Strenx® 960 Plus gives a lift to Hansin’s aerial platform business

Hansin Co. Ltd, one of the large aerial work platform manufacturers in South Korea, is well-known among peer companies. With a healthy domestic market share of about 25%, they intend to double this figure, and the company has also set its sights on expanding its export market in Europe and Southeast Asia. An upgrade to Strenx^® 960 Plus steel is part of the recipe for success. 

A high-strength structural steel with a guaranteed minimum yield strength of 960 MPa (139 ksi), Strenx^® 960 Plus meets the requirements of EN 10 025-6 for the S960QL grade. It is typically used in a wide range of demanding load-bearing structures like aerial work platforms, cranes and telehandlers. 

Going from strength to strength with an upgrade to 960 yield strength  

Hansin believes that it is going from strength to strength as they upgrade from conventional steel and from Strenx^® 700MC to Strenx^® 960 Plus. They currently produce seven AWP models, with boom lengths of 29, 32, 35, 38, 40, 46 and 56 meters. In an effort to evolve their product line, they are aiming to produce a 63 meter model (207 ft.) in 2023 to meet customer demand for booms with longer reach and greater stability.

In 2012, Hansin replaced the conventional steel in some of their models with Strenx^® 700MC. Three years ago, they upgraded their 32 and 46 meter models to Strenx^® 960 Plus in the booms, outriggers, sub-frames and turrets. The result? Lower overall weight and improved resistance to loads introduced by the longer booms. 

According to JungSeok Kim, senior design engineer at Hansin, “Compared with a conventional steel we used before Strenx^® 960 Plus, our booms now have less deflection, no buckling and better fatigue performance, which means improved safety performance.” 

Less weight and longer booms with reduced steel thickness 

For their 56 meter AWP model, they achieved an 8.1% reduction in boom weight, from 6,653 kg to 6,154 kg (14,667 to 13,567 lbs.), and an 11.9% reduction in outrigger weight. For their 63 meter AWP model under development, with Strenx^® 960 Plus in the boom and sub-frame they reduced the steel thickness and achieved a 5-8% weight reduction compared with their previous design. They also made the boom 2-3 meters (6.6–9.8 ft.) longer in other models. 

Workshop benefits during fabrication

After adjusting for the need to use a larger bending radius and more press power when fabricating Strenx® 960 Plus compared with Strenx® 700MC, Hansin has achieved easy, hassle-free fabrication, with fewer welding points than used before. And as a recently qualified member of the My Inner Strenx^® program, the company receives priority support for processing Strenx^® high-strength steels and designing more innovative products that deliver higher customer value.

“As a member of the My Inner Strenx^® program, I’m very proud of my designed AWP and the workshop performance we get with Strenx,” JungSeok Kim concludes.   

Aerial work platform user benefits

• Got 8% lighter booms
• Got 12% outriggers weight
• Extended boom reach by up to 3 meters (9.8 ft.)
• High toughness helps ensure maximum safety in their critical applications 
• Less fuel used and thus less carbon dioxide emitted, according to the company 
• Membership in My Inner Strenx^® program can boost their brand and support global expansion

Customer benefits

• Exceptional consistency within a sheet guaranteed by close tolerances
• High impact toughness, which improves resistance to fractures
• Superior bendability and surface quality
• Weldability with excellent HAZ strength and toughness

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