Hy-BridLifts,
the industry leader in high-quality, low-level access equipment, has introduced
Intelligent Controls, offering intuitive and safe operation of lifts. The new
Controller Area Network (CAN) bus controls come standard on all Pro Series Hy-Brid
Lift models, and replace the previous hard-wired controls. With features
including a diagnostics display, indoor/outdoor selection and movement
controls, the panel makes operation easier than ever for users.
“Many lift
manufacturers are making the switch from hard-wired controls, but ours takes it
to the next level,” said Terry Dolan, Hy-Brid Lifts president and CEO. “We
listened to customers and learned what controls and options would make their
jobs easier. Then we implemented those elements to make the most intuitive controls
possible.”
The Intelligent Controls includes selection buttons
for driving and lifting control. The driving control engages steering and
forward and backward motion controls. The lifting control engages the up and
down movement of the platform. Both driving and lifting movement feature
Hy-Brid Lifts’ proportional control. This provides feather-like control for
optimal lift positioning and precise jobsite mobility. Additionally, if the
controls have not been used after a short amount of time, they will
automatically disengage for safety reasons.
The panel also includes a diagnostic display that
indicates battery charge level, percentage of load in the platform, and hours
on the machine. It will also show warnings such as platform overload and tilt
angle. Operators can cycle through the diagnostic display with the
easy-to-identify information button.
“Customers told us that they want to see the
percentage of weight capacity in the platform,” Dolan said. “Competitive units
will give a fault code, but don’t indicate how much weight has caused the
issue. It could be a matter of raising the lift up, transferring something off
a shelf into the lift, and then receiving a fault code. It could be 5 pounds or
50 pounds. Our system makes it easy to identify so they can efficiently accomplish
their jobs.”
New ANSI standards indicate that once a machine is
overloaded, it must stop all functions. This includes lowering the unit until
the weight on the platform has been brought back to the manufacturer’s
specified capacity. Hy-Brid Lifts feature higher platform capacities,
minimizing the chance of overloading. Additionally, active load sensing helps
the operator avoid an overload situation by knowing how close they are to max
capacity. This allows them to bring the lift down to unload weight before
adding more materials on the platform.
“An operator who has overloaded the machine might
think it is not functioning properly,” Dolan said. “If they are not familiar
with the new technology, they might call the rental company and request a
service call. By educating customers and rental centers, they can avoid these
situations and costly service calls.”
The control panel includes an indoor/outdoor
selection button. The indoor option allows for full height operation if no wind
is present. The outdoor selection button limits the height to allow for a 28-mph
wind speed, which complies with ANSI A92.20. This
indoor/outdoor option increases safety for the operator and provides
contractors access to more jobs. Since any possibility of wind classifies the working
area as outdoor, the outdoor option is especially useful for operators who
might work in a building where the walls aren’t up yet.
Lastly, the Intelligent Controls include a horn,
which adds a safety element by alerting other workers about the lift when
entering a hallway or room.