There is no end to what all human beings can do, and yet there is little we do better than growing on a consistent basis. This tendency to improve, no matter the situation, has brought the world some huge milestones, with technology emerging as quite a major member of the group. The reason why we hold technology in such a high regard is, by and large, based on its skill-set, which guided us towards a reality that nobody could have ever imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, if we look beyond the surface for a second, it will become clear how the whole runner was also very much inspired from the way we applied those skills across a real world. The latter component, in fact, did a lot to give the creation a spectrum-wide presence, and as a result, initiate a full-blown tech revolution. Of course, this revolution then went on to scale up the human experience through some outright unique avenues, but even after achieving a feat so notable, technology will somehow continue to bring forth the right goods. The same has turned more and more evident in recent times, and assuming one new construction-themed development ends up with the desired impact, it will only put that trend on a higher pedestal moving forward.

JLG Industries, a Pennsylvania-based designer, manufacturer, and marketer of access equipment, has officially launched its first straight-jib (SJ) compact crawler boom lift — the X660SJ. According to certain reports, the compact crawler boasts a height of around 65ft and 7 in, whereas its capacity would fall somewhere around 500 lbs. Further given a horizontal reach of 39 ft, the X660SJ can be utilized for various different purposes, including arboriculture, painting, general maintenance, electrical, HVAC and window washing. Not just that, you can also make it thrive across a variety of jobsites, such as auditoriums, arenas, atriums, and outdoor structures. Now, talk about the stuff which actually turns this whole development worth your attention, the answer must begin from an envelope tracking functionality, which allows you to work seamlessly alongside buildings, walls, and other pieces of infrastructure. In here, we have a single control function to enable the operator in regards to booming up or down and also telescoping in or out. Moving on, the all-new compact crawler can even leverage multiple one-touch self-leveling outriggers, and therefore, provide the neccassary flexibility to work in tight areas and basically maximize the working envelope.

“The X660SJ is designed with several unique features that are key to efficiently accessing work at height,” said Angela Patterson, boom lift product management lead at JLG. “For example, the architecture of this new straight-boom compact crawler boom lift enables operators to reach full height more efficiently, while it’s crawler-mounted design and 40-percent gradeability mean the X660SJ can climb slopes with ease compared to standard lifts. And its 2-ft., 11-in, profile and less than 7,400-lb. footprint allow operators to go more places around the job site, such as through gates and standard doorways to work in yards and public buildings.”

Hold on, there are still a few bits left to unpack. The users of X660SJ should have an uninterrupted access to “Go Home” and “Back to Work” functions that ensure a rather smooth returning to stowed or recorded work position.

While the compact crawler boasts a Kubota diesel engine, it also, quite notably, has an environment-friendly lithium-ion battery in place. This conceives two full-sized, independent power sources, sources that the operator can choose from as per the task at hand. Apart from that, there is even a bi-energy option available at our disposal. However, despite the evident differences between the three core energy sources, they all are expected to have the fully synthetic biodegradable hydraulic fluid.

Beyond the stand-out capabilities, the X660SJ does share some similarities with its preceding boom lift models. For instance, you’ll find the standard forklift pockets for loading and unloading, air, water and power lines to the platform, non-marking tracks for work on sensitive flooring, integrated front and rear LED lights to ensure optimal visibility, and the SkyGuard SkyLine control panel protection.

“With the X660SJ, productivity is a top priority,” said Patterson. “This compact, low-weight straight-jib model will transform how facility and construction professionals get work done at height, indoors and outdoors.”