Companies using Furukawa Unic's new electric crane may have to survey potential operators on their fear of spiders.
That's because the Japanese equipment manufacturer has put a battery in a new version of its spider-like mini crawling cranes, which recently launched in Europe, the company announced. The addition of the UM325C to its equipment lineup is part of the company's carbon neutrality goal, all according to a news release.
And the crawlers very much fit the arachnid comparisons. The contraptions have multiple legs that help to give the cranes an impressive lift of more than 58 feet, along with a working radius of more than 51 feet, per the manufacturer.
But it's the "high capacity" lithium-ion battery that powers the heavy lifter that might be the biggest news. It provides enough juice to raise 7,100 pounds, according to an Electrek review. The story notes that the crane can draw power from the grid on the "off chance" the work order outlasts the battery.
And the machine has been turning heads during showcases, according to company officials.
"After unveiling our prototype at Bauma 2022, we sparked considerable interest from our dealer network clients," Unic Cranes CEO Graeme Riley said in a story by Interesting Engineering. Unic Cranes is Furukawa's European master dealer.
The spider design is already a part of the company's dirty energy-based equipment. Photos on the company website look like a gallery of robotic insectoids. The tech is also comparable to Transformers robots, as the equipment can fold into a tight rectangle and travel on tracks for transport. They are made to fit onto small trailers, as noted by Electrek.
The cleaner UM325C is remote-controlled. It can maneuver well, suitable for operations in narrow places, even near walls. A pick-and-carry mode allows it to roam while holding cargo. It's all meant to make for better safety and efficiency, all per Furukawa.
Japanese companies have been making headlines lately for producing electric equipment for tasks that not very long ago seemed too tough for a battery. Komatsu has developed electric drills and roof bolters for hardrock mining, as an example. Electric farm tractors are even starting to go afield.
The innovations could be a big win for operator health, if widely adopted. The Washington Department of Ecology reports that diesel exhaust exposure is a risk to lung health and can worsen existing respiratory and heart conditions.
Importantly, you don't need a Transformer-like machine to cut heat-trapping fume production at home. A full lineup of battery-powered yard equipment from many brands is available at most home improvement stores. Dropping heavily polluting gas-burners can also save you a couple of hundred bucks a year in fuel and maintenance expenses.
Electrek wrote in a review of the UM325C that it could see a lot of action soon as more companies face no-drip job locations, low emissions zones, and noise regulations.
"It seems like only a matter of time before machines like this become more the rule than the exception," Electrek said.
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