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Industrial equipment is always being improved, as least so long as there are designers creating advanced features, better ways, and better use of today’s technology to make work easier and faster. As a result of such innovation, it is not unusual for machines that were initially made for one purpose to be re-purposed for another use, something that works with the ways in which technology flows. Grapple trucks are a good example of this concept as they are now useful in many different ways. What is A Grapple Truck? Built based on the design of knuckleboom cranes and similar commercial vehicles, grapple trucks are a basic work truck with a grapple arm added. As stated by ANSI, a grapple is defined as a mechanical device that can rotate on an axis and use a bucket, scoop, or claw to collect and lift heavy and bulky waste. Simple enough - yet since the inception of the first of these vehicles, they’ve become useful in a number of different industries. The Many Faces of Grapple Trucks Initially devised for lifting and moving construction site waste and debris that was too big or heavy to move in other ways, most of these vehicles are equipped with built-on large collection beds or the ability to accept a roll off container. In all types, their purpose remains almost the same - to gather, lift, and move material. - Heavy Duty Debris Clearing - These are the trucks seen on a construction site, going around and picking up refuse resulting from construction or demolition. Larger roll-off containers may be dropped off, and then replaced once full and the full ones are taken for disposal. Keeping construction sites clean and safe are huge jobs yet crucial, so this machine fits the need perfectly.
- Residential Bulk Trash Removal - For the lighter, non-commercial side of the waste industry, grapple trucks have been found to be great additions to municipal trash truck fleets, specifically for bulk trash removal. Before the use of such vehicles, no matter what the size or weight of the object, it was up to work crews to somehow remove it from the street and put it into a vehicle for removal. Now, for the locations where these vehicles are used, all it takes is one operator to control the mechanism and bulk trash can be collected effortlessly. The biggest benefit in all of this has been a drastic reduction in the number of worker injuries, missed days of work, reduced workers compensation claims, and reduced health insurance premiums as well.
- Municipal Storm Cleanup - Especially useful for grasping and lifting things like large tree branches, poles, signs, and anything else that has been destroyed and/or collected during extreme weather, large grapple trucks make the job go much faster while keeping operators from being injured by either the different types of debris or by trying to clear it away. They are also useful to clear large storm drains that have become filled with debris from rapidly moving water.
- Forestry Industry - In this industry, grapple trucks actually play more than one useful role. The more standard variety loader is frequently used for lifting and loading large logs and trees onto trailers to be transported to a mill. The same type of vehicle can be used to unload those very same trees upon reaching their intended destination. Beyond that, there are types of grapple trucks designed specifically for the forestry industry that combine the tasks of grasping trees with cutting them down as well as removing and cutting limbs to size with one effort.
This is surely not an exhaustive list of the ways these vehicles can be used, as they are put to use in many more individual ways. Rest assured, it seems as if grapple trucks are on the list of “must-haves” for any construction, trash, or forestry fleet to keep things moving. It is indeed the many faces of grapple trucks! Christopher M. Hunter is an expert in commercial specialty trucks. To find out more about International Grapple Trucks, go to the main website at: http://www.firstfleettrucksales.com/home.
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