march2023 - 32

Product Profile
Mobile Column Lifts Raise
GSE Maintenance Safety
The ST 1130 and ST 1175 lifting solutions from Stertil-Koni connect wirelessly to
allow technicians to perform maintenance inside the shop or out.
BY JOSH SMITH
L
ike other industrial vehicles, ground support equipment
(GSE) requires regular, routine maintenance to
perform at peak efficiency.
However, given the heavier capacities and large diameter
tires on certain equipment - like pushback tractors, it can
be difficult for GSE mechanics to get under the vehicles to
service them.
In the late 1990s, Stertil-Koni introduced its ST 1175 mobile
column lift, which offers a capacity of 40,000 pounds per
column, explains Tim Kerr, engineering sales support manager
at Stertil-Koni.
" The 1175 was specifically designed to lift some of those
heavier airport tugs - the ones that would weigh in excess of
a 100,000 pounds. And really prior to its introduction, there
really wasn't anything out on the market to really lift those
vehicles. So, it was a real challenge for a lot of these ground
support equipment maintenance facilities, " Kerr says. " Our
engineering team got developing, basically took our original
version of our mobile column and they just expanded it to this
larger column and beefed up all those components to lift up
the 40,000 pounds per column.
" And that's really where the 1175 was born. "
With a lifting capacity of 29,000 pounds and the ability to
lift vehicles with wheel diameters of 79 to 88 inches, the ST
1130 model - the ST 1175's " little brother " - was developed 13
years later.
" Those larger vehicles, like the airport tugs, for example,
have this very large diameter tire, so that 1130 was
really focused on lifting those large tires on those vehicles, "
Kerr says.
The ST 1175 and ST 1130 are part of Stertil-Koni's range
of mobile column lifts, which includes five other lifting
compacities.
" Obviously, the other versions are a much smaller size than
the 1130 and 1175, " Kerr explains. " But functionally, they're all
identical across the entire range of mobile columns. "
Meeting GSE Maintenance Needs
The ST 1175 columns can be operated individually, in pairs or
as a complete set. In a configuration of four column lifts, the
ST 1175 is capable of lifting 160,000 pounds.
While it may not be needed for GSE maintenance, the
mobile column lifts are capable of achieving up to 32 columns
32 || Ground Support Worldwide || March 2023
in a single set, working simultaneously and synchronizing
with each other.
Both of the mobile column lift models elevate equipment to
81 inches for additional room to work. They feature numerous
safety features including a mechanical locking system, which
is always active even when the column is shut off.
" First and foremost is we always pride ourselves here on
safety. So that's obviously the number one feature, " Kerr says,
noting the mechanical locks are featured every 2 inches for
increased safety.
The lifts also offer automatic load protection, an emergency
stop on each column and a splash-proof electrical system.
Because the mobile column lifts sync wirelessly, tripping
hazards are eliminated because there are no cables
on the ground in the area where maintenance personnel
are working.
" There's no cable on the floor. You're not plugged to the
wall. You have completely mobile, versatile columns that can
be used anywhere at any time, " Kerr says.
The ST 1130 comes standard with EARTHLIFT technology,
which is a regenerative system that collects gravitational
energy to recharge the unit's batteries when the column is
traveling down.
" You can get more cycles out of these before you have to
plug them back in and charge them, " Kerr says.
ebright Control System
Since being first introduced, Kerr says both the ST 1175 and
ST 1130 have undergone facelifts to make the units more
sleek and modern. But when it comes to updates, he says none
has been more significant than the addition of Stertil-Koni's
ebright Control System as a standard option.
Featuring a 7-inch, color touchscreen, ebright offers users
controls with lift data, maintenance notifications and a visual
The ebright system
offers users access
to lift data, maintenance
notifications
and a visual display
of programmable lifting
heights, among
other features.
STERTIL-KONI
march2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of march2023
