11.01.2008

Airtrax to launch Cobra at ARA

Airtrax will finally launch is Cobra range of self propelled scissor lifts fitted with its omni directional wheels at this years ARA-Rental show in Las Vegas.

The company will show the 32ft 47 inch wider ATX-3247, the King Cobra model ATX-3368 with 33ft platform height and 68inch width, and the Cobra ATX-1933 with 19ft platform height and 33 inch overall width.
Please register to see all images

The Airtrax Omni-directional wheels

The omni directional wheels allow the machines to move sideways or counter rotate and are primarily intended for use in the Aerospace and Aviation Ground Support markets. Although Airtrax believes that many other industries can benefit from the design.

Airtrax will only be accepting orders at this time for the ATX 3247 saying that “the other units will be made available for sale as their respective production schedules are solidified during 2008.”
Please register to see all images

The MEC built Phoenix with Airtrax wheels... the King Cobra?

Vertikal Comment

Airtrax originally partnered with MEC on developing a 33ft scissor lift which was shown at the 2004 ARA show and at Conexpo in 2005. The machine never made it into production and Airtrax and MEC seemed to drift apart.

Airtrax has been talking about its Cobra range since then, the photos it shows look very much like MEC scissor lifts in grey and white paint with Airtrax wheels.

While the idea of being able to counter-rotate and move sideways is very seductive, the real need for it in every day applications is questionable as a number of manufacturers have discovered. Grove was the first company wit this idea back in the mid 1980’s when it fitted very similar wheels to an SM3270. MaxMade of Sweden also sold a range of scissor lifts with tapered wheels that rotated like castors to achieve a similar level of manoeuvrability.

For most users the extra cost and complexity is simply not worth the advantages that it offers. Once thing is for sure though, if Airtrax is able to demonstrate these lifts at the show they will attract a lot of attention and interest.