Thorkild gets a better overview and stability with RCL 5400 and EVS
Crane operator Thorkild Andreasen has tested two upgraded control systems for HMF's truck-mounted cranes: RCL 5400 and the latest version of the stability system EVS. We met him at work in Denmark to hear his assessment.
The sun is pouring down over the iconic Prison Museum in Horsens. In front of the building, a craned vehicle with an HMF 9520 crane fitted is parked, lifting cable rollers. They look like giant yoyos hanging in the air.
After finishing his loading, crane operator Thorkild Andreasen from K. Hansen Transport signals us to come nearer. He's just arrived from a service update at HMF's service point in Galten, Denmark, where he has been amongst the first to get the RCL 5400 operating system and the upgrade of the stability system EVS installed.
The icons are more user-friendly
"The RCL 5400 is easier and more intuitive to use," says Thorkild Andreasen. "The display lights up and tells at a great distance where the error is, if there is one. It gives a better overview."
The previous version, the RCL 5300, had coloured buttons, whereas the RCL 5400 has more intuitive icons. All crane-related functions are gathered in one place, just as the stability related functions have become easier to access.
"RCL 5400 shows more visual images instead of just spitting out numbers. The icons are more user-friendly," says Thorkild Andreasen.
Crane operators are consulted
Since the end of 2020, Thorkild Andreasen has also been using the latest upgrade of the dynamic stability monitoring system Electronic Vehicle Stability (EVS), developed by HMF. EVS monitors the stability of a vehicle in all working areas of the crane.
"The upgraded EVS makes it easier to move the crane back to a safe position if the vehicle becomes unstable. I can lower the fly-jib and extend the extensions as long as I do not increase the distance to the centre of the crane."
The classic EVS system has only one solution if the vehicle becomes unstable: to stop all movements and go into emergency operation mode. But with the upgrade, Thorkild Andreasen can choose between several actions that stabilize the vehicle, such as retracting the extensions. In other words, returning with the same function that caused the problem. He can carry out the opposite action of what triggered a so-called "EVS stop”.
"I have more options now, which makes it even more flexible, safe and stable to work with the crane. And it's actually because HMF has asked us, the users of the system. As crane operators, we have been consulted. I like that."
I should preferably feel it in my stomach
Thorkild Andreasen has driven trucks since 1996 and operated cranes for the past 15 years, but not HMF cranes. Therefore, he was a little sceptical when K. Hansen Transport chose the HMF 9520.
"But when I looked at the installation, weight, price and delivery time, it made sense. The 9520 is 1,500 kilos lighter than similar cranes of the same size. I get a lifting capacity of 4.5 tonnes, which is a lot compared to the size."
K. Hansen Transport currently has two HMF 2620s, two 7020s in addition to the 9520s; seven craned vehicles in total. Thorkild Andreasen is very satisfied with the service he experiences from HMF.
“There is always someone I can reach out to if I need help. I feel well received at HMF’s branch in Galten. It's a great place to go.”
When Thorkild Andreasen is not operating cranes around Denmark, he spends time with his family and goes hunting. When asked if he never gets scared when he operates the 9520 crane 37 metres into the air up to the 9th floor of a construction site, he answers with a crooked smile:
“It has to bite a bit every day. I should preferably feel it in my stomach.”
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