AN Edinburgh crane firm has completed a landmark installation of a roller brake tester for mobile cranes.
Bernard Hunter Mobile Cranes said the equipment, manufactured by VL Test Systems, represents the first of its type in the UK operated by a civilian company.
The installation of heavy duty roller brake test equipment is to pre-empt forthcoming regulations, which will require mobile crane operators to provide certificates of maintenance and regular brake testing.
Mark Rafferty, MD at Bernard Hunter Mobile Cranes explained, “Multi axle mobile cranes are currently exempt for annual MOT testing as they are classed as plant equipment. We have always deployed rigorous repair and maintenance schedules for our entire vehicle fleet and the new roller brake tester takes compliance and professional operating standards to a new level.”
The new roller brake tester has a 20-tonne axle testing capacity and a 24-tonne maximum drive over weight. The kit has bi-directional brake testing capacity with twin source remote control.Bernard Hunter Mobile Cranes said combined in-ground scissors fitted to the roller brake testers can provide a 13-tonne axle weight to simulate load for applied brake testing to a height of 180mm.
The recently installed equipment can also weigh axles to ensure that no mobile crane incurs any overloading. Mark added, “Our bigger mobile cranes can be set up in a wide variety of lifting specifications to suit each individual job. This situation requires careful monitoring of each axle load. Our largest mobile crane at present is a Liebherr 500 tonner. We can now checkweigh the entire eight axle rigid in just over ten minutes.
“Standard roller brake test equipment within DVSA approved authorised testing facilities do not have the capacity to cater for large multi-axle mobile cranes. With that in mind, we have decided to offer a roller brake testing and axle weighing service to third party customers.”
