10 Things to Consider When Buying Electric Vertical Mast Lift

Whether you’re looking for a new or used aerial lift or an aerial lift rental for your shorter-term project, it’s crucial to know the requirements of the job – and your equipment – before you invest.

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Jump to Sections:

• Questions to Ask Yourself Before Renting or Buying an Aerial Lift
• When Should I Use a Vertical Mast Lift?
• What’s the Difference Between an Electric-Powered and Engine-Powered Articulating Boom Lift?
• When Should I Use a Telescopic Boom Lift?
• When Should I Use a Scissor Lift?

Different aerial lifts serve diverse purposes, from accessing hard-to-reach places to increasing warehouse inventory management efficiency; your project will determine which lift will best serve your purposes. Read on to decide which aerial lift will be perfect for your next job.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Renting or Buying an Aerial Lift

• Is your project indoors or outdoors?
• Will you need a heavy-duty lift for rough-terrain, or a compact platform for tight warehouse spaces?
• What vertical and horizontal distances will you require of your machine?
• What is the total weight your lift will need to hold – including both materials and personnel?

The answers to these questions will inform your equipment-buying process. With these questions answered and your equipment requirements defined, follow our comprehensive buying guide to decide which type of aerial lift is right for your project.

When Should I use a Vertical Mast Lift?

A vertical mast lift is a light-weight, vertical aerial lift that works best in inventory management and stock-picking projects on an even-surfaced warehouse. Vertical mast lifts are light-weight and compact, typically accommodating one operator and handling up to 500 pounds. This means these machines work well for smaller scale warehouses in which heavy load-lifting is not required. This is typically the lowest cost option when you need to eliminate ladders and scaffolds.

Vertical mast lifts can be electrically self-propelled or manually pushed into position depending on the weight and power your work requires. They can achieve elevated work heights from 15 to 40 feet.

A vertical mast lift is best utilized:

• When you’re looking to cut costs and increase efficiency in your warehouse inventory management processes
• In indoor areas requiring low clearance and minimal emissions
• In light-weight, vertical lifting projects on even surfaces

What’s the Difference Between an Electric-Powered and Engine-Powered Articulating Boom Lift?

Articulating boom lifts, sometimes referred to as “knuckle booms” for their multiple hinged sections, allow for maneuverability in hard-to-reach worksites. These lifts work well in tight, congested areas in which you need to work around obstacles like overhead conduits and pipes.

In choosing the right lift, consider your emissions requirement; you can choose between engine-powered lifts, which offer substantial power and mobility over rough terrain, and electric articulated boom lifts, which are quiet and sustainable in an even-surfaced, indoor area.

Used an electric-powered articulated boom lift:

• On projects that involve hard-to reach areas and congested workspace
• In a warehouse with tight corners, confined spaces and there’s requirements for little sound disruption
• When work height requirements range from 30-45 feet
• When inside and don’t want poisonous emissions accumulating

Used an engine-powered articulated boom lift:

• On outdoor projects where overhead obstructions prevent direct access to your work position
• When engine emissions accumulation are not an issue at your worksite
• When you have to reach work heights from 40 to over 100 feet elevation
• When traveling over rough terrain on a construction worksite or when you require a boom with 4 wheel drive

When Should I Use a Telescopic Boom Lift?

A telescopic boom lift is simpler than an articulating boom in that it’s boom has no “knuckle” and merely protrudes out from the base in a straight line. Operators must be able to access the working position directly using lift and telescopic functions. These powerful lifts offer working positions from 40 to well over 100 feet with a maximum lift height to date of 185 feet on the largest models.

Contractors searching for extensive reach and not limited to a tight space will find telescopic booms useful in replacing scaffolding. While not as versatile as the articulating boom lift, these lifts have very high performance in large-scale, outdoor construction projects.

• On outdoor job sites requiring larger vertical and horizontal reach distances
• When traveling over rough terrain to a construction worksite, or when you require a boom with 4-wheel drive
• When you’re working from a distance
• When you’re looking to increase power and speed on your jobsite
• As a lower cost option to the articulated boom lift of equal lift height

When Should I Use a Scissor Lift?

Scissor lifts are named for the crisscrossing metal supports that elongate to lift the platform vertically. These sturdy lifts can tackle your warehouse inventory project or your outdoor project on uneven terrain, depending on the power source and model you choose.

Like vertical mast lifts, electric, low-clearance scissor lifts work well in warehouses with even flooring and where low emissions are required; engine-powered scissor lifts can travel across rough, outdoor terrain with 4-wheel drive technology.

