Palfinger with pioneering solutions at Bauma 2022

Palfinger will present new technologies and solutions at Bauma 2022.

Changing conditions need intelligent solutions. They open up new ways of doing things, increase efficiency and are also sustainable and future oriented. It is with this strategy that Palfinger presents new technologies and solutions at Bauma 2022. “In line with our Vision & Strategy 2030, our goal is to offer integrated complete solutions from a single source. The focus is on our customers and their needs. At Bauma 2022 we prove that we are already proactively solving the challenges of the current era. We will present developments that continue to make our customers' work more efficient and cost effective in the future,” says Palfinger CEO Andreas Klauser. “In order to be able to tailor our solutions precisely to the applications of our customers and partners in the future, intensive discussions at bauma are crucial for us. Because the world's leading trade fair is the biggest meeting place for the construction industry.” 

On an exhibition space of almost 2,500 m², the world's leading producer and provider of innovative crane and lifting solutions will demonstrate its comprehensive digitalization competence at bauma. Palfinger focuses on three key core topics (Smart Solutions, Smart Services and Eco-Efficient Solutions), which are reflected in product innovations and at the same time are part of the Vision & Strategy 2030 — towards becoming a complete solutions provider. 

Complex challenges at inner-city job sites and lifting tasks that require long reaches continuously present Palfinger customers with challenges. To meet these requirements, Palfinger has completely redesigned its core product, the loader crane, ushering in a new era of crane models. It effectively combines the advantages of its predecessors with intelligent technologies, such as the innovative PALTRONIC 180 control system and the ultimate LX-6 control valve. In addition to a new design, all crane models in the new TEC series also feature the innovative Smart Control to control the crane tip and Memory Position crane positioning system, which can store up to four crane positions. The Levelling Assistant helps to optimally level the cranes. These smart systems enable a faster start to operations as well as more efficient and simpler work processes. The PK 580 TEC will be the first of the new crane models to be seen out on the road. The true precision expert in the 60-meter-ton large crane segment can be flexibly equipped with Palfinger TEC assistant and comfort systems. In combination with the mobile hybrid power unit, it becomes an emission-free solution with a minimum of noise emissions, while the integration of a tilting crane fork on the fly jib creates a high degree of safety for challenging work, such as in narrow spaces. The PK 1050 TEC sees Palfinger present an absolute highlight in the large crane segment. Featuring a fly jib and enormous lifting capacity, it stands out in its meter-ton class with an unprecedented reach of 37 meters. With DPS-C, the lifting capacity is continuously maximized in every position, because the intelligent system knows exactly where the crane tip is at any given moment. In addition to the models in the large crane segment, the new PK 250 TEC — currently the smallest P-Profile crane — demonstrates that even a compact crane can deliver impressive performance. It convinces with its hydraulic reach of almost 20 meters and a maximum lifting capacity of 23.5-meter-tons.

The future of construction is high-tech and interconnected. That is why in addition to hardware product innovations Palfinger is increasingly using smart solutions that set new standards. The innovative Smart Control to control the crane tip unites the crane with the operator and revolutionizes the work process. Instead of moving up to three different levers, Smart Control only requires one to move the crane tip horizontally or vertically. The operator therefore only needs to specify the direction of the crane tip, while the intelligent technology combines the necessary crane movements to reach the target position exactly. 

However, precision is required not only for crane control. The work steps involved in loading and unloading containers also require precision down to the last millimeter. Since container handling is one of the biggest challenges in everyday working life, Palfinger has taken this on and developed an intelligent assistant system — Smart Loading Assist. The latest version of this semi-automatic system will be displayed for the first time at bauma 2022. The Smart Loading Assist adds a 3D camera system, sensors and a high-performance computing unit to the hooklift. It works in a similar way to optical parking sensors and helps the operator to correctly position the hooklift in relation to the container. The integrated Obstacle Detection solution identifies any obstacles, or people, in the hazardous area and immediately warns the operator. The Smart Loading Assist also provides effective support during the unloading process to protect the surface on the ground, and the container. 

The electrification of applications and processes creates sustainable added value. At bauma 2022, Palfinger will present a number of electrical solutions, including the innovative eDRIVE technology that enables the energy-efficient and completely emission-free operation of loader cranes. Thanks to eDRIVE, operators can choose between a Li-Ion battery pack, the power grid or the vehicle engine at the press of a button while operating the crane. Depending on requirements, the best drive option can then be selected. In addition, eDRIVE operates almost silently, making it possible to work in noise-sensitive areas and at night. The batteries of this smart system can also be conveniently charged between jobs using the integrated generator. PALFINGER also relies on the power of E-mobility for its aerial work platforms. In addition to retrofittable and mobile power packs, two emission-free aerial work platforms will also be presented at bauma 2022: the P 250 BK and the P 280 CK.

Palfinger also shows pioneering thinking in its proactive cooperation with partners. Together with ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Mercedes-Benz Trucks, they developed the ZF eWorX module, which can power the entire Palfinger product range. It does this by making energy from the truck available to the mounted equipment so it proactively uses the truck’s electric power source. The principle is simple: The traction battery on the electric truck provides electrical energy through an interface. The ZF eWorX system converts the electrical energy into mechanical energy and handles communication between the Palfinger lifting solution and the vehicle. At bauma, the module will be displayed on a Mercedes-Benz eActros equipped with the PST 18 skip loader. The bauma 2022 trade fair is all about pioneering and sustainable solutions that increase performance over the entire operating period. With Fleet Monitor, Operator Monitor and Service Cockpit, Palfinger Connected uses digital networking to combine intelligent applications that avoid unnecessary downtime and create a continuous flow of information between fleet managers, company owners, service partners and the operators of Palfinger lifting solutions. As a result, Palfinger ensures efficient and cost-effective use of resources.

Palfinger’s clear goal is to digitalize its divisions and product range, and to contribute to the construction site of the future as an innovation leader. Communication with customers, partners and dealers, which is the focus of the technology and mechanical engineering company at bauma 2022, is essential for this. That is because the know-how and experience of customers make a significant contribution to ensuring that the solutions can be tailored exactly to market requirements. True to Palfinger’s tagline: “Together we can reach anything.”