length and height are very important. When delivering large or heavy loads or mounted structures, the width of the body, or rather its numerical value, is required.
4. Type of move. Depending on the terrain where the use of a crane is required, the type of travel influences. Wheeled or tracked. In conditions of poor traffic or timber extraction, caterpillar transport is relevant. Of course, such cars are most often found in mountainous regions and Siberia.
5. Patency. Some regions require delivery of necessary goods or materials across the water surface. In small quantities, but still there are CMU amphibians capable of moving both on land and on water.

Knowing the exact parameters helps you choose transport for the cargo to be transported much faster and more efficiently. An equally important point when preparing a vehicle for a trip is its type.

What are CMUs used for?

With the help of such machines, you can easily, for example, transport your garage from one place to another, or transport a finished timber bathhouse to your summer cottage. A manipulator is often ordered when it is necessary to transport large and heavy loads that require the use of special rigging equipment. In a word, using a CMU saves you from many additional worries, since you can transport ready-made structures without thinking about further installation. Cranes are most in demand in the summer - summer cottage construction, traditional for the hot season, cannot be done without the services of a manipulator.

The most important advantage of a crane is the ability to load/unload heavy loads without the involvement of additional equipment and people. All these operations can be performed by one person – the driver. It is the use of a manipulator that can significantly reduce costs, making transportation as fast and profitable as possible.

Manipulator type

Technical parameters when choosing the required vehicle are necessary and significant. However, even manipulator cranes have a unique classification based on a set of basic characteristics.

1. Small-tonnage. The dimensions correspond to a small truck, with a boom capacity of no more than 3 tons, and a reach of 7-8 meters. The total capacity of the vehicle is no more than 5 tons.
2. Medium-tonnage. The boom reach and power are 8-9 meters and 10-12 tons, respectively.
3. Large-tonnage. The boom is operable at a distance of 10-13 meters and can lift up to 15 tons of load at a time.
4. Increased tonnage. In such cases, the vehicle’s carrying capacity should be 20-25 tons, the body length and boom radius should be 10 and 20 meters, respectively.
5. Car tow trucks. The services of a manipulator crane when delivering a car to a place of temporary stay (for example, to a parking lot) are used if the boom length and capacity correspond to medium-tonnage crane units.
6. Large equipment tow trucks. Required, if necessary, to transport agricultural machinery and other devices with large dimensions.
7. Heavy-duty CMU. Such vehicles can withstand loads of up to 80 tons, when the use of special equipment is required.

In addition to the overall dimensions and power level, it is worth paying attention to the manufacturer of the KMU tractor. For some customers, the prestige of the manufacturer's brand is very important. The most famous companies are Foton, Hyundai and KAMAZ.

The combination of maneuverability, power, and matching characteristics to the type of load allows you to choose the most suitable manipulator.

BOOM CROSS SECTION SHAPE

The boom profile can be rectangular, five-, six- or octagonal. In theory, the more edges, the better, because then the stress will be distributed more evenly across the profile, and the arrow will be more reliable and durable in use. On the other hand, the more complex the profile, the more expensive the boom and the entire manipulator. For devices with a small load capacity, a rectangular profile will be sufficient.

ROTATOR ANGLE

The angle of rotation of the manipulator is determined by the type of design, but, as a rule, it is 360 degrees, i.e. full circle. In practice, it is limited, since the area above the cabin is considered unstable, and if the manipulator brings a heavy load there, the machine may overturn. Typically, the manufacturer's instructions indicate the danger zones, and the angle of rotation may be limited mechanically or electronically.

The manipulator can have manual control of levers, manual control from a platform, from a chair on the manipulator column, or remote control.

Selection rules

To rent a manipulator without unpleasant consequences for the customer, first of all, you will need to pay attention to:

• Tonnage of the vehicle, taking into account the performance of the boom. The weight of the load must not exceed the permissible load on the manipulator.
• Arrow functionality. Specifically, the parameters of reach, lift power and maneuverability are important.
• Vehicle characteristics. The overall dimensions of the CMU platform must not only meet the stated requirements of the lessee, but also the parameters of the transportation object.
• CMU operator. Regardless of the functional characteristics, the professionalism of the driver of a boom vehicle is quite important.

