Telescopic Service Crane Manufacturers Group focuses on uniform inspections

This article was published in the August 2016 edition of NTEA News.

NTEA’s Telescopic Service Crane Manufacturers Group (TSCMG) was formed in May 2014. It targets key issues related to service cranes and helps promote more efficient work truck builds.

A top priority is to develop a uniform inspection form upfitters can use to examine telescopic service cranes. This project will involve incorporating key elements of each participating company’s individual inspection form into a universal document for truck equipment upfitters to use for service cranes. The outcome is expected to help further promote uniform service crane inspections. 

While this undertaking will take time to create and implement, the end result will offer service crane installers a standard inspection format for increased operational efficiency. Additional projects include a crane shipments survey, operator training and educational offerings, as well as enhancing OEM relationships to bring a unified voice on chassis-related issues.

The group also developed a definition for its product: “A service truck crane is identified by its telescopic boom, where the base and mast structure is not integral to the stabilizer/outrigger system. Lifting is typically accomplished via a winch (electric or hydraulic), and its functions (rotation, elevation, telescoping) are either powered or manual. These machines tend to have relatively shorter boom lengths (10–35 feet) and lower capacities (1–7 tons) as compared to other telescopic boom-fixed cab machines (e.g., boom trucks, carry deck cranes). Additionally, operations are usually conducted by the use of radio remote or pendant control with the operator standing on the ground following the load.”

To learn more about TSCMG, visit ntea.com/tscmg or contact Bob Raybuck, NTEA director of technical services, at 248-479-8905 or bob@ntea.com.