SECTOR REPORT Ӏ KNUCKLEBOOMS
j Working with the ePTO makes out of this world: CRanes mounted on TRains
HMF’s loader knuckleboom cranes were developed for trucks, not railways. That’s why the company calls them truck cranes. But Benelux company CML, led by Fabrice Coulon, has made a business of rebuilding HMF cranes for the railway sector. It is a niche business that calls for ingenuity and engineering expertise. Coulon became the owner of the Belgian company CML in 2010. At that time the company had almost 20 years of experience with cranes for trucks and railcars. Two years ago, he decided that CML should stop mounting cranes on trucks and the company now focuses entirely on customising HMF cranes for the railway industry. CML buys the HMF cranes from its close partner Hyva N.V before converting them. It uses mainly cranes with a lifting capacity between 20 and 30 tonne-metres for their market. The transformed cranes perform everything from loading and unloading equipment for rail work to repairing railway signals and overhead wires above train tracks. Sometimes CML mounts a personnel basket next to the crane, making the railway carriage a very fl exible work tool. An interesting solution that Coulon is proud of is two HMF 1630 knucklebooms mounted one at each end of two railway wagons. Software developed by CML allows both cranes to work simultaneously. A remote control allows the operator to concentrate on the loading/unloading operation without worrying about the coordination of the two cranes. The operator can stand wherever he wants, so has a good overview of the working area. Turning truck cranes into railway cranes is not easy. "There's no script for how to convert a truck crane into a railway crane – it is often tailor-made solutions. The railway cranes and installations in demand are rarely the same, and each individual task requires a new solution," says Coulon. Not only the structure of the crane needs to be redesigned. The entire software often needs to
be rebuilt, extended or ‘reinvented’. "Due to very specifi c regulations, the railway business is quite different from the truck business." It is mastery of detail that makes the difference. Demands in the railway industry are getting higher and higher and the work getting more and more complicated due to increasingly stringent traceability and safety rules. Calculations, risk analyses and declarations have to be drawn up for each railway crane and the train carriage on which it is built. “It’s very demanding but also very motivating. It is almost as challenging as sending a rocket to the moon...”
our environment a happier place.” Since the cranes are zero- emissions at the point of use working areas can be extended: the crane can be operated in emission- restricted zones such as indoor and tunnel operations, urban areas, early morning or night-time deliveries, or other areas where noise is a concern. The company has been busy.
To compliment the ePTO44 in September this year Hiab also launched its new medium range loader, the Hiab iX.162 HiPro. It is up to 370kg lighter, depending on configurations, than its predecessor, the X-HiPro 162, and the maximum lifting capacity has been increased by more than 10%. Pipes and hoses have been integrated into the crane body to make it less vulnerable to the elements and wear during transport and use, maximising uptime and productivity. It comes equipped with the
new SPACEevo control and sensor safety system which offers smart functionalities and smooth and rapid crane movements. SpaceEvo supports many new stabiliser leg configurations and options. It is based on an open platform, so upgrades and new features can be added over time. A Hiab iX-162 HiPro version
with ePTO (electric power take-off) integrated into its base will be available for order in early 2023. The battery pack and electric power unit will be placed directly on the crane base itself. This will make the installation process faster and leave more room on the truck chassis for other equipment. “The Hiab iX.162 HiPro BSS-2 with an integrated ePTO and hydraulic tank, all in one unit, weighs the same as its conventional diesel-powered predecessor," says Mattias Berglund, director, global product management, special
40 CRANES TODAY
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