Technology advances at a fast pace, almost every day new innovations are discovered that change the standard flow of life. The advancements of the last decade provide an opportunity to discover more advanced technology that changes human standards and most future endeavors. In the construction industry, more innovative designs and technologies are being developed to improve workplace health and safety, improve environmental performance, and increase overall efficiency.
Forklift trucks play an important role in the electrical and telecommunications industries. The versatility of this utility vehicle to perform tasks other than what it was originally designed for has paved the way for discovering and developing new advanced technological enhancements to make work more efficient. Fuel saving features, increased safety features, ease of use, and lower operating costs are just a few of the advancements made with bucket trucks.
Highest security goal
Major bucket truck manufacturers such as Altec, Duralift, Versalift, Terex and others are heavily involved in the production of more advanced aerial lift vehicles. They are known to be successful in marketing premium quality utility lifting equipment. These big companies have also made progress with bucket trucks. In addition to this, they also carry out training for the operators of these vehicles to educate them on accident prevention. Its main objective is to manufacture a vehicle that has optimal safety features that almost completely eliminate possible accidents in this line of work.
Effect of electrical utility industry deregulation on design
One thing that affects the design of these vehicles is the departure from deregulation of the electric utility industry. One result of this change is that utilities have had to change the way they use their workers, which in turn has changed the way equipment is used for work. With the increased competition that traditionally comes when industry deregulation comes into play, most utilities have been forced to work “smaller and smarter” to maintain their competitive advantage over the competition. This has undoubtedly affected the design of the vehicles they use, forcing manufacturers to make their designs smaller but more robust and low maintenance.
Strength and reliability are now paramount in the design of these vehicles. Designers have to balance the very dangerous work that power company employees perform with their need to complete a job as quickly as possible, especially when involved with the possibility of prolonged power outages due to storms. It poses a huge potential problem for designers to meet these ever-changing goals of the clients they work for.
Ergonomics in Design
One of the positive improvements is the use of ergonomics in the design process. Ergonomics help ensure that the utility vehicle is easy to use and safe to drive, resulting in a final product design that leads to increased productivity.
Fuel Consumption Concerns
A big concern when it comes to utility trucks is fuel consumption. The cost of fuel today has risen dramatically, which, coupled with the exit from deregulation mentioned above, has created an urgent need to produce these utility trucks with more fuel-efficient features. Businesses that can reduce their operating costs and save thousands of dollars a year will certainly get a boost in today’s competitive marketplace.
low profile chassis
Other important technological advances made were developing a truck that has a low-profile chassis that allows the driver and operators to get in and out with ease. A hydraulically associated deployable ladder rack has also been added which is less dangerous compared to conventional ladder racks.
Bucket trucks are now equipped with electronic stability control and computerized systems that can prevent and/or mitigate accidents. The anti-lock brakes have become more advanced and the hydraulic stabilizers are computer controlled with a level sensing mechanism to aid in this effort.
Smaller, maintenance-free, and higher capacity, really?
To top it off, the major aerial device manufacturers have developed smaller utility vehicles that have an increased working height of up to approximately 16m, a lateral reach of 15m and a platform capacity of 400kg and this vehicle requires less maintenance. The bucket truck is getting smaller, but its carrying capacity has definitely increased.
For electric utility fleets, manufacturers continually develop “safer and smarter” truck designs. They create equipment that is more durable and has low maintenance and operating costs. This has been the constant ambition of those in the construction and bucket truck industries. As new problems are found in the field, new discoveries and technological advances are discovered and developed for the industry. This is the future of bucket truck design!