Want more information on Electric Vertical Mast Lift? Feel free to contact us.

Scissor lifts are best suited for:

• In jobs that are mostly vertical; some models come equipped with small extension decks
• Electric: In low-clearance indoor workspaces that require limited emissions
• Engine-powered: In outdoor jobs that require all-terrain transport of equipment and require only vertically raised platforms

With this equipment breakdown and thorough analysis of your project, you can determine the best aerial lift for you. From an electric scissor lift for your low-emissions warehouse project or a 4-wheel drive telescopic boom lift for an expansive construction job, we’ll assist with all your aerial lift needs.

A goods lift is a great tool for a business that requires the transfer of heavy objects from one place to another. But to make it fully work for you, you will need to match it to your exact needs and specifications. Whether down to manual goods handling issues or to improve work efficiency we can help you identify the type of goods lift or service lift you require. Choosing the right goods lift can seem like a difficult task, for there is a wealth of options according to types, sizes and loads, so here at MORN we’ve put together a helpful top 9 of things to consider when choosing a platform lift.

1. What kind of tasks do you need the lift for?

Your goods lift or cargo lift has to be able to meet your requirements in terms of the tasks that you need to use it for. This means that your line of work will determine the exact goods lift needed on your premises. You could take a large lift if you will be transporting large and heavy loads. Smaller goods lifts are however, considered ideal for a company that will not be transporting a lot of large loads. If you buy a small goods lift and you need to transport large loads, you may end up having to carry the loads or damaging the lift as you try to squeeze in the larger loads. You could also probably damage the loads in question. The size of the lift you choose must thus match the size of your intended loads.

2. What load capacity do you need?

The weight and volume of each load (the items you put in the lift) determines the lift capacity required. You may need to move large boxes of light objects or small boxes of heavy items. These two examples may not require the same lift platform size but may need the same weight capability. It is essential to get this right as overloaded goods lifts will not function efficiently. At MORN, the load capacity of goods lift can be customized from 500kg to 30t, based on different platform size and lifting height customization. You can always find the one that meet your loading need.

3. What distance do you need to move your goods over?

This will determine the structure, size and position of your lift within your

building. And if there are more than two stops required at levels/floors, you should consider whether the lift have to go through the mezzanines (if installed in indoor space). The lifting height of MORN goods lift platform can be up to 24m, which perfectly meets a wide range of lifting requirements for goods transportation.

4. Can your building accommodate the lift’s installation and operation requirements?

Buying a lift when you do not have the right building specifications to accommodate is always a bad move. Have your building checked out by the lift company first in order to ensure that you can actually have it installed and fully functional. It’s also a good idea to learn if your building can take on the weight of a lift since weaker foundations are always a major threat to safety.

5. Should the lift be open or enclosed?

An open type hydraulic goods lift does not have a shaft whereas an enclosed platform lift has a shaft for the entire length of travel. An open style platform can only be used up to a maximum travel of 3 meters.

6. What drive system is right for you?

The main drive systems used are guided chain, hydraulic and screw drive. It is important that you discuss the type of drive system with the manufacturers so that you can fully appreciate the differences in how the drive system will affect the ride, longevity of the components and other space requirements – for example, hydraulic units will require space for the fluid tank. As an experienced goods lift manufacturer, we have both hydraulic power driven goods lift and gear reducer powered goods lift platform with high and safe speed to match diverse loading work.

7. Should I choose a pit or ramp?

Goods lifts usually require a pit of 50-150mm. This should be prepared in advance as per the manufacturer’s size recommendation to fit your lift. However, many of the manufacturers also offer a ramp at the bottom door if a pit cannot be provided to offset the distance between platform and ground. Goods can be easily transferred into the platform by these 2 ways.

8. What about automatic doors?

Automatic doors are often chosen when the lift will be used by individuals that will find pushing or pulling a door to be difficult. There are different types of closer which will react differently when the door comes into contact with an object and these should be discussed with the lift provider to ensure it meets with your requirements. Of course, you should take convenience and safety into the full consideration.

9. Does the lift need to carry people too?

For security reasons, it’s not recommended to carry a person with goods lift. Also, most people would prefer a goods lift that it is specifically for goods. So if you are an exception, please make that clear when you order a lift from the manufacturer.

Here at MORN LIFT, we can help provide answers to all of the above questions. Just leave us a message and we’ll be happy to guide you through the process of choosing your own lift.

Are you interested in learning more about Self Propelled Man Lift? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!