expert opinion: - OPERC - Off-highway Plant and Equipment ...

the most comfortable way
to transport heavy loads
German seat manufacturer,
Grammer AG, has introduced
its new premium aftermarket
seat for heavy-duty forklifts - the
innovative new Primo Evolution
- which boasts fully automated
weight adjustment and active
seat climate control.
When standard forklifts are no longer
enough to handle heavy weights or
large transport volumes, heavy–duty
and container forklifts are put on the
job. These robust bundles of strength
use modern technology to ensure that
heavy loads in numerous industries
can be precisely, safely and effectively
transported.
Just as important as the technical
details, however, are the working
conditions for operators of such heavyduty
machines. The cab must be
designed for this challenging job with
the best-possible ergonomic features.
All controls should be located at an
optimum distance – and protection of
the driver against damaging vibrations
is of paramount importance.
In light of this, Grammer AG is now
offering a new dimension of seating
and operating comfort for heavy-duty
and container forklifts, with the Primo
Evolution. The main unique feature of
this new, premium aftermarket seat is
its remarkably low-profile suspension
combined with fully automated
adjustment to the weight of the driver.
Improper adjustment a thing of
the past
Over the course of a single day, a
forklift is often used by several drivers.
With a conventional seat, each time a
new driver enters the cab, they must
make a number of adjustments to
match the individual settings that are
right for them. This is the challenge
that innovation and technology leader
Grammer has taken on with the
Primo Evolution: using electronics
and sensor technology, the seat
automatically adjusts to the optimal
suspension settings whenever there
is even a minimal change in weight
– guaranteeing the right amount of
suspension travel at all times. Thus,
improper adjustments, which can lead
to health problems over time, are a
thing of the past. The seat effectively
protects the spine and vertebrae of
the operators, without the need for a
manual weight adjustment.
Comfort and support for the
operator
Grammer offers more than just this
innovative feature to demonstrate
how comfortable work on heavy
equipment can be in today’s world.
The comfortable seat itself features
an active climate control system that
keeps the seat dry both in the heat
and cold, as well as keeping the
driver warm when temperatures drop.
The seat cushion depth and incline
settings, pneumatic lumbar support and
seatback height adjustment combine to
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
SPECIAL REPoRT
enhance ergonomics and sustain driver
performance.
20 percent reduction in shocks
and vibrations
The low frequency pneumatic
suspension with 110 mm of travel
provides for a smoother ride, reducing
shocks and vibrations by 20 percent
over conventional air suspension seats,
making the Primo Evolution the ideal
seat when it comes to driver health
concerns and the Physical Agents
(Vibration) Directive 2002/44/EC, which
has been implemented across the
EU to protect workers from damaging
whole-body vibrations.
The Primo Evolution is just the latest
example of Grammer’s technical
leadership in the market. The seat
easily meets all structural requirements
of Europe’s ISO 24135 norm for
industrial trucks, as well as complying
with DIN EN 13490 mechanical
vibration standards and spectral
classes IT 1, 2 and 3 for forklifts.
June 2011
15