When filling out an application for the selected manipulator, it is recommended to pay attention to the documentation provided by the carrier organization.

Documentation

Registration of documents, control of authenticity, timely extension of the validity of accompanying papers not only of the CMU, but also of the driver - a serious and important stage in the process of preparing a trip.

Due to the fact that transportation of any objects using a manipulator is characterized as standard, the package of documents is strictly regulated. This also applies to transportation rules, loading conditions, labeling and other issues. The governing provisions for fulfilling the transfer requirements are:

1. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 272 ​​of April 15, 2011. The main document, which contains information about cargo transportation, the rules for drawing up an agreement between the carrier and the recipient of the service, as well as criteria for accompanying papers.
2. Federal Law No. 259 of November 8, 2007, namely chapters No. 2 (general on cargo transportation), No. 6 (liability of transportation participants), No. 7 (claim documents, their execution), No. 8 (final provisions).
3. Part 2 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation No. 14-FZ, namely Articles 785 (on the agreement for the carriage of goods) and 796 (on the responsibility of the contractor, the customer of the service and the intermediary, if any).

Among the documentary evidence of the authenticity of the trip, cargo insurance is an important point. In the case of international transportation, taking out insurance is simply necessary, and some domestic trips are also insured on the same basis as foreign ones.

When contacting an insurance company, be sure to consider the following points in the cargo insurance agreement:

• insurance cases;
• the amount of insurance payments;
• validity;
• franchise (conditional or unconditional).

Most often, it is the insurance agreement (or rather the amount of payments in it) that becomes the decisive document to ensure safety and the absence of any unforeseen situations. That is why it is worth organizing transportation with the help of CMU only with the appropriate permission and insurance contract in hand.

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any means of transportation, loader cranes also have positive and negative sides. Among the advantages are:

• The hydraulic mechanism allows you to perform any operation more gently than a conventional crane with a metal boom. Loading and unloading of vehicles is carried out with minimal losses and defects, or with their complete absence, which is almost impossible to achieve with a clumsy crane.
• Increased maneuverability of the CMU boom during loading and unloading operations.
• Cost of services. Renting a crane will cost a little more than a regular truck without additional loading equipment, but significantly cheaper than hiring special loaders or other additional devices.
• Possibility of continuous operation, since there is no need to wait for the arrival or repair of additional technical equipment.

However, despite such impressive positive functions, the CMU also has negative aspects:

• The reach of the boom affects its lifting capacity. The operating power of a lifting boom directly depends on the distance of its full extension. This dependence manifests itself in a decrease in lifting power with increasing boom length. This point should be taken into account when ordering a vehicle.
• Expensive repairs. A chance to save on the cost of a service or inattention when calculating the required cargo capacity can lead to a malfunction of the manipulator hydraulics.

Taking into account the nuances of the operation of the CMU and the interest of the service recipient in minimizing unpleasant consequences, it is still recommended to comply with the technical requirements when working with this vehicle, avoiding use at maximum values.

Application of truck cranes

A truck mounted crane is a truck that is equipped with a CMU. This technique is most widely used in the construction industry. It is used for transporting various building materials - reinforced concrete products, pallets with bricks, etc. In addition, such equipment can be used as a replacement for a full-fledged crane when it comes to the construction of low-rise buildings. It is also successfully used during repair and construction work of various types, during landscaping or road work.

As for the reviews about this technique, they are very different and highly depend on the chosen model. For example, the Amco Veba model. The owners describe it as a comfortable car with good load capacity. The advantages also include the fact that the load does not swing during transportation, and it is also possible to install additional equipment. The disadvantages include the lack of a winch, as well as difficulties in lowering the load to a precisely defined place if it is located above the car itself.

Delivery organization

Still, most standard cargo is transported using conventional trucks. Transportation of oversized, bulky or heavy objects requires preliminary consideration and approval from regulatory authorities.

Therefore, when drawing up a travel route, it must be analyzed and submitted for approval to road safety control services.

