“We opted for the Stertil Koni wireless mobile column lifts as space is at a premium at this site,” says Steve Rothwell, Network Manager at The Mansfield Group. “Also, we are able to use them anywhere in the workshop. We were extremely pleased with our previous cabled lifts but the wireless versions have given us extra freedom in the way we use them. For instance, our workshop engineers can use a single column lift to easily and safely tackle a whole range of every day jobs such as wheel removals.
“Another advantage was a saving in installation costs compared with the cabled versions. This is a new depot and, if we had opted for the cabled versions, significant costs would have been incurred to upgrade the wiring to 32 amp, 3phase. By contrast, the new Stertil Koni wireless models simply plug into any standard 13 amp socket.”
Following the successful use of Stertil Koni cabled lifts, the Mansfield Group decided to upgrade to a set of wireless mobile column lifts to support workshop operations at its new depot in Liverpool.
The Mansfield Group was established in 1978 as a repairer of farming equipment, cars and commercial vehicles. Today, the business specialises in vehicle recovery, rescue, storage and repair, providing services to all major motoring organisations, police forces, councils and government agencies. With a total of 30 service centres throughout the UK, the Group has grown considerably and is now one of the largest dedicated vehicle rescue and recovery operators in Europe. The Group operates a fleet of over 450 specialist rescue and recovery units and employs approximately 750 staff.
At the new Liverpool depot, the set of Stertil Koni wireless mobile column lifts, type ST1075FWA, is used to simplify and speed up all servicing, repair and maintenance operations. Each of the four columns in the set provides a lifting capacity of 7.5 tonnes which means that the combined capacity of the set is an impressive 30 tonnes. Also, each column incorporates Stertil Koni’s revolutionary ebright Smart Control System which allows workshop staff to operate the columns individually, in pairs or in any other configuration from any column in the set. Positioning of the wireless columns is also totally flexible, enabling them to be used in any configuration around a vehicle.
Incorporating wireless mesh network connectivity and full-colour touch screen consoles, the ebright Smart Control System has been designed and developed to simplify operation by providing maximum visual information about every lifting operation - all at the fingertips of the workshop engineers. For added safety and performance, the ebright Smart Control System also shows how many columns in the set are being used plus the battery status of each column.
Long-life deep cycle batteries power the lifts for at least a week on average before recharging is necessary. Also, battery life is prolonged due to the fact that, unlike a screw-lift, power is only used to raise the vehicle therefore less time is spent recharging the lift which is carried out via a 230v single phase supply. With no cables on the workshop floor, the risk of tripping is removed, providing valuable health and safety benefits and, with no wired power supply, the system can be used safely inside or outdoors.
The absence of power and communication cables also means that set-up time is greatly reduced thereby making the system fully operational much more quickly. Significantly, the lift’s unique synchronisation system ensures a smooth lifting and lowering cycle, even in the event of extremely uneven load distribution. The ST1075FWA provides a maximum lifting height of 1.85 metres which is reached in just 75 seconds thereby making it one of the fastest commercial vehicle lifts available.
