Elektro Prange from Dortmund receives complete train
Tractor unit with loading crane and ES-GE semi-trailer
Elektro Prange GmbH is a family business form Dortmund, Germany that focuses on electrical and traffic engineering. Founded in 1971 by Wolfgang Prange as a master craftsman, Sascha Prange, a graduate engineer (FH), has been managing the company since 2008. In addition to electrical installations, Elektro Prange also offers traffic safety and mobile telematics solutions. On their premises in Dortmund, 50 employees look after public and private clients, as well as commercial customers on an industrial scale. To ensure efficient material logistics, the Elektro Prange team relies on a modern fleet of machines and vehicles.
Elektro Prange relies on a 2-axle ES-GE semi-trailer
One of the latest additions to the fleet is a train we delivered, consisting of a Mercedes-Benz tractor unit with a loading crane from MKG and a 2-axle semi-trailer from the ES-GE brand. The combination of a tractor unit with a loading crane and a two-axle semi-trailer offers the Elektro Prange team an efficient solution for their daily work in the field of traffic safety. The duo provides the necessary flexibility in use, for example when trucks with loading cranes reach their limits. With a view to the possible application scenarios and the usable loading capacity in the range of up to 40 tons, the use of a three-axle semi-trailer was no option. For the intended purpose, space on the loading area is more important than a higher payload, which would not be usable in everyday life without a permit. With a technically possible total weight of 36,000 kg, the ES-GE semi-trailer, which weighs only around 6,500 kg, is basically designed for higher payloads.
Actros 2641 tractor unit as the basis
The heart of the train is the Actros 5 2651 LS 6×4 tractor unit. Behind the Streamspace driver’s cab, the vehicle is equipped with a loading crane from MKG. We selected the crane, called HLK 422SHP a6, according to the intended use and had it installed. The 3-axle tractor unit delivers up to 375 kW/510 hp and has a modern automatic transmission called Mercedes PowerShift 3 in the latest version “Powershift Advanced” for significantly faster gear shifting times and a corresponding reduction in torque interruption.
MKG loading crane HLK 422 SHP a6
The loading crane HLK 422 SHP a6 from our partner MKG has a range of up to approx. 16.25 m. Its arm is equipped with a six-fold extension and can lift up to 7,930 kg depending on the operating status. To operate the hydraulic system, the crane control system has access to a start-stop system of the tractor’s diesel unit. Pressing one button of the radio remote control is enough to start operating the crane. The loading crane is equipped with electronic aids that are designed to ensure safe operation. This includes the electronic crane management system ACS3, which continuously monitors the support widths and adjusts the lifting capacity to the given settings.
Working forward: semi-trailer as a “counterweight”
One special feature is a device that expands the possible uses of the crane in front of the vehicle. When coupled, the sensors detect the load on the fifth wheel. This means that the semi-trailer, including the load, is used as a counterweight for operating the loading crane. Based on these parameters, a safe operating state is detected that could not be guaranteed without the semi-trailer. Without this additional feature, working with the crane in front of the driver’s cab would only be possible to a limited extent.
We wish the Elektro Prange team safe journeys!