Customer Focus Drives Innovation

PALFINGER uses innovation to offer connected technologies and make work processes efficient. The challenges faced by customers form the starting point for the constant developments and new products that PALFINGER presented so impressively at bauma 2022.

In one week, bauma 2022 attracted more than 495,000 visitors from over 200 countries. "That makes it unique," says PALFINGER CEO Andreas Klauser, taking stock of the world's largest trade fair for construction machinery. “Direct exchange of experience with customers and partners forms the basis for the products and solutions that make PALFINGER the market leader in crane and lifting solutions. Personal contact is very important to us following the events of recent years,” says PALFINGER CEO Andreas Klauser, enthusiastic about bauma 2022. Intelligent and connected solutions are the future and are attracting great interest in the industry. During the Media Breakfast attended by the international press, PALFINGER explained, among other things, how the company’s integrated solutions have a direct impact on the future working environment. At bauma, PALFINGER presented crane and lifting solutions that are specifically tailored to customer challenges and enable work assignments to be made more efficient than ever before.

Effective – intelligent – innovative
This is made clear by the new TEC series in particular. Featuring a range of innovative functions and assistance systems, they can handle even extremely complex challenges. PALFINGER has completely redesigned its core product, the loader crane, and added smart innovations to the best features of previous models. This means starting work faster as well as overall more efficient use - thanks, for example, to PALTRONIC 180 control system, LX-6 control valve, Levelling Assistant, Smart Control to control the crane tip, and Memory Position that can store up to four crane positions.
The smallest P-Profile crane to date - the new PK 250 TEC - impressed visitors at bauma due to its outstanding performance, not just its size. With a hydraulic reach of almost 20 meters, it offers a lifting capacity of 23.5-meter-tons.
The precision expert in the series, the PK 580 TEC, was displayed equipped with a mobile hybrid power unit in addition to the PALFINGER TEC assistant and comfort systems. This makes it an emission-free and low-noise solution. At the same time, it offers a high degree of safety thanks to the tilting crane fork on the fly jib. The PK 1050 TEC saw PALFINGER also present a reference in the 100-meter-ton large crane segment at bauma 2022, standing out with an impressive reach of 37 meters. DPS-C maximizes the lifting capacity in every crane position, as the intelligent system knows the exact location of the crane tip at all times.

The PCC 115.002 crawler crane also attracted great interest. It can be used both on the crawler module, stationary, or on a truck. It was developed specifically for confined spaces inside industrial buildings and parks and for use on uneven terrain. Thanks to the integrated Power Pack, the system can be expanded to form an emission-free solution. Another highlight is the Shifting Function, which makes it possible to shift the entire unit in all directions. This allows it to drive through narrow entrances and gates to locations that are difficult to access. In addition, the Shifting Function allows both the crawler module and the truck to act as a counterweight and ensure additional lifting power as a result.

Access platforms with future potential
Another highlight at bauma 2022 was the P 250 BK and P 280 CK access platforms, which can also be operated without emissions and noise. The existing fleet of access platforms can be converted to emission-free operation quickly and easily using mobile or retrofittable eDRIVE battery packs. Thanks to battery operation, these machines can even work in places without a power supply at the same speed as in diesel mode. The PALFINGER P 250 All-Terrain was presented at bauma for work on uneven ground. Mounted on a powerful Unimog, it can handle even the most demanding tasks with a maximum working height of 23.5 meters.

Emission-free? Smart!
As a pioneer in electrification, PALFINGER also presented the new eDRIVE technology. It enables the energy-efficient and emission-free operation of loader cranes. When using eDRIVE, operators can choose between a Li-ion battery pack, the power grid and the vehicle engine as drive options and switch over with just the push of a button. Because the eDRIVE is quiet and emission-free, it is also possible to work at night or indoors. At this year's bauma, the PK 250 TEC was displayed electrically powered on a Volvo FE Electric. The PK 580 TEC was also on display, electrically operated with a power pack. Emission-free work also ensures greater flexibility in terms of site location and time of day.

The eWorX module, which enables the entire PALFINGER product range to be electrified, was also on display at bauma. Developed together with ZF Friedrichshafen and Mercedes-Benz Trucks, the module forms the interface for communication and energy supply between electric trucks and the machines they are carrying. The energy source of the commercial vehicle is converted into mechanical energy by the ZF eWorX module so it can be used for the PALFINGER lifting solution. At bauma, the module was displayed on a Mercedes-Benz eActros equipped with the PST 18 skip loader. This combination also made the benefits clear to visitors of PALFINGER Connected applications such as Fleet Monitor, Operator Monitor and Service Cockpit, which help to reduce unnecessary downtime and ensure the continuous flow of information between fleet managers, companies, and service partners.

Power and flexibility
The new generation of hooklifts exemplified the combination of robustness and precision. The high-strength steel frame has significantly reduced the risk of breakage, even when the chassis is moving on rough terrain. In addition, the well-thought-out routing of the lines and the limitation of the connection points ensures a minimal risk of leaks. At the same time, the PALFINGER HT 26 and HT 30 offer a new level of user friendliness and operating convenience. The new Smart Loading Assist (SLA) was also presented. Similar to a parking assistant, this optional feature helps the driver detect and attach the container. The unique joystick makes movements smoother so the hook is precisely controlled, while the reinforced rear construction ensures excellent lift arm stability.

The future of lifting solutions
With the aim of offering customers and partners integrated complete solutions, PALFINGER has set ambitious goals in its Strategy & Vision 2030. The ongoing digitalization of all areas of the company, as well as the steadily growing product range, gave an impression at bauma 2022 of the technology company's upcoming developments. PALFINGER continues to focus on the needs of customers and partners.

You can read all about PALFINGER innovations and solutions at bauma 2022 here:
https://reachanything.palfinger.com/events/bauma-2022/