According to JLG Industries, the idea for its new 670SJ self-leveling boom lift resulted from the
realization that conditions are seldom ideal for the use of boom lifts on the typical job site. “The
world is neither flat, nor does it come with improved surfaces,” says JLG. In 2015, JLG
engineers initiated a project to explore the viability of developing a lift with “smart suspension,”
and subsequently developed a scale model prototype shown at Bauma 2016, where key
customers provided feedback on the machine’s overall design.
The engineers took what they learned and set the goal of creating a full-size concept machine for
ConExpo/Con-Agg 2017. The proposed solution would increase a lift’s capability on slopes 0
degrees to 10 degrees, in any direction, with the boom elevated, and would also improve the
ability to traverse uneven surfaces, while keeping the chassis level and improving traction on
sloped ground.
The result is the 670SJ self-leveling machine, a boom lift with a 67-foot platform height (the
smart suspension on the 670SJ, says the company, results in a foot more platform height) and a
550-pound unrestricted and 750-pound restricted capacity. The new model provides 45 percent
gradeability, a horizontal reach of 57 feet 1 inch, and elevates to full height or back to ground
level from full height in 101 seconds. The machine automatically levels on grades up to 10
degrees when in self-leveling mode. For versatility, says JLG, two additional modes are
incorporated, standard mode for driving with the boom down at faster speeds, and shipping
mode, which allows the suspension to be lowered during transport.
Says JLG, “The 670SJ self-leveling boom provides a safer and more productive solution to a
number of common customer pain points on slopes up to 10 degrees, when compared with a
standard boom lift.”
The company notes a number of benefits for the new design:
- Allows the operator to traverse uneven ground with full functionality while driving at height
- Significantly reduces or eliminates the manual labor and time required to set up cribbing and/or grade the work area
- Reduces the need for earthmoving equipment for grading and leveling the work site
- Reduces or eliminates redundant positioning to locate a level work area
- Allows the boom lift to get closer to the work area, maximizing its reach and minimizing the need for larger, higher-reaching lifts as backup
- Decreases platform movement during travel, thus improving operator comfort and reducing the risk of objects falling from the platform
According to JLG, self-leveling technology will be phased into production across a wide-range
of models and will evolve to meet international compliance standards in the future. The 670SJ
will be available for shipment to North America-based customers fall 2020.
