Knuckle boom crane, also known as loader or knuckle boom crane, is a hydraulically powered knuckle boom installed on a trailer or truck (thus becoming a knuckle boom truck). The crane, when attached to the truck, is used to load/unload the vehicle. Once the work of the crane is complete, it can be folded and stored neatly and conveniently due to its numerous articulated sections (one or more of which may be telescopic) at the rear of the knuckle boom truck.
The Knuckle Boom Crane folds down to a compact size, but also extends far, giving you many advantages over a rigid boom or telescopic crane, such as higher payload, lower profile, long reaches that rival telescopic cranes, greater control and versatility.
Truck and trailer mounted booms such as the knuckle boom truck for rent and sale include (among many others) Bronto, Nifty, GSR, Ascendant and Aichi, which can allow a reach of up to 32 meters and working heights of up to 62 meters as well as self-propelled access platforms with working heights of up to 22 meters. These cranes can be mounted on the flatbed truck with an operator’s cab mounted between the loader and the chassis cab.
Unlike most cranes, the operator must move around the vehicle in order to see its load; therefore, modern cranes can be equipped with a cable-linked or radio-linked portable control system to complement the crane-mounted hydraulic control levers.
Often the crane will have a degree of automation and can be unloaded or stowed without operator instructions. The versatility of the crane can be seen in the fact that it can function as a normal straight arm, after which it can be folded according to specific requirements.
The narrower roads in Europe have contributed to the popularity of knuckle boom trucks. Traditionally not as popular in North America, these trucks have only recently begun to penetrate the reticent audience. Now that more contractors and business owners understand the benefits of these cranes, the demand for them has steadily increased.
The growing popularity of knuckle boom trucks can also be attributed to loader preference, as the use of one of the smaller booms eradicates the need for a certified crane operator. The increased attention around the world means that the cranes are more widely available and are now for sale through various vendors. The best known crane manufacturer is HIAB. An industry leader in truck cranes, HIAB is the number one selling brand of articulated truck cranes in the world today.
Knuckle boom truck, also known as a grapple truck, describes a truck that has an articulated loader mounted on its frame that is used to load and sometimes carry loads. ANSI Z245.1 defines a grapple loader as: a hydro-mechanical device capable of rotating on an axis with a grapple or bucket attached to the end of the boom. The knuckle boom truck traditionally has a boom crane attached to a vehicle (such as a flatbed truck).