Stertil-Koni’s Earthlift Harnesses Gravity to Take Wireless Mobile Column Lift Technology to the Next Level

Sept. 11, 2014
Earthlift reclaims lift energy to deliver 35 percent more lifting cycles, maximizing shop productivity while minimizing lift downtime and energy costs.

Stertil-Koni, a provider of heavy-duty lifts to the vehicle maintenance industry, announced that its new Earthlift Wireless Mobile Column Lift is now ALI/ETL certified and available for immediate sale in the United States.

In addition to the fact that it has no connecting cables or wires for technicians to deal with, the new Earthlift Wireless Mobile Column Lift offers a variety of features, advantages and benefits that make it a truly game-changing wireless portable lift system, including:

  • A variable speed controller that is the industry's first and has a patent pending.
  • An advanced operating system with a graphical user interface that digitally displays lift speed, the weight bearing on the individual column, battery charge level, lift direction, lift extension measurement and more.
  • A self-regenerating power supply that significantly increases productivity by reducing the time a lift spends offline, charging.

"The Earthlift's patented Active Energy Retrieval (AER) System captures the kinetic energy generated by a raised vehicle as it descends on the lift and uses it to recharge its own batteries," Jean DellAmore, Ph.D., Stertil-Koni USA president, said. "The AER makes the Earthlift ultra-energy-efficient, allowing it to provide an unheard of 27 lifting cycles under a full load."

DellAmore said that smaller loads mean even more lifting cycles from a single charge, but that all things being equal, the Earthlift Wireless Mobile Column Lift allows users to enjoy 35 percent more lifting cycles. He noted that the Earthlift's energy efficiency coupled with its ecologically responsible design make it the industry's "biggest lift innovation with the smallest carbon footprint."

This battery-operated hydraulic mobile column lift was engineered with the environment in mind and is the eco-friendly alternative to the more basic wireless portable column lifts that have gained popularity over recent years. The Earthlift's components are 98 percent recyclable, its closed hydraulic system uses biodegradable Panolin oil, its electrical system complies with RoHs directives and its deep-cycle marine batteries can be completely recycled. The lift's green advantages can help companies earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for their facilities.

Technicians may appreciate the Earthlift's green qualities, but they are more likely to be impressed by this wireless portable lift system's operational features. Columns can be operated independently and up to eight Earthlifts can be wirelessly linked in seconds, using Stertil-Koni's ID Key technology. Once linked, the multiple lifts function as one seamless, synchronized system that delivers safe, smooth control even when load distribution is unbalanced. The Earthlift's variable speed control allows the operator to adjust vehicle height with pinpoint accuracy, allowing procedures like a gearbox replacement to be undertaken with ease. Programming options also enable users to adjust the maximum lifting height and to perform on-demand fault diagnoses.

The Earthlift Wireless Mobile Column Lift has an 18,000-pound load capacity and comes with 14-inch pick-up forks standard, allowing it to safely accommodate super-single and military tires, according to the tire manufacturer's instructions. The lift is designed to provide a 10-inch clearance between the column and the vehicle, preventing contact in the event of an on-lift tire or suspension failure.

The Earthlift Wireless Mobile Column Lift is certified by the Automotive Lift Institute Inc. (ALI) and the Electrical Testing Laboratories (ETL). ALI is an ANSI Accredited Certification Program Sponsor originally founded in 1945. ALI continues to maintain lift safety as its primary activity.

"After years of painstaking development, Stertil-Koni has delivered a unique wireless portable lift system with a set of features, specifications and characteristics that simply can't be matched," DellAmore said. "Once again, Stertil-Koni is raising the bar, setting the trend and leading the industry into a new era of smarter, greener and more energy-efficient, heavy-duty lift technology."