Terex Utilities' Insulated Z-45 Boom Lift Designed To Support Power Substation Work

Terex Utilities on Jan. 6 announced the new Genie® Z-45 Substation Utility Boom (SUB), which is a purpose built mobile elevated work platform (MEWP).

The Z-45 SUB is designed for substation work and other applications where an insulated device is needed, but use of traditional bucket trucks is prohibitive due to size and maneuverability. Traditional all steel aerial work platforms do not provide dielectric protection and have inherit differences of potential from the chassis ground to the boom tip that require specialized work practices and grounding.
 
“The Z-45 SUB’s features isolate the boom tip from the chassis ground, which eliminates the need to perform boom tip grounding,” said Joe Caywood, Director of Marketing. “The concept for the Z-45 SUB was first shared with customers in late 2017 and early 2018. The final product is the result of collaboration with substation operations and engineering teams and is the only insulated aerial device of this kind currently available on the market.”
 
Featuring a fiberglass jib section and fiberglass platform with swing gate, the Z-45 SUB complies with ANSI A92.2 standard for Category E insulating rating of 20 kV, as measured between the boom tip and the chassis. The standard fiberglass platform comes with floor grating and optional cutouts for increased visibility, access and water egress.
 
The Z-45 SUB has zero tail-swing and 355-degree rotation in tight quarters, self-propelled control, and up-and-over capability of the boom to give utility workers greater positioning flexibility. Operators can precisely position the boom with fully proportional drive and boom functions. Lift Guard Contact Alarm provides a secondary warning designed to reduce crushing hazards. If an operator is caught between the controls and another object, a breakaway cable activates to disable lift and drive functions and trigger visual and audible alarms.
 
Based on the Genie Z-45 XC, the articulating boom has a maximum platform height of 45’6” and horizontal reach of 24’9”. Continuously monitored load sensing enables dual work zones with capacity of 660 lbs., at maximum outreach, or 1,000 lbs., in the maximum capacity zone. If the platform is overloaded, all lift and drive functions are interrupted, and the engine will shut down. Function is restored by removing the excess load.