JLG’s self-levelling boom lift  

JLG Industries is once again seeking to change the way people work at height with the JLG 670SJ self-levelling boom lift, which is now available in North America. Equipped with JLG’s exclusive and patented self-levelling technology, the 670SJ is engineered to automatically adapt to terrain on slopes up to 10deg in any direction, while driving with full functionality at a 67ft platform height.

“We are extremely excited to bring this transformational innovation to market,” states Robert Messina, senior vice president of global product development and product management at  JLG. “Our company was founded with the passion to provide people with a safer way to work at height by John L Grove. In 1969, he did just that with the introduction of the world’s first boom lift, and today, more than 52-years later, we are doing it again with the launch of the JLG 670SJ self-levelling model.”

The 670SJ’s self-levelling technology is designed to adjust the boom lift’s chassis to the ground conditions — rather than having to adjust the ground conditions to the machine. This allows the 670SJ to navigate uneven terrain while driving at height from one job to the other without lowering the boom, leading to significant productivity gains throughout the workday.

Shashank Bhatia, vice president of engineering for MEWPs at JLG says, “Engineered with the world’s first fully integrated, self-levelling chassis, the 670SJ is a game-changer for the aerial equipment industry. On the underside of the machine, you can see that it has four independent axles, each controlled by its own smart hydraulic cylinders. These enable each wheel to separately follow the contour of the terrain and stay in constant contact with the ground. This not only allows the machine to continuously and seamlessly self-level, but it does so without requiring operator inputs.”

The 670SJ also boasts three operating modes to maximise transportability on site or on the road. Self-levelling mode enables the machine to work at full height, with full functionality, on slopes up to 10deg. Travel mode can be used when the boom is stowed to move across the job site at a faster rate of speed. And, shipping mode allows the entire machine to be lowered once in position on a truck, reducing its travel height.

All of these features are made possible through the machine’s advanced control system. This system continuously receives performance data from various sensors on the machine, then displays the information through a digital display and selectable screen interface in the platform during operation, ensuring users are more knowledgeable about what’s going on at ground level while working at height.

Nate Hoover, director of product management and marketing for boom lifts at JLG says, “Advanced doesn’t mean complex when it comes to the 670SJ. While we’ve upgraded the display, the controls are similar to standard JLG booms, minimizing the learning curve.”

JLG’s self-levelling technology offers a host of benefits for machine operators and their support crews, including reducing (and in some cases even eliminating) the prep work required to level the work area. That means no more pre-grading the site or constructing laborious cribbing before getting to work.

It also eliminates the trial and effort of repositioning a boom lift to find a level work area. This helps operators get into position and up to the work area quicker, maximises reach capabilities and reduces the need for larger, higher reaching lifts onsite as a backup for added reach when uneven ground conditions exist.

Operator comfort and safety were also key factors in the development of this product. The 670SJ provides a smoother ride as operators travel across a job site thanks to its advanced control system. It is designed to continuously adjust to the terrain to keep the platform level and minimize movement, thereby reducing operator fatigue, as well as the potential for objects to bounce around and/or out of the platform.

The JLG 670SJ self-levelling boom lift offers a class-leading 73ft work height and 57ft of horizontal reach, with 550lb unrestricted and 750lb restricted capacities. It also features JLG’s automatic, single sensor load sensing system with zero-load calibration. This functionality keeps the machine within the allowable work envelope by limiting range depending on the platform load.

Messina concludes, “The term innovation is thrown around so frequently in today’s day and age. However true, game-changing innovation that improves safety and productivity like the JLG 670SJ self-levelling boom lift are few and far between. This product represents thinking outside of the box to solve real customer pain points, combined with years of fine-tuning and discovery alongside customers to bring to market a solution that will change the way people work at height for the better.”