Preparatory activities are carried out taking into account the following criteria:

• details of the loading and unloading of the vehicle;
• transportation kilometers;
• characteristics of the cargo (length, width, height, volume and other values);
• marking of cargo by hazard class, if any;
• exact coordinates of loading, unloading and reloading points;
• serviceability of the road surface along the entire length of the route;
• the presence of complex or bottlenecks in the passage of crane trucks with oversized cargo, detour routes;
• reliability of fastenings for the fixation scheme of the transported object on the manipulator platform;
• proper placement of cargo in the body of the crane in accordance with the regulations for the transportation of oversized cargo;
• appropriate marking of the vehicle and cargo, warning other road users about the type of cargo being transported.

Also among the mandatory points for drawing up the route, it is worth noting the accuracy of the location of control points for inspection of cargo and vehicles, as well as their distance from populated areas.

Equipment classification

Design features and parameters determine the capabilities of loader cranes. Types of lifting equipment are divided by lifting capacity. Light ones lift loads up to 1 ton, medium ones are capable of handling loads from 1 to 10 tons, and heavy ones can be used to lift objects over 10 tons. But this division is conditional. The main indicator of load capacity is the load moment. The ability to lift a load of a certain mass at a specific reach value depends on it.

The boom design has two varieties:

• L-shaped with one elbow, with a long telescopic or solid beam, which during transportation is placed horizontally along the axis of the vehicle;
• Z-shaped, having 2-3 elbows, capable of being completely folded in such a way that the upper part of the boom with the load gripper is located above the lower one.

The L-shaped boom of the manipulator has a higher load moment. This determines a wider list of areas in which this crane is used. CMUs with a Z-shaped boom take up less space when folded. They do not limit the load in height and do not reduce the usable area. This is the optimal crane installation for loading, transporting, unloading oversized objects.

The industry produces full-rotary and part-rotary lifting mechanisms. Lifts are divided by drive type. The most widespread are the cable and hydraulic types of CMU. Hydraulics are easier to control. But the use of hydraulic devices requires timely replenishment of hydraulic fluid - it is impossible to completely avoid leaks from the cylinders through numerous seals. Cable models are easier to operate and require less maintenance.

Recommendations

When ordering a crane rental for the first time, it is quite difficult to comply with all the nuances. Of course, careful paperwork is necessary, but here are some tricks that will help you use the CMU even more efficiently:

• always order a vehicle with a reserve carrying capacity - this will ensure that the boom or load does not break;
• It will be cheaper to rent a manipulator with a cable boom, which allows you to lift cargo on board from great depths;
• for loading and unloading in confined spaces, it is recommended to use a crane with a stable fixation of the lifting boom, the mechanism of which must be hydraulic;
• for greater maneuverability and improved quality of loading and unloading operations, use a boom of the appropriate type;
• high-quality fastening system corresponding to the type of cargo.

Compliance with weight and other dimensional criteria when arranging the transportation of oversized cargo by a crane ensures high-quality delivery and minimizes the occurrence of non-standard situations in the process.

In conclusion

To effectively and quickly carry out the planned work, it is necessary to choose a manipulator with characteristics that fully correspond to the task, but whether to rent or own it is a matter of regular use of the manipulator . Here we could talk about another possibility for purchasing a manipulator - buying a used one , but since we use similar equipment, as they say, to the end, the market for used manipulators has not yet formed.

The article was written for the site.

Tags:Construction

Results

A manipulator crane, the rental of which is quite expensive compared to conventional trucks, is an almost universal technique for loading and unloading various types of cargo. Obtaining a permit to transport oversized cargo on the CMU platform is a painstaking and costly process, both in time and financially. Therefore, before ordering a vehicle with a lifting boom from a transport organization, you should carefully check the validity periods of all accompanying documents. Control of even the smallest nuances will reduce the risk of unpleasant situations, consequences, as well as the financial costs of eliminating them. A balanced decision in choosing a vehicle for transportation means a lot for both the performer and the recipient.

Features of transportation of various types of building materials by road